The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-30
GLOOM IN CAPITAL
CAUSED BY DEATH
Washington Shocked By News
Of SpencGTs Demise
CONFIDENCE OF EMPLOYEES
Speneer's Achievements for the South
In the Past Decade Are of lnesti-
mabe Value to This
Whole Section.
CONFIDENCE OF EMPLOYEES
BY WATTERsoN sTEALEY.

ful Thanksgiving day than the tragic and
deplorable death of Samuel Spencer, he
president of the Southern Railway eon-
pany.
He lived here and was so loved and
highly respected that the news of the
terrible death was a distinct shock to his
many friends. His loss will be deeply de-
plored and regretted, not only for per
sonal reasons but from a business polnt
of view, for Mr. Spencer was just re-
garded as one of the greatest business
men in the city of Washington. His splea-
did management of the great system Of
the Southern railway had won for him the
admiration of that class of people wh9
watch the progress of the railroad bnsl-
ness in the present modern times.
Genius overcame Obstacles.
He confronted in the start and since
many serious difficulties but his intel
ligence. foresight and genius overeame
them all and out of STRIPPING of road.
he made one of the greatest railroad sys-
TENS in the country.
What Samuel Spencer has done for the
SOulH Will Ills IdiilDdu III thC AoFN W
cade is of great and inestimable value. lie
has made land from Washington to the
extreme limit of the line increase ten
times its original value and by his genius
and executive ability has given the south
great railway for its commerce..
Outside of his wonderful business facul-
ties he enjoyed the affections of the nany
thousands OF his suhordinstes fef 50 was
just and kindly man and ats~asJ had
the good of his employees at heart.
Family Frustrated With Grief.
The distress of his family over his sud
den and untimely taking off under sucli
horrible circumstances, Is ptiful as his
lovely wife and charming family are ut
terly prostrated and grief-strieken and
their beautiful home on Massachuetts
avenue is one of the deepest sorrow.
President Spencers career of develop
ment as a railroad manager really began
when he became assistant to the presi-
dent of the Baltimore and Ohio. His
knowledge of the lower rounds of Inc
ladder helped in his climbing Tor ihe
higher places, and he was an indomitable
worker. To his effort is due much OF the
credit for the resurrection of the Bati-
more and Ohio. He was sent to be acting
general manager OF the trans-Ohio por-
ton of this system Then he was ad-
vanced to be successfully third vice pfesi-
dent second vice president vice president
and president of the system.
Recognized BY Morgan.
The remarkable work which Mr.. Spen-
Ger did for the Baltimore and Ohio. long
regarded by railroad people, as an al
most hopeless railroad proposition, con-
yinced j. Pierpont Morgan that he was
the very man needed TO have general
charge Of the railroad interests OF that
firm.
Mr. Morgan was fairly entering upon the
great career of railroad reorganization
which has done so much for the rehablla-
ton of the railroad systems of the couf-
try and especially in the SOUTH He needed
a first class expert railroad executive
and the post was given to Mr. Spencer.
The organization, out of many lines OF
most dubious value, of the Southern rail-
way system, probably will stand as the
greatest work in constructive finance that
Mr., Morgan achieved, excepting only the
United States Steel corporation. 1t Is con-
ceded to have been his masterpiece OF
railroad management. In this Mr. Spen-
Ger was his right hand working out the
practical problems, unifying the system,
and especially encouraging and develop
ing traffic. He was with the Morgan house
from 1889 till in June, 1894, when he was
made president of the Southern. He has
remained in that position ever since, ana
the splendid financial and traffic showing
of the system Is the best evidence OF ms
genius He was. as a railroad man, es-
sentially a constructor and developer. NO
single man, probably. Is entitled 10 so
large measure OF credit for the regen-
Grafton of industry and agriculture IN the
IL, Is the need
of Samuel Spencer. A southerner by birth,
he was devoted to the great work of IN
dustrial and economic reconstruction Of
the southland, after the era of political
construction had passed, and In IL ne has
bes< leader.
Officials Visit Scene.
All the officials of the Southern railway
in Washington left on special train over
the road at LOS this morning for the
scene of the accident before the news of
Mr.. Spencer's death became generally
known During their absenc, one of the
highst officials of the road, who could
be found. was Col L. s. Brown, general
agent, whose acquaintance with Mr.. Spen-
Ger dated further back than any other
man connected with the Southern railway.
Mr.. Brown was deeply affected by tho
death of President Spencer. When asked
said:
Tribute BY Old Friend.
II first met Mr.. Spencer when he and
W. Fl. Wells, now engineer of construc-
ton of this company, were engaged In
building the Savannah and Memphis rail-
road in Alabama as far back as 1872. at
which time | was connected with the
Western Railway OF Alabama at Opelika.
Shortly following this Mr.. Spencer was
appointed to the position as clerk to the
SUPERINTENDENT of the New Jersey South
ern railroad. A few months later he was
made assistant superintendent of trains
on the first division of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad which was about May.
1873 In 1878 he was appointed superin-
tendent of transportation of the Virginia
Midland railroad now component part
of the Southern railway, on which line
he met with the fatal accident this morn
ing. He retired from the Midland III 1873.
and assumed the duties Of superintendent