Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-01-03
HEART FAILURE TAKES A. j..
CASSATT.
HEALTH BROKEN BY WORK
Rest Prevented by Sensational In
vestigation in Connection With
Stock Gifts of Coal Corporations
Leaves Fortune of Perhaps $751;
0O0,o00-Man of Great Sagacity.

Philadelphia, Dec. 29-Alexander
Johnston Cassatt, president of the
Pennsylvania railroad and one Of the
foremost railroad men and financiers
in the country, died suddenly at his
residence in this city yesterday, aged
81. Mr.. Cassatt, who was stricken
with heart disease shortly before l
o'clock, died before assistance could
be given him.
Though Cassatt's death was entire
ly unexpected, he had been in i'll
health for nearly year His condi-
ton was aggravated by an attack of
whooping cough which he contracted
from his grandchildren while at Bar
Harbor in September. He never en-
tirely recovered from the effects of
the attack and when he returned to
Philadelphia he remained for several
weeks at his country home in Haver-
ford before he resumed his duties in
connection with the management of
the railroad and its allied interests.
He was much improved by the rest
and early in October he began going
regularly to his Office, but shortly
afterward he was again stricken, hav-
ing contracted a heavy cold At that
time 1t was denied that his condition
was serious and there was no i1tina-
ton that he was suffering from any
heart affection
Death Almost instantaneous.
While not feeling entirely well,
Cassatt arose yesterday morning, but
remained in his room He seemed in
good spirits and his family was not
alarmed about his condition and had
no thought of his death Shortly be-
fore 1 o'clock, while sitting in a
chair in his apartments, he suffered
an acute heart attack and became I'M
conscious, his wife and his daughter,
Mrs. w. Plunkett Stewart, were with
him and his private physician, DIR. j.
n Musser, was summoned. but he
was dead when the physician arrived
DIR. Musser said death had been al
most instantaneous.
The operation of the railroad in the
last year is said to have had much to
do with the breaking of Cassatt's
health. He had just gone to Europe
for rest when sensational develop
ments in the interstate commerce
commissions investigation of rebates
brought him home and he threw him.
self into the breach in an effort to
bring about an amicable settlement
of the questions at issue. Deprived
of his rest abroad, he plunged into
the routine work until he went to Bar
Harbor, where in his overworked
state he contracted whooping cough.
Worth Perhaps $75,ooo, 900.
Aside from being the head of the
Pennsylvania railroad. Cassatt was
president of six other companies and
a director in 90 concerns, principally
companies, banks and
trust companies His wealth Is esti-
mated at from s5o.OoO,OOO to s75.00o,-
900.
MISE IN railroad Woriu.
Mr.. Cassatt's rise in brief may be
stated as follows:
1s39-Born in Pittsburg. Deem
Der s.
1S59-Graduated as civil engineer.
1S65-Superintendent of WGrran
and Franklin road.
1S70-General superintendent of
Pennsylvania system.
fS71-General manager of all Penn.
syf,ania lines east of Pittsburg.
1S74-Third vice president of Penn
sylvania company
1SS0-First vice president of Penn
sylvania company.
1SSS-Chairman of the road com
mittee of the Pennsylvania lines.
1S99-President of Pennsylvania
road After the manner of Cincin-
natus, who was called from the pillow
to take up matters of state, Mr.. Cas-
satt was found on the golf course
when he was asked to become presi.
dent Of the Pennsylvania company.
Biggest Of Pennsylvania Leaders.
Mr., Cassatt was by all experts
named as the biggest man who ever
headed the Pennsylvania railway
system, At the time OF the recent re-
bate agitation, when il was said that
Mr.. Cassatt might be indicted, one
writer said Of him:
There ne sits in his office in the
Broad Street station. In Philadelphia,
impermrbably calm. There is Cas-
satt. the impenetrable-C assatt, the
sphinx. Coolly and deliberately he is
planning the defense as coolly and
deliberately as he clears his desk of
routine work every night before he
goes to his home"
Once befoie great crisis came TO
the Penn sylvaaia when over night A