The Washington herald., 1906-12-29
Believed He VIII Become
Head Of Pennsylvania.
IS THE BEST-POsTED DIRECTOR
For Twenty-Five Years in Charge of
Operations of Lines East and West
diyiduaI Stakeholder, Is Considered
TO BE Out of the Question.


vania Company. which controls the lines
west of Pittsburg. is considered in we'll
informed circles the man most likely to
succeed President Cassatt of the Penn
syvania Railroad, who died in Philadel-
phia to-day.
Mr.. McCrea is the only director edu-
Gated in the railroad business. and his
knowledge Of the affairs Of the company
both east and west Of Pittsburg is de-
clared to be equaled by no other man con
nected with the company. One Of the
best informed and most prominent men
in the financial district predicted to-day
in the most positive terms Mr.. McCrea's
election. He analysed the situation as
follows:
The board is, of course. elected by the
shareholders. and at the meeting for or
ganizatiOn the board then appoints the
vice presidents, who, by virtue Of their
office, become members of the board.
These vice presidents are John +. Green.
first vice president. Charles f. Pugh.
second vice president; Samuel Rea, third
vice president: J. y. Thayer. fourth vice
president and Henry Tatnall. fifth vice
president The first two are Of about
soon to retire under the age limit Of
seventy years. Capt. Green has been de-
voted to the finances. while Mr.. Pugh has
been charged with the details of trans
portation Mr.. Rea is an engineer, just
now in charge Of New York work Mr.
Thayer is. and always has been. 4 traf-
fiC manager, while Mr. Tatnau was taken
from the presidency Of the Franklin Ma
tiOnal Bank. Of Philadelphia, to the treas
urership. and has no other knowledge Of
the affairs Of the company.
CasSatt May Have Looked to McCrea.
'Sone Of these officials is considered as
a natural successor, not alone because
their labors have been IN one channel.
productive of no knowledge Of the wide
necessities Of the other branches Of the
service. but none of them has any knowl-
edge Of the vast interest Of the railroad
on the lines west Of Pittsburg
-Well-inforned men think that Mr.. Cas-
satt was providing for the future when
he had James McCrea elected TO the
directory. He is the one railroad man
annually elected by the shareholders He
served in various positions on the East
ern lines, finally being transferred from
the general superiutendeucy of the lines
OF the Pennsylvania railroad east OF
Philadelphia 20 general manager of the
lines west Of Pittsburs- In his twenty
five years management of these prop
critics he has risen to the first vice presi-
dency. a position he has filled for the
past ten or fifteen years. and is absO-
lutely in control Of them. the presidency
always being held by the president Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad. Since his
membership in the board Of the Penn
s4r4Frr .r,~fn - -F.r
much Of his time in the East, and his
former knowledge Of the properties he
operated has been supplemented with a
thorough knowledge of all of the i'm
provements made since that time He
is accordingly entirely familiar with all
the iutricacies Of the present system. He
enjoys a thorough knowledge Of the
Western System. a fitness possessed by no
other official and has quite q thorough
knowledge Of the Eastern lines Logi-
cally. therefore, the next president Of
the Pennsylvania viii be James McCrea.
Frick out of the Question.
Henry c. Prick, reputed to be the
largest individual holder Of Pennsylvania
stock, was chosen a director of the COM
pany on Monday TO ill a vacancy. and
the report was that he would probably
T
tired under the age limit The report
was denied the following day .by. persons
speaking authoritatively for Mr. Prick
Mr. Frick. it is said, did not desire the
place. and would not take it under any
circumstances.
Conversations with men close 70 Mr.
Frick to-day left no doubt of the SINGER
ity of the denial Not only does he not wish
the place, it is said, but he consideEs
that his selection 20 Il would be very
inadviSable. Mr.. Frick is heavily inter
ested in coal properties along the read,
and in the United States Steel Corpora
ton, which is the Pennsylvania best
customer On this account. If for no
other reason, his acceptance of the presi-
dency is considered out of the question
The names Of George s. Baer. president
Of the Reading; +. y. Underwood, presi-
dent of the Erie and Oscar G. Murray,
president of the Baltimore and Ohio. were
mentioned by various railroad men as
likely TO be considered in the unlikely
event Of the choice falling outside the
company. But it is believed. even by
those who made these suggestions, that
the matter is probably already settled.
On account Of his contemplated early
retirement and his ill-health. Mr.. Cas-
satt, II is believed. had discussed the cues
ton of his successor with men influential
in the management and agreed with them
on the best man qualified to complete the
great improvement he conceived and ad-
vanced.