Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-12-04
Death of Samuel Spencer.

In the untimely and horrible death
Of Samuel Spencer, the south, that
portion south of Baltimore and east of
the Mississippi river, has met with a
heavy, very heavy loss, for it would
be idle to deny that during the past
twelve or fifteen years especially, Mr..
Spencer has done more than any other
one living man in promoting the in
dustrial development and progress of
this section.
OF course, we would not be under
stood as giving to Mr.. Spencer credit
for all that the south has accomplished
during the period mentioned. He is
not entitled to credit for all; but that
he has done his part and wonderful
part at that there is no reasonable
ground for question. Except for his
remarkable ability, his wonderful ener-
gy and his determined purpose to the
single end of trying to complete in
one short life time the tremendous
plans he had in mind, the progress of
the south would be written in much
shorter space than Is now required for
the story.
Including as it does thousands Of
miles of tracks, millions Of dollars OF
capital. and branching outward and
onward with a restlessness, the mere
contemplation of which almost makes
one dizzy, the Southern is, in many
ha o,lyol VI
system in the world, and all who are
informed as to the history and growth
of this giant property, thoroughly un-
derstand that more than to any other
one man it owes its existence to the
late Samuel Spencer. In making this
statement we do not forget Mr.. j. P.
Morgan and others. The work could
not have been accomplished without
their help: but it was Mr. Spencer who
commanded their confidence and en-
listed their support and cooperation
Without them he would have done
much less: without him they would
have done nothing. Their tremendous
resources and abilities would have
found employment in other directions.
We have not lost sight of the fact
with the general public, or large part
of it. the management of the Southern
has built up a reputation that is syn
onymous with hap-haZard recklessness
and inefficiency. We do not forget
that its history during the past ten or
fifteen years is written largely in the
blood and suffering of passengers and
employees. These things are not to be
forgotten. But let us not hold the
management of the railway system al
together responsible for this, lest we
find ourselves accusing others where
we ourselves are also guilty.
There have been and there are still
two sides to this tremendous develop
ment of the Southern railroad and the
south. On the one hand it is the rest
less energy of the southern people
creating a tremendous demand Tor
TRANSPORTATION, and on the other hand
the restless energy of the railroad peo-
pie trying to supply that demand. The
south has been working at hlgnly
overtaxed pressure in building and
creating commerce. and the railroad
has been working at highly overtaXed
pressure in trying to meet the almost
impossible demands upon it.
Mr.. Spencer has been the responsible
head of the railroad side Of the prob
In, opd although IL cannot be claim
ed that he has fully and completely
met all the demands that have been
made upon him, it does not require
stretch of charity to say that what
he has accomplished is little short of
marvellous. If there is another man
outside of those who have gotten their
training under and through Mr.. Spen-
GER who can fill his place as he filled