The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-05
TRIBUTE TO SPENCER.
Man Who Once Worked Under Him
 Writes His Appreciation.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 The death of Samuel Spencer not only removes from our midst one of the great est railroad men of the age but marks the passing away of a man who has done more substantial good for the south than any one since the war. l will not speak of his ability as a railroad man, as words are inadequate. except insofar as results have been attained
 MT. Spencer bought up the rusty streaks and junk piles and linked them together, making a system in point of mileage rank ing with the largest, he put together these bankrupt properties until Inc had line covering the entire south He installed a division superintendent where a pres ident, board of directors general man ager and superintendents had formerly held forth, thereby reducing expenses in order to rebuild the lines. He has made new, from spike to engine the entire property, building million-dollar depots and large, commodious shops, and at the same time paid interest on the investment and doubled and trehled the value of the property. No wonder Plerpont Morgan was shocked.
  nessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad in 1893, under w. J. Murphy. The company was not paying operating expenses, and was issuing receivers certificates for necessary improvements. Without warn ing the news was flashed over the wires to the effect that the great banking house of Drexel, Morgan & Co. had un- dertaken to reorganize the different roads in the south and had selected MT. Spen- cer to work out the details.
 Nothing short of the reputation of Drexel, Morgan x Co.,, coupled with the fact that MT. Spencer was southern man of ability, would have inspired the public with any confidence at this time; but this quiet, unassuming man known as Sam Spencer went to work, and the result speaks for itself.
 When he went over the road, MT. Mur- phy, having in mind it's physical condi- tion, annulled all extra trains and spiked the switches so as to insure his safety.
 A person not familiar with the condi- tions of 1893 cannot realize what a gi- gantic undertaking the reorganization of the Southern system by MT. Spencer was, but those of us who have watched the career of this phenomenal man, looking at the picture when the many short lines with long soundings names were in the hands of receivers. and comparing them with the three large systems presided over by MT. Spencer realize that he has worked wonders.
 MT Spencer was one of the few railroad presidents capable of having and hold ing the esteem of every employe under him, and his success was largely due to this fact.
 He believed in consultations thereby lessening expenses; he made the prop critics pay from the first besides in- creasing in value and it is my opinion that had he been spared to work out the destiny of his roads. that much larger saving would have been made in dispens- ing with a certain line of officials who spend money in fighting over business; in other words if conditions were such as to allow every railroad to get it's share of the business, we would not hear so much about rebates, etc.
 It seems suoh a pity that he should have been stricken as he was, and the southern people share to the fullest eN- tent the loss incurred, It must have been the irony of fate that caused him to be stricken down on his own line. and can only be compared to a sculptor who re- ceives his death blow while putting the finishing touches to his masterpiece.
 May the railroads that Mir Spencer gave his life rebuilding. stand as mon- ument to his skill and energy, and not go down in the storm. Respectfully sub n,itted. C. A. ANANT.
 Birmingham December 4, 1906.