The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-01-05
NCREA HEADS, PENNSl
Was Unanimously Chosen to Sue
coed A. ]. Cassatt.
HE ASSUMED OFFICE AT ONCE


His First Official Act Was to Oecar,
That He Would Not Depart From
His Predecessors Policy-Director'
Praise cassatt In Resolutions.
Philadelphia. Jan. 3-James McCrei
was elected president OF the Pennsyl
vania Railroad company He was
chosen to succeed Alexander J. Cas-
satt. the fifth president Of the systems
who died last week The salary f.
$50, 900 year Mr. McCrea has beer
first vice president of the Pennsylya
MIA lines west of Pittsburg.
Mr.. McCrea's election had been fore
casted ever since Mr.. Cassatt died. j
came as no surprise to the railroad OF
financial interests OF the United
states. II is believed, too. that Mr.
McCrea's elevation TO the presidcncl
OF the Pennsylvania systems meets
with the approval Of every one inter
estcd in the question OF who should
succeed Mr.. Cassatt.
That Mr.. McCrea was fully in ac
cord with the policy Of Mr. Cassatt
and that he will 90 on with the labori
begun by him is assured. Mr.. Ne
Crca's first official act as presiden
was to promise this much
nfr..tI,. alton tho rraatfup NJ thf
board which held a special session
Mr.. McCrea issued this statement:
"The policy Of the Pennsylyani;
railroad does not depend upon any
one man. It continues unchanged
from year to year. 1t will be my plr
pose to promote. as best can. the
same progressive development which
was conducted so ably under Presidcn
Cassatt and the presidents who pre-
coded him"
This. in brief. is the platform Of The
sixth president of the $500, 000,0 cor
poration. with its 10000 miles OF linei
and army OF employees.
The board OF directors adopted {
resolution on the death Of 4. j. Cas-
satt. in which they say:
There never has been period II
the history OF American railroads 81
pregnant with possibilities Of evil a!
that in which Mr. Cassatt admins
tered the affairs Of the Pennsylyanl;
railroad. but thanks 10 his genius anC
almost prophetic insight into the fu
ture. so fruitful OF good not only Il
the railroad he headed. but 10 all trans
portation interests in the country.
Mr. Cassatt announced the policl
of the Pennsylvania railroad to be The
abolition OF the rebate system and th'
extension OF equal rates to all. He In
vested nearly S9p.oo0oo0 in the pur
chase OF securities OF the Baltimore a
Ohio. Norfolk 4 Western and The
Chesapeake 4 Ohio railways an,
utilized the influence obtained through
these holdings tor the betterment am
building up OF those lines. believing
that in advancing their prosperity H.
was advancing the prosperity OF tht
Pennsylvania railroad. Nowhere els,
in railway history can there be found
another example OF the pursuance OF
such a broad policy by a powerful
company towards its weaker rivals
While thus broadening and strengthen
Ing the foundations OF the entire rail
way system, his work upon the Penn
sylvania railroad has been monumen
tai. He saw the tremendous impulse
given 10 our national deyelopmt nj
would require an expenditure beyond
ANYTHING before dreamed Of Immense
terminal yards. gigantic relief lines
enormous increase in motive power
and equipment mark the expenditure
during Mr.. Cassatt's administration
And now, when a new line from the
summit OF the Alleghenies has almost
reached tidewater; the waters OF the
Hudson have been tunneled and when
in the near future a great passeng
station in New York will be the sign
that the south, the southwest and the
middle west have been united by con
tinuous bands of steel to the great
commercial metropolis-when the
work of the last seven years has al
most reached frui,iOn-the end has
come"