The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-29

a Rose From Rodman 10 President OF 4 Great
Railroad Through ABILITY.

RAILROAD InrOuRn ADtIS.
Alexander Johnston Cassatt was not
a self-made man. but he was a self-made
railroad man. He picked out r~ailroading
for his career because it appealed to him
and not at all because there was any neces-
sity OF his working either at that business
or at any other; for from the time OF his
birth, December 8, 1889, in P%ittsburg, all
the good things OF life we're his for the
asking.
Mr.. Cassatt received his technical and
advanced education al the Rensselaer,
Polytechnic Institute and at the University
of Darmstadt. He took a fancy TO the
latter Institution while travelling in Europe
with his father. IL was az a civil engineer
that he was graduated from the Troy Poly
technic, and il was in this capacity that
he began railroading as a rodman on the
Philadelphia division OF the Pennsylvania
The following year he was assistant engj-
neer on the construction force OF the Con-
Meeting Railway, then in 1885 resident
engineer on the Philadelphia and Erie
and the following year superintendent
of motive power and machinery on the
In 1898 he was made superintendent
4 of motive power and machinery OF the
Pennsylvania. In 1874 he became general
manager of the Pennsylvania lines east
of Pittsburg, and from that time to 1880
he was also third vice-president OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad. He had worked
his way up by ability as a practical, operat,,
ing railroad man and in this capacity had
no superior OF the official staff OF thesysten.
His ability as a ~financier was yet to be
tested. The test came when robert Gar-
rett of the Baltimore and Ohio strolled into
the office of George B. Roberts, then presi-
dent Of the Pennsylvania, and remarked
pleasantly:
@Mr. Roberts. we nave secured control
Of the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Whining
ton. But don't feel disconcerted We
are not disposed to interfere with your in
terests in the property
The road extended from Baltimore TO
Philadelphia and had been operated in the
interest of the Pennsylvania; Its ac-
QUESTION by the Baltimore and Ono meant
heavy toss to the Pennsylvania, but Presi-
dent Roberts, discounted by the assurance
of Mr.. Garrett, believed the road was out
of Pennsylvania control. He told Mr.
Cassatt about the interview. The latter
saw a chance, laid his plan before the di-
rectors at "A meeting hurriedly called that
night and left the meeting with a check
for Sl4, 949, O52. ~. The dext day the check
was given in payment for a block OF stock
that gave assured control TO the Pennsyl-
vania. The check, at that time tho largest
ever presented to a bank, has since hung
in a frame on a wall Of the office Of the
treasurer of the road.
first vioe-president. He was in line for
promotion to the presidency, but on the
death of Mr.. Roberts the place went to
Frank Thomson. Mr.. Cassatt remained
a director but withdrew from other active
official participation in the work OF The
road In the seventeen years intervening
before his return he travelled extensively
in Europe and also found much TO amuse
him on the turf. With ID. ID. Wlthers ne
built the Monmouth Park racetrack, and
under the name Of Mr.. Kelso he raced
horses with great success. He estab-
lished a breeding farm at Berwyn, I'M
ported The Bard, which he placed at the
head Of the stud, and with The Bard, Eurus
and Tarragon among others won many
rich stakes. He succeeded George Lorll-
lard az president OF the Monmout tn Park
Association in 1885 but quit racing when
the sport fell into disrepute in New Jersey.
On the death of Frank Thomson .ln 1899
the Pennsylvania directors unanimously
called Mr.. Cassatt to the presidency. On
the resumption OF his official connection
with the road he displayed all his old time
Immediately he was engaged in a cOntro-
versy with the Rockefellers over rates on
his fine and by persuading the New York
Central to stand with him, established more
profitable rates for all shipments from the
West. The Rockefellers and Andrew Car
negie formed an alliance with George Gould,
and the latter projected r line into Plttsburg.
Mr.. Cassatt retaliated by driving the West
ern Union Telegraph Company of the Penn
s~vlvania system. The actual battle was
the poles cut down and the work was com
pleted before the telegraph company had
a chance to ask for restraining injunctiOns.
Mr.. Cassatt then embarked on "A policy of
expansion. He purchased blocks Of stock
amounting TO a controlling interest in the
p-TaNimore and Ohio, his closest rival, in tho
Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake and
Ohio. Ayear or two later, when il seem ID
mat no one wanted the Long Island, il APP
peared that the Pennsylvania not only
wanted IL but had IL. At about the same
tine it began to be noted that the Penn
e~yfvania and New York, New Have and
Hartford were in close accord. The &C
ouisition Of a considerable interest in the
New Haven MIR. Cassatt admitted IL has
long been supposed that the interest was