The Washington herald., 1906-12-03
EULOGIZE SPENCER.
Associates in Railway World
Pay High Tribute.
TELL OF HIS GREAT WORK
At Meeting of Voting Trustees and
Board of Directors, Held Here,
Deeds of Dead Southern Railway
President Are MemOFfaIiEed in Of
ficiaI Minute to BE Recorded.

At joint meeting of the voting trustees
and the board Of directors Of the South
ern Railway Company, held at its Office
in Washington yesterday, Immediately
after the funeral service OF Samuel Spen-
Ger, late president OF the company, there
were present Alexander B. Andrews. first
vice president presiding; J. Pierpont Nor
gan, and George F. Baker. voting trustees.
and the following directors: Joseph
Bryan, Samuel " Inman, Adrain Iselin,
jr.. Edmund D. Randolph. James T. Wood
ward, William W. Finley, and Charles
Steele.
The following minute was adopted, and
was ordered to be entered on the records
and published at length in the press
upon the lines Of the Southern Railway:
Samuel Spencer. born in Columbus.
Ga. March >, 1Si7. died November %. 1906.
near Lawyers Station, Va, upon the
railroad of the Southern Railway Com
pany, Of which he was the first and only
president
Held in High Regard by Friends.
THE personal qualities of Mr. spen-
GER his integrity in heart and rsind, his
affectionate and genial disposition. his
loyal and courageous spirit, his untIring
devotion TO duty, his persistent achieve
ment Of worthy ends. and his comrade-
ship on the fields OF battle, Of affairs, and
OF manly sport, combined to establish
him in the loving regard OF hosts Of
friends in every section Of his country,
and nowhere more securely than in the
affection of his fellow workers in the
service Of the Southern Railway Com
pany.
The Importance Of his service to this
company is matter OF common knowledge
throughout the railroad world. but the
character, the extent. and the conse-
quence Of that service are and can be
appreciated at their full worth only by
his associates now gathered here 10 at
test their regard for him. and 20 record
their high estimate Of his life and work.
First Meeting i'm 1894.
''On June IS, 1884. on the completion of
the Richmond terminal reorganization.
conceived by J. Pierpont Morgan. and
conducted by his partner, Charles II. Cos
ter the first meeting of the Southern
Railway Company was called TO order
at Richmond by Samuel Spencer as presi-
dent.
In that calendar year the Southern
Railway system embraced 4.ggI miles Of
road, with 623 locomotives, and 1854 cars.
which carried 3.427.S5S passengers. and
b,bi5f5O tons Of freight, and earned sl6.-
64S, ,2Ss
In the last fiscal year the Southern
Railway system embraced ISIS miles of
road, with 1873 locomotives. and = 10
cars, which carried 11.563.550 passengers.
and 21.S39,397 tons Of freight, and earned
$55.641, l3S.
The number Of employees had increased
from l6.7lS June 80, 1885. to S7.005 June 80
1905, and the wages increased from g.712. o.
$50 to 81. .I9S .C20.
work of Impressive Character,
THE full details and impressive charac-
ter of this remarkable advance, too ex-
tended for present recital. are exhibited
in the mastery communication which.
upon February l. 1906. Mr.. Spence. ad-
dressed 10 Messrs. J. P. Morgan & Co. as
the basis Of the development and general
mortgage.
in this progress every step had been
Initiated and conducted BY Mr.. Spencer
with the cordial concurrence Of the vot-
ing trustees and the board Of directors:
and II is significant Of the conservative
and cautious disposition Of Mr.. Spencer
and his supporters that this phenomenal
enlargement Of the system and its busi-
ness was not made the basis OF any in
crease OF stock. or even Of any increase
of dividends beyond the amount contem-
plated and stated In the plan Of 1873. with
reference to the properties originally re-
organized. Every dollar that could be
borrowed under President Spencer's man
age ment was put into the property in the
effort TO enable it to meet the ever in
creasing demands OF the vigorous and
wonderful growth of the South and its
industries.
Death Came at Height of Career.
The mighty fabric which for twelve
years he had been molding must con-
unue. under others. to develop. and TO
improve in the service that il shall rem
der 70 the public; but never can il cease
10 bear the impress. or TO reveal the con
tnulng Impulse Of the master mind OF its
hrst president In the height OF his use
iulness and his powers he has been called
away. but the inspiration of his shining
example and his lofty standards must
ever animate his SUCCESSORS.
To many other corporations conduct
ing the commerce of the country. as well
as to the Southern Railway, did Mr.. Spen-
Ger render invaluable service, and ali OF
them will share in our sense Of loss and
grief. As their chosen spokes-
man in the tremendous agitation cuimi-
mating in the Congressional action of 1896
his mastery Of his subject. his dignity of
bearing, and his integrity of character
the confidence and approval
Of the vast interests whose constitutional
rights it became his dIty to assert and
to protect
Recognized Great Obligations.
ITO the great public. not less than to
he commercial interests. did he recog-
lize his obligation. How well he con
2eived how admirably he performed that
iuty, was indicated in the last of his
public addresses. his last message to his
friends in the South, delivered at Mont
5omery, Ala, on October >. 1906 an ad-
iress which deserves wide circulation and
lose consideration, nOt only III his own
South that he loved so well. but through
1ut the whole country which he had
earned 20 know far better than most OF
Is citizens, wherever born.
His chosen career has closed, but the
wisdom and the virtues that character
zed that career will abide as long as
here shall be a regard for duty braveIy
iCne. and for high service gallantly rem
Tered.
Sympathy for Family.
ITO his family we extend our deep and
most respectful sympathy. and our as
jurance that for them, as well as for his
associates. honor and happiness will ever
'esult from their relation to Samuel Spen-
,er, that just and upright man and Off
,er"