Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-29
HEAD OF THE "PENNSY."
Gossip as to Successor of Alexander
j. CasSatt,

NEW YORK. December 23-James Nc
Crea. one of the directors of the Penpsvl-
vania railroad and vice president of the
Pennsylvania Company which controls the
lines west of Pittsburg is considered I'm
well-informed circles the man most likely
to succeed President Cassatt Mr. McCrea
is the only director educated in the railroad
business, and his knowledge of the affairs
of the company both east and west of Pitts
burg is declared to be equaled by no other
man connected with the company. One of
the best-informed and most prominent men
in the financial district predicted Yesterday
In the most positive terms Mr. McCreas
election. He analyzed the situation as fol-
lows:
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 be-
come members OF the board. These vice
presidents are; John Z. Green first vice
president Charles e Pugh, second vice
president; Samuel Rea. third vice presI-
dent; j. b. Ihayer, fourth vice president
and Henry Tatnall fifth vice president
The first two are of about the same age as
was Mr.. Cassatt, and are soon to retire
under the age limit of seventy years Capt.
Green has been devoted to the finances
while Mr.. Pugh has been charged with the
details of transportation. Mr.. Rea is an
engineer. just now in charge of New York
work. Mr.. Thayer is AMI always has been
a traffic manager, while Mr.. Tatnall was
taken from the presidency of the Franklin
National Bank of Philadelphia to the treas
urership. and has no other knowledge of the
affairs of the company
None of these officials is considered as
natural successor, not alone because their
la5ors 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 knowledge of the vast
interests of the railroad on the lines west of
Pittsburg.
McCrea's Experience.
"Well-informed 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. lie Served in various
positions on the eastern lines finally being
transferred from the general superlntend-
ency of the lines of the PENNSYLVANIA rail-
road east of Philadelphia to that of general
manager of the lines west of Pittsburg. In
his twenty-five years in charge of these
properties he has risen to the first vice
presidency. post he has filled for the last
ten or fifteen years. and is absolutely in
control of them. the presidency always being
held by the president of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad Company. Since his membership In
the board of the Pennsylvania he has been
obliged TO spend much of his time in the
east. and his former knowledge of the prop
critics he operated has been supplemented
with thorough knowledge of all the i'm
provements made since that time. He Is
accordingly entirely familiar with all the
lntflcacles OF the present system. He com
bines thorough knowledge of the western
system, fitness possessed by no other Off
clai' and quite as thorough a knowledge Of