Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-08-28

AMLS SAA II, superintendent OF
the Latin-American Steamship
company's docks. had arrived IN
- response 10 the presidents sum
mons conveyed 70 him by the teIe-
phone. Smith. known 20 his famIlars
as Jimsy. vas q tall. gaunt. angular
man. bearing all over him the stamp
Of westerner. He was. In fact. from
Colorado, where he began bis active
career by engaging In mining. Scant
success attended his efforts in this di-
rection. however. and after working
with the logged determination that
was one OF his traits until even his
patience was exhausted be dnauy en-
tered the employ OF the steamship
company IN whose service be had
risen 20 his present position. with
headquarters in New York.
There was something about Smith
that caused men. and women also. fer
that matter. 10 take 70 him on sight.
The unbouuded good nature. big heart
edness and unselfshness beaming In
his blue eyes and In his whimsical
smile were written Ia every line Of his
clean shaver face. Another thing that
made him remarked by an who came
In contact with him was his absolute
imperturba oility. In all bis thirty
seven years Of existence he never had
been known 10 get a move on" not
even when a premature blast IN
mine bad sent the diCgers heller skcl
ter for safety and carried death and
suffering 10 many. Smith had walked
TRANQUILITY. away amid the rain OF rock
and earth until Il was all over. Then
he had returned and organized the
work OF rescue. his placidity causing
the others instinctively 70 look 10 him
FOR direction Nor was his speech
more hurried than were his move
ments. lie spoke but little, and then
his words came 10 a quiet. even. dis
tinct drawL But be got there" as
quickly as most men. and a good deal
quicker than some whose nerves were
highly strung and with whom rapiditv
Of action was as necessary as breath
ing, for he was possessed Of keen pow
ers OF observation and common sense
an earnestness OF purpose that gave
his utterances weight and an integrity
rs unshakabie as the rock OF GlbraI-
tar. AS a fitting. almost necessary,
complement Of such a nature he was
endowed with sense Of humor that
added not little to the attraction he
exercised for those who knew him
sufficiently well 10 be able to appre-
ciate his qualities Of heart and mind.
He took calm, all embracing survey
Of the Office as he entered, looked over
10 Brooks desk and saluted him with
q cordial motion OF the hand and in
Etructed a boy TO notify Captain VIII
liams Of his arrival He was ushered
Immediately into The chiefs presence.
That worthy. who, like his superIn-
tendent, was clean shaver, was seated
at his desk In his shirt sleeves, and
the whole room. despite the wide open
windows. was thick from the smoke
from an old blackened cOrncob pipe at
which he was putting vigorously. He
was burly man, and the short, thick
neck, the broad shoulders. the power
full big jointed fingers and the mus
cles that stood out In lunches on the
hairy arms disclosed by his rolled up
shirt sleeves denoted that he possessed
unusual physical strength. An ugly
man TO get into an argument with was
Williams. one who. IL needed no mind
reader TO judge. would be capable of
following the word with a blow that
would crush an ordinary opponent,