The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-02-04

& CO.. and which had later tested the
strength OF Amsterdam itself by second
bankruptcy.
MADE PRESIDENT.
on Nov. /. 1903, just II years and one
month after he FIRST entered the service
or the road, Mr.. Mellen returned to New
Haven as the supreme executive OF the
great New England railway.
The New Haven was an exceedingly
valuable. profitable end important prop
erty. traversing the most important
manufacturing section OF the country. It
was suffering from the unfortunate
affection known as dry rot There was
dead wood I'm it's organization. Much
money had been spent on its tracks, but
it's rolling stock had been allowed 10
deteriorate. Its cars and engines were
old and insufficient 10 handle its business
Some OF its important stations were un-
slightly and inconvenient. It's freight ter
minals were inadequate. Worst of all.
its policy toward the public had made It
unpopular.
The New York. New Haven and Hart
ford railroad. though very important
system, was In 1903 distinctly a local
system. It's northern boundary was rough
ly n line drawn westward from Boston
through the state OF Massachusetts, its
southern limit Long Island sound and its
western terminus New York city. As a
great freight originating and freight ter
minating line its Importance was acknowi-
edged. but Il was at the mercy Of tho
Trunk Line association for its share OF
the rates on through freight. and It was
az the mercy Of the closely united coal
carrying roads for its supply Of anthracite
coal Both these organizations had
shown disposition 10 pinch the New
Haven.
IMPROVEMENTS
Within three months after ne took office
President Mellen made his first move
toward the kingrow of the railway
checker-board by purchasing the Central
New England. which. with it's subsidiary
lines, gave him control OF the Pough-
keepsie bridge, the only rail route across
the Hudson between New York and
Albany. This was I'm February, l9ai In
September he startled the railroad world
again with the news that the New Haven
had secured control OF the New York
ontario and Western which connected
with the Poughkeepsie bridge route on the
one hand and tapped the anthracite coal
district at Scranton on the other More
over the road has a lake port. Oswego.
and trackage rights that carry II west
ward 20 Buffalo where connection with
Independent roads like the Wabash is
possible.
REPLIES TO CRITICISM
To the criticism OF tho service afforded
by his road President Mellen says I'm ef.
feet.
II admit that there are shortcomings I'm
the service. 7 am more anxious 10 over
come them than anyone else can be. be
cause ] realize that they hurt the road
ard deprive it OF business We are going
ahead Just a. rapidly as We can. but N
takes time 90 build bridges and engines
and cars ] wish that 7 could put them
into service tomorrow but Il is impossible
hctause the workmen and machine shops
caat turn them out so soon. 1t will take
a year TO get them ready for operation. II
YOU will exercise as much patience as YOU
can for this period ! will give YOU a
service as good a. YOU are asking for. and
I hope 20 make Il come somewhere near
the standard that I myself demand"
All this is 50 novel. 90 refreshing and 80
unexpected thai. we don't know quite
What 20 make or we look AT each other
end ask: what does n mean? what is
his gamer" 10 does not occur 10 us that n
taiiiosd president can be telling MS the
plain truth But one need only talk with
President Mellen for few moments 20
understand that this "a exactly what he
is doing lie tvpihes tho new school OF
railroad presidents ~ whom there are few
~ the present moment. but 81 whom
there will be many before tho first quar-
ter Of the present century is passed who
recognize their duty not merely 20 their
immediate employers. the corporations.
bit also to their ultimate employers. the
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