Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-01-25
GLIMPSES OF CASSATT
Noted Railroad Expert Was a
Giant In Mind and Body.
CONCENTRATION HIS STRONG POINT

Nothing Could Disturb Late Presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania When
solving Hard ysically
Stronger Than Any Employee and
n Tireless Worker story of His
Consideration For Others-Instance
of His Memory.
In his general characteristics. in his
methods and in his unfaggng energy
the late Alexander Johnston Cassatt
president OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
company. bore strong resemblance to
Thomas \. Scott. the fourth president
OF the Pennsylvania railroad, who died
in 1881. says the New York World Mr..
Scott was noted for his activity and
tlreless devotion to business. Mr.. Cas-.
satt was intimately associated with
him. and this contact seemed to con
vey the spirit of energy from the older
man 10 the younger. The difference in
their ages was fifteen years.
The bodily vigor of Mr. Cassatt was
as marked as the mental. He was
large in frame and possessed of great
muscular strength and remarkable
powers of endurance. Brought down
TO an actual physical test. there was
not an engineer or fireman on the road
when he was forty years old who could
20 so long without sleep or food or rest
and attend to business. 1t was a com
,..x-t,, s.. 80
the railroad that Mr.. Cassatt could tire
out the strongest employee.
His mental powers We're in complete
consonance with his physical Con-
centration was his strong point. When
he had difficult problem to solve in
railroad management or railroad engi
neering for he was practical civil
engineer nothing could disturb him.
lie could work and figure out a con-
cluslon in hubbub that would have
scattered the thoughts of an ordinary
man.
His ability to apply himself to task
and to stick to it until finished was one
of the points In which he was so much
like Scott. He could weary relay after
relay Of expert clerks, and even If he
worked until long after midnight for
weeks In succession he was fresh and
bright every morning. ready and eager
to continue what he had started to per-
form.
Mr.. Cassatt was peculiarly diffident.
He enjoyed witty speeches at dinners.
but never made a speech in his life
and could not be induced to attempt
one. One of his greatest enjoyments
was listening to the badinage at the
dinners of the famous old Glover club
OF Philadelphia when it was in the hey
day of its popularity and when the
intellectual fencing at its feasts ex-
cited the keenest interest.
Mr.. Cassatt never lost his temper ex-
cept under the greatest provocation.
His consideration for others was
coming in from his country seat at
Ilaverford to Philadelphia. He was
seated in rear car and was not
known TO the brakeman or conductor.
The train came to standstill owing
to some trifling accident. and at the
expiration of ten minutes Mr.. Cassatt
asked the brakeman if it was not Gus
tomary to send Il man back with
red flag to warn trains behind. The
brakeman admitted it. Then why
don't you do it?" asked Mr.. Cassatt.
'If you will mind your own busi-
ness" was the reply, 1.-The railroad men
in charge of this train will attend to
theirs. We know what to do and want
no interference from you"
When Mr.. Cassatt arrived in the
Broad street station. Philadelphia, he
hunted up the station master and re-
lated the circumstance. The station
master started to have the brakeman
discharged. but Mr.. Cassatt restrained
him.
Don't do that" he said. "Just call
him into your office and tell him he
cussed the president and that here
after he should be more polite to pas
sengers."
Before Andrew Carnegie retired from
the steel business and before the Wa
bash got into Pittsburg Mr.. Carnegie
found that A. ]. Cassatt was absolute
ly unbendable at times. With all the