The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-27

Mr.. Horace NJ. Emerson is dead
Last night al 7:3O, just as the day
came to a close, the soul of this man,
who was loved by all who knew him,
went out to meet its Maker. Gathered
around him were the members of his
family and quietly and peacefully as
If going to sleep, he passed away
1t was only a short time until the
news of his death became known on
the streets. Although the public knew
that he was desperately ill, the news
came as d great shock to his relatives
and friends.
Few men are loved as was Mr..
Emerson and it is to be doubted if he
had an enemy in the world. No mat
ter how busy he might be he always
had time to speak a kind word to a
TREND. His was a spirit of brightness
and when things appeared gloomy he
looked on the sunny side and made life
for those with whom he came in con-
tact brighter and happier. He was a
maj whom it was d pleasure to be
"ANAt OAN AtSI ASh q SO00I
Line official said he vas the most CON-
paniOnable man he had ever met.
When it came to knowledge of rail-
road affairs Mr.. Emerson was one of
the ablest officials Of the entire Coast
Line system and as a traffic manager
he had few equals. One minute he
could be laughing and talking with
some friend who might drop into his
office and the next buried in some rail-
road matter requiring the deepest
thought. In his death the Atlantic
Coast Line loses an official of I'M
questioned ability; his family a tender,
generous and devoted father and thou
sands a friend whose place can never
be filled.
MIR. EmerSon'S career was an exam-|
pie of what a young man with energy
and determination can do. From an
obscure clerkship be went up step by
step until he became one of the most
important officials on the vast Coast
LINE system.
Horace NJ. Emerson was born at Yell
low Springs, Ohio, on November rs,
1859. and there spent his bOyhOOd days.
In 1876, when a boy Of II years of
age, he started out to fight the battles
of life. He entered the service of the
Atlantic Coast Line at Portsmouth,
Virginia, in the capacity of a clerk at
the transfer station. He remained
there one year and then went to Balti-
more to accept a position in the claim
agents office of the Atlantic Coast
Line. In 1873 he came to Wilmington
where he became a clerk in the freight
Office. He continued in this position
until 1880 when he was made claim
clerk in the general freight Office in this
city. For three years he filled this po-
sition and was then promoted to chief
clerk to the general freight and pas
senger agent. In 1882 ne was again
promoted and made assistant general
freight and passenger agent With
such ability did he fill this position
that on August list, 1896, he was made
general freight and passenger agent.
Here we find him putting in six years
Of earnest work in this capacity and
on July 1st, 1902, he went a step
higher and was made assistant traffic
manager, and a few months later, on
November %, was elected traffic man
ager. And last January he became
general traffic manager, the position he
held when he had to give UP his work
on this earth.
What a record, and it shows that the
great railroad man did not reach the
top by chance, nor by a pull, but by
his own efforts and in each position
held fitting himself to hold n still
higher. He did not go to the top at
a lump but slowly and steadily he
reached that point where his ability
was so highly regarded as to cause
Mr.. John r. Kenly, third vice presi-
dent Of the Coast Line, to say that the
death of Mr.. 81. NJ. Emerson was the
greatest blow the Atlantic Coast Line
had ever received.
The home life of Mr.. Emerson was
beautiful and to his family he was
tenderly devoted. He married Miss
jamie Parsley, daughter Of the late Col
onel VIM. NJ. Parsley, and his wife and
six children are left TO mourn his
loss. His children are, MI. Horace
NJ. Emerson, Jr., Mr.. William 2. Emer-
son., Miss Elise Emerson, Master Ala
Emerson and little Misses jamie and
Mamie Emerson. His aged mother,
Mrs. Eleanor G. Emerson survives him.
She lives at Muncie. Indiana In add1-
ton to President Thomas. M. Emerson,
of the Atlantic Coast Line, he leaves
two brothers and five sister who live
in Indiana. The bereaved family
have the sincere sympathy OF the en-
fire community in this hour OF deep
est sorrow.
Mr.. Emerson had been i'm bad health