Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-22
A MAINE BOY IN FLORIDA.
How His Dream Of Railroad of His
Own Has Come True.

reason why all the cars on Henry NJ.
Flagler's Florida East Coast railroad
are painted yellow. The boy used to
live in the town of Oxford in Maine,
and at his old home there he would sit
by the hour and watch the trains go
by. He would dream of the time when
he should be a man, and declare to
himself that some day he would have a
railroad ard all the cars should be
painted yellow.
For the boy was born to be railroad
man, although he did not find it out
for good many years. His name was
Joseph r. PARROT and he grew up like
thousands Of other boys in other coun-
try towns. who also have their own
dreams. In time he went to college, to
Yale. where he made a name for him.
self in the sports that require courage
and endurance. He roWed in the crew
from 50 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
a firm of attorneys who were counsel
for the Jacksonville. Tampa and Key
West Railway. The leading member of
the firm was of the school who thought
offensive litigation necessary to demon
strate the use of a legal department to
a railroad. MI Parrot, being of an
aggressive nature tried more cases in
eighteen months than any ten other
lawyers in the county together
In 1855 he was appointed counsel for
the road, and after the yellow fever
epidemic OF 1889 he became general
counsel. At this time the Jacksonville.
Tampa and Key West road was merged
with the Florida Southern system, con-
trollel by Henry NJ. Flagler, and the
next year the combined systems went
into the hands of a receiver. Mr..
Parrot was appointed receiver for the
Florida Southern and here, in the hand
ling of this system. he gained his first
experience as practical railroad
administrator. The receiVershlp ola
not last long, for Mr.. Flagler succeeded
in withdrawing his road from the
combination and in June. 1892, Mr..
Parrot resigned as receiver ana
became ce-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 a shade OF
yellov- 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 a friend some
years before.
~
Railway was extended as far south
as Palm Beach. and SO well pleased was
Mr.. Flagler with the work of that
man Parrot" that he made him Vice
President and General Manager of all
his Florida undertakings.
The Florida East Coast Hotel Com
pany was formed in 1897, and three
years later Mr.. Parrot also took active
charge of this enterprise as its Presi-
dent and brought about changes which
have since placed the hotels operated
by the company on a paying basis. In
1901 he became President of still an
other Flagler organization. the
Pennsular and Occidental 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 Rail-
way, Mr.. PARROT for the past three
year; HIS 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 chan
| neiS have to be crossed in carrying the
road through the Florida Keys. and the
| task is unlike any ever before at
tempted by railroad engineers. 1t has
| been pronounced second only to the
| Panama Canal in importance as an
| all engineering feat. Yet so energetic
ally has the construction been hurried
Oh that the road is already completed
over more than two-thirds of the way,
a year ahead of the date set in the ORR
ginal plans.
| Mr.. Flagler now tells his friends that
| ''That man Parrott 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 boyhocd dayso