Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1907-02-12

John W. Garrett died In 1884. and his
son, Robert Garrett. succeeded him ~
president Of the Baltimore & Ohio.
One Of the most interesting chapters
In the history Of the road occurred
when Robert Garrett opened the "bot.
tie Of champagne that cost Millions"
At that time there was one railroad
between Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Robert Garrett wanted II for the Bal.
timore & Ohio. Thomas A. Scott want.
ed IL for the Pennsylvania railroad.
That railroad was the Philadelphia,
Wilmington & Baltimore. Just at that
time II was naturally the most deslr.
able thing In the world for the ID. &
o. and likewise for the Pennsylvania
Robert Garrett set about 10 acquire
the property. He learned that several
Of the largest owners Of stock lived In
Boston. With their stock In his pos.
session he could easily get control cf
the majority. So he went to Boston,
where his negotiations were eminent.
ly successful. Already in his minds
eye he saw the b. & o. trains rolling
into Philadelphia.
But Robert Garrett was never a self.
contained man He drank deep. Ar.
irving In New York he went to a din.
ner party. Some corporation lawyers
were among those present. At that
dinner party the bottle of champagne
that cost millions was opened. Robert
Garrett drank It. Flushed, he could not
keep his triumphant secret. But one
man. whose legs were under the ma.
hogany, did not drink. He excused
himself about 10 p. m. and left the
table. Before daylight he was In Phil.
adelphia and at the house Of Thomas
A. Scott. president of the pennsyl-
vania. The next morning emissaries
LOT the Pennsylvania were hurrying to
Boston and other points to get hold Of
the p. w. & B. stock. BY 2 O'Clock
the next day the papers were signed.
$4,000, 900 In cash paid over, and the
Pennsylvania railroad had control OF
the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Bal.
timore.
When Robert Garrett awoke on what
he firmly believed was TO be the morn.
ing of his triumph the newspapers
were full of the deal between the
Pennsylvania and the p, w. & d.
Robert Garrett then determined that
the Baltimore & Ohio would build Its
own line into Philadelphia. This 1t
finally did, but at such a cost that the
B. & o. found itself on the brink OF
Insolvency in 1887. Drexei, Morgan G
Co. advanced the money that delayed
the day Of reckoning. But. before
lending a cent, Mr.. Morgan demanded
that Robert Garrett resign the presi.
dency. Samuel Spencer. who was vice.
president Of the B. & O.. became presi-
dent in Mr.. CARROTS stead.
Then came a period Of more Weiss.
litudes. Charles r. Mayer succeeded
spencer as president and was In turn
succeeded by John X. Cowan. In 1896
1.-THE affairs Of the road reached a crisis
and the property was placed in the
hands OF a receiver. j.
Then came the turn Of the tide.
With her improved track conditions
land her excellent facilities for hand.
ling traffic, by the addition Of motive
power and rolling stock of the most
Improved type, the Baltimore & Ohio
Is now enjoying her share Of traffic
loffered by all lines OF industry and In
riding apace with the other large trunk
line systems on the wave of prosper
lily prevalent throughout the country.