Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-02-04
A MainU Boy In Florida.
HOW HIS DREAM OF A RAILROAD OF
HIS OWN HAS COME TRUE.

A boys dream that came true Is the
reason why all the cars on Henry NJ.
Flagier's Florida East Coast railroad are
painted yellow. The boy used to live iu
the town of Oxford in Maine, and at his
old home there he would sit by the hour
and watch the trains 90 by. He would
dream of the time when he should be q
man, and declare to himself that some
day he would have railroad and all the
cars should be painted yellow.
For the boy was born to be railroad
man, although he did not find 1t out for
q good many years. His name was
Joseph r. PARROT, and he grew up like
thousands of other boys in other country
towns, who also have their own dreams.
In time he went to college, to Yale,
where he made name for himself in the
sports that require courage and endur-
ance. He rowed in the crew from 'S2 to
'S5, and was known as one of the best
boxers in college. That was before the
day of football supremacy.
On graduating he decided to take up
the practice of law in the state of Florida,
where connection offered with firm Of
attorneys who were counsel for the Jack
sonville, Tampa and Key West Railway.
The leading member of the firm was Of
the school who thought offensive litiga-
ton necessary to demonstrate the use OF
legal department to railroad. Mr..
Parrott, being of an aggressive nature,
tried more cases in eighteen months
than any ten other lawyers in the county
together.
In 1888, he was appointed counsel for
the road, and after the yellow fever
epidemic of 1880, he became general
counsel. At this time the Jacksonville,
Tampa and Key West road was merged
with the Florida Southern system, con-
trolled by Henry NJ. Flagler, and the
next year the combined systems went
into the hands of a receiver. Mr.. Parrott
was appointed receiver for the Florida
Southern, and here, in the handling of
this system, he gained his first experince
as a practical railroad administrator.
The receivership did not last long, for
Mr.. Flagler succeeded in withdrawing
his road from the combination, and in
June, 1892, Mr.. Parrot resigned as re-
ceiver and became Vice. President and
General Counsel of the Flagler road and
also of the Florida East Coast Canal
Company.
One of his first official acts was to
order all the cars painted shade Of yell
low that borders close on orange. Mr..
Flagler has since often spoken to his
friends of the DETERMINATION of that
man Parrott," and related the story of
the small boy in Maine that had been
told him by friend some years before.
In April, 1894, the Florida East Coast
Railway was extended as far south as
Palm Beach, and so we'll pleased was
Mr.. Flagler with the work of "that man
Parrott" that he made him Vice Presi-
dent and General Manager of all his
Florida undertakings.
The Florida East Coast Hotel Company
was formed in 1897, and three years later
Mr.. Parrot also took active charge of
this enterprise as its President and
brought about cha nges which have since
placed the hotels operated by the COM
pany on paying basis. In 1901 he be-
came President of still another Flagler
organization, the Peninsular and Occi-
dental Steamship Company, which
operates the marine transportation lines
of the East Coast system.
AS Vice-President and General Man
ager of the Florida East Coast Railway,
Mr.. Parrot for the past three years has
had absolute charge of the construction
of the extension of the road now under
way from Miami to Key West. This
work has been one of great difficulty,
for many ocean channels have to be
crossed in carrying the road through the
Florida Keys, and the task is unlike any
ever before attempted by railroad engi-
neers. 1t has been pronounced second
only to the Panama Canal in importance
as an engineering feat. Yet 80 energetic
ally has the construction been hur-
ried on that the road is already complet-
ed over more than two-thirds of the
way, Q year ahead of the date set in the
original plans.
Mr.. Flagler now tells his friends that
THAT man Parrot will soon have my
yellow cars running into Key West and
from there by ferry to Cuba, but will
wager a guess that he never dreamed of
exporting those visions of his boyhood
dova -