The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-12-07
VAULT HOLDS
SAM SPENCER
Body Of D lad President Of Southern
EntombJd a, Washington.
LARGE CROWD ATTENDS
Host Of Distinguished Per D From
Every Walk Of Life a ID Every
Section Pay Last Tribute.

All that is mortal of Samuel spen-
Ger, late president of the Southern
Railway, whose tragic death on his
own railroad on the morning Of
Thanksgiving Day shocked the people
OF two hemispheres, was laid to rest
Sunday afternoon in the receiving
vault at Oak Hill cemetery, Washing
ton, there to await final disposition.
A notable tribute was paid to the
memory of the distinguished railroad
lnagnate by his associates, by states.
men, and by men eminent in all the
walks of public life. The funeral OBJ
sequies held in historic st. johns
Protestant church were attended by
railroad officials, financiers and pub
lie men FROM all parts of the coun-
try. Many OF them we're lifelong
associates. Hundreds of friends came
from the south. The church was
crowded beyond its capacity and hun
dreds stood outside.
The. services We're conducted by
the Right Rev. Henry Satterlee, Rev.
DR.. Roland Cotton Smith. rector Of st.
Johns, and the assistant rector of the
church.
Shortly before 1880 p. m. the Off
GERS and employees of the Southern
Railway, $40 in number, assembled at
the general offices of the company,
and proceeded, as a body, to st.
Johns church. Practically all of the
officers Of the company throughout its
system of nearly five thousand miles
were in attendance upon the services.
Joining their friends of the Southern
Railway in paying respect to Presl-
dent Spencer were representatives OF
the Mobile and Ohio. Georgia, South
ern and Florida; Cincinnati. New Or
leans and. Texas Pacific; New Orleans
and Northeastern; Central Of Geor-
gia; Atlantic Coast Line; Seaboard
Air Line; Chesapeake and Ohio;
Pennsylvania and Norfolk and West
ern.
Just at 2 O'Clock the soft strains Of
Chopin's beautiful funeral march peal
ed through the church from the or
gan. At the same instant through
out the system of railroads lately pre-
sided over by Mr.. Spencer, every
train came to dead stop, every
wheel ceased to turn, every employee
put aside his work. For five minutes
over the thousands of miles of rail
way every employee paid silent re-
spect to the dead president.
1t was peculiarly appropriate that
the body bearers should have been
selected from among the colored por-
ters Of the Southern railway. All Of
them have been in the service Of the
company for many years-severaI of
them nearly a lifetime and all Of
them were known personally to Pres
ident Spencer.
Following the body came the hon.
orary pallbearers, all of them per-
sonal and official friends of Mr.. Spen
Ger. They We're principally presidents
or high officials Of the railroads Of
America and it was noted that, either
personally or by proxy, they repre-
scented quite one Third Of the vast
wealth of the United States.
AT the conclusion of the rituals
tic service, the remains were borne
from the church during the singing
of abide With Ne" Services at the
cemetery we're brief and simple.
No such wonderful profusion Of ex-
quisite floral offerings has been seen
in Washington sirfce the obseduies Of
the late President Mckinley as filed
the Massachusetts avenue home Of
President Spencer and the chancel Of |
st. Johns church. These tributes ,
came from all parts of the country.
There were car loads OF beautiful en-
blems wrought from the rarest Of cut
flowers. Only few wagon loads Of |
the floral offerings we're displayed at |
the church.