New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-11
LOREE HEADS D. & fl.
President WiIcOr Resigns Because
Of III Health.

The board OF managers OF the Delaware &
Hudson Company accepted yesterday the resig-
nation OF Davi6 Wilcox as president, which
he had cabled from Genoa on Tuesday and
elected /. +. Loree formerly president or the
Rock Island Company and before that presi-
dent OF the Baltimore Ohio. as his successor
Mr. Wilcox remains a member OF the board Of
managers. William s. Opdyke, counsel OF the
company. resigned as a manager, and Mr.. Loree
was elected 10 I'll the vacancy thus created.
Mr. Wilcox sailed for Italy few weeks ago.
and II was understood at the time that his health
was unsatisfactory. lie had been working hard
gor a long time and was suffering from some
thing like a nervous breakdown. Several months
ago he had a bad fall while skating. and the
injury then sustained is believed by his friends
10 have been contributing cause 20 the impair
ment OF his health. The hoard Of managers
adopted at their meeting yesterday the follow
ing resolution in regard to his resignation;
ResoIved. That this company accepts the res
ignation of David WILCOX as president. which II
does reluctantly and only at ms own ear I5
request and in the hope that the freeing OF MN
from the burden of ali official duties VIII ma
feriaily assist Mr.. Wilcox in regalhlng MS
health which the board feels has been i'm
paired by his intense and uninterrupted deEo-
ton TO the interests OF this company during
Ia thus accepting his resignation the board Of
managers, on behalf Of the company and Its
citation Of the skill and ability which Mr.. VIII
cox has displayed In the administration OF his
Office as president, and Of the great value OF
the work accomplished by him. and also 10 eA-
press the sincere hope that Mr.. WillcoK's health
may be soon restored after a period OF absolute
rest and relief from business responsibility
Mr.. Loree assumed the duties Of the presi-
dsncy yesterday afternoon. When seen at the
companys Offices, he said that. he had been
IN Office only a few hours. he did not feel thar
v,s-,rr v,1,r fnT,
the road. In a general way he expected TO follow
the policies Of President Wilcox and the board
OF managers. His Office would be in this city
where he would direct the operation of the road
Mr.. I.oree added that he would continue 70
hold the post Of chairman OF the executive
b, committee OF the Kansas City Southern Rail-
Z way Company, which he has occupied since
June 10. 1906. Reports that Mr.. Willcoxs re-
tirement had been due in part to differences
in the board were emphatically denied by sew
eral Of the managers. II had been rumored in
the past that certain interests in the company
were Of the opinion that the property might be
made 10 show better results If a practical OPP
Grating man were at fits head, as Ny. Wilcox
& a lawyer by profession had had training in
that field although he had for many years
been counsel for the company. The stock adj
Z vanoed six points yesterday on the announce
rising to 1884,. and closing at 1910 net gain
81 points.
Mr. wilcox Is also director Of the Union
Pacific and the Southern Pacific. +. II. Harri-
man. who is a member of the Delaware & Hud-
son board. said yesterday afternoon that Mr..
Wilcox tired out and had resigned
solely for that reason He added that Mr.. Loree
was an excellent choice for the place left vacant
by President WillcOX's retirement. There
no significance IN the sudden election or Mr..
Loree, he said Mr.. Loree was an able operating
officer, who was in position TO accept i'm
portant post, and the board had simply secured
his services promptly when the vacancy oc-
Cured
Mr.. Wilcox, who was at the time first vice
president and counsel Of the Delaware e. Hud-
son company, was elected president on May II,
lSU3, succeeding r. n. ELEPHANT, who became
chairman OF the board. He born in Flat
bush hfty-seven years ago, and was valedic-
torlan or the class OF a. at Yale. ON his gradu-
alton from college he entered the Columbia Law
School, and in 1874 admitted the bar.
Under his presidency the Delaware & Hudson
made steady progress He has taken a prom
inent part in the negotiations with the anthra-
cite coal miners whenever strike threatened
the coal roads IN which group the Delaware
q Hudson IS classed. He and the late Samuel
Spencer. president OF the Southern Railway
railways Of the country IN the discussion pre-
ceding the enactment of the Railway Rate law
two years ago.
L.eonOr Fresnel Loree was born in Fulton CITY
H.. April D. 1863. He was graduated from
Rutgers College at the age Of nineteen and en-
tered the employ Of a Western railway in the
attached 10 the engineering corps of the United
States Army. In 1883 he entered the service Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as assist
ant engineer Of the Panhandle road and re-
oeived successive promotions until in January,
1896. ne WAS jumped over the heads OF a dozen
men higher in the line Of prefernent and was
made general manager Of the lines west OF
Flttsburg. In December 1900. he made
fourth ytce-pnesident. and filed that Office until
May. 1901. when he was elected president Of the
Baltimore Ohio Railroad Company as sue
cessor 20 the late John K. Cowen.
- In December, 1903, Mr.. Loree resigned that Of
-fAce, oscar q. Murray, the first vice-presdent,
9 succeeding him. and chosen president OF
the Rock Island Company as successor to Will
lam 3. Leeds 1t was said at the time that he
had signed hve-year contract with the Rock
Island, under which he was to receive a cash
bonus OF S5OOOOO and yearly salary Of S75.-
Geo. On October f. 1904. less than ten months
after taking Office he resigned the presidency.
me reason for that step has never been
fhOritatively stated, but Il has been generally
ascribed 10 q conflict OF views with the con-
trolling interests in the Rock Island system
As president, it was said. Mr.. Loree had sought
10 apply Eastern railway methods TO a West
ern road, EubOrdinating traffic 10 operation, at
n heavy cost IN revenue. It was also urged
against him that he was endeavorine 10 model
The Rock Island along Pennsylvania lines in
the service Of which he had had his training
a policy which the owners Of the Rock Island
regarded as decidedly iI advised. On leaving
the Rock Island AIr. Loree went abroad In
June 1906, already noted he was made
chairman OF the executive committee Of the
Kansas City Southern. the control of which
had few months previously been taken from
NJ. Hartman by Hermann Sielcken and his as
BOciates.