Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-03
courageous spirit. his untiring devotion to

courageous spirit, his untiring devotion t
duty. his persistent achievement of worthy
| ends, and his comradeship on the fields O,
| battle, Of affairs, and Of manly sport, com
| bined to establish him in the loving regard
| of hosts of friends In every section Of his
country, and nowhere more securely than In
the anectfon of his fellow-workers in the
| service Of the Southern Railway Company.
THE Importance Of his service to this
company Is matter Of common knowledge
| throughout the railroad world, but the
| character. the extent and the consequence
| OF that service are and can be appreciated
at their full worth only by his associates
now gathered here to attest their regard for
him and to record their high estimate of his
! life and work.
| Upon June 10. 1894. on the completion
| OF the Richmond terminal reorganiza ton
| conceived by j. Pierpont Morgan and con
Quoted by his partner. Charles H. Coster
| the first meeting of the Southern Railway
Company was called to order at Richmond
| by Samuel Spencer. as president
In that calendar year the Southern rail-
way system embraced 1891 miles of road
with 623 locomotives and 1854 cars, which
carried 3,427 1853 passengers. and 6,875, TOO
| tons of freight and earned $16.643, 29S.
I'm the last fiscal year the Southern rail-
way system embraced 7.515 miles of road
with 1.429 locomotives and 42,11O cars,
| which carried II .663. $50 passengers and q,
S39,3T tons of freight and earned $53, Gal, =
| 43S. The number Of employees had increased
| from 1918. June 30, 1895. to 1905, June 80.
, 1906. and the wages paid from Sc TIP, 706 to
| $21, 19802O.
"The full details and the impressive char
acter OF this rkable advance. too ex-
tended for t.. I recital are exhibited
in the mastery lnunication which upon
February ]. 1861 ar. Spencer addressed to
Messrs. J. p. Morgan & Co., as the basis
| Of the development and general mortgage.
Impress Of Mr.. Spencer.
"In this progress every step had been mi
| tiated and conducted by Mr.. Spencer with
the cordial concurrence Of the voting trus-
tees and the board Of directors, and it Is
significant of the conservative and cautious
disposition Of Mr.. Spencer and his support
ers that this phenomenal enlargement of
| the system and its business was not made
the basis Of any increase Of stock, or even
of any increase of dividends beyond the
amount contemplated and stated in the
plan of 1893 with reference to the proper
ties originally reorganized. Every dollar
that could be borrowed under President
Spencer's management was put into the
property in the effort to enable 1t to meet
the ever-increasing demands OF the vigor-
Gus and wonderful growth OF the south
and its industries.
1.-THE mighty fabric which for twelve
years he has been molding must continue
under others to develop, and to improve in
the service that 1t shall render to the pub
press or to reveal the continuing impulse
OF the master-mind Of its first president
In the height Of his usefulness and his
powers he has been called away, but the
inspiration Of his shining example and his
lofty standards must ever animate his sue
cessors.
ITO many other corporations conducting
the commerce Of the country, as we'll as to
the Southern railway did Mr.. Spencer rem
der invaluable service, and all Of them will
share in our sense of loss and personal
grief. AS their chosen spokesman in the
tremendous agitation eliminating in the
conversational acft0n If 1914 cfo
of his subject, his dignity Of bearing and
confidence and approval OF the vast inter-
ests whose constitutional rights 1t became
his duty to assert and to protect.
Obligations Recognized.
ITO the great public not less than to the
commercial interests did he recognize his
obligations. How well he conceived, how
admirably he performed that duty. was in
dicated in the last Of his public addresses
his last message to his friends in the south,
delivered at Montgomery, Ala, on October
o. 1906. an address which deserves wide
circulation and close consideration, not
only In his own SOUTH that he loved so
well, but throughout the whole country
which he had learned to know far better
than most of its citizens, wherever born.
His chosen career has closed, but the
wisdom and the virtues that characterized
that career will abide as long as there
shall be a regard for duty bravely done
and for high service CALAMITY rendered
ITO his family we extend our deep and
most respectful ympathy, and ou- assur-