The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-05

Piedmont Industries.
The whole South is coming to the
conclusion that it must awake under
the rattle OF train wheels, and the
comment of the small child who
wanted tO'"see the wheels 90 round
is finding it's companion note in the
establishment of such facts that go
to make and fix a habit. with the
best feature demonstrated in and by
accomplishment. The planning aud
building of new roads calls to mind
with easy grasp of the world of work
performed by Colonel A. b. Andrews.
first vice-president of the Southern
Railway Company, who calls Raleigh,
North Carolina, his home. Colonel
Andrews is one of the distinctives
and he has every right TO that finely
earned title, because of the fact that
he has stepped over both high and
low places in the transition period
between the old South and the new.
Tricksters in the political arena have
named him names and the facile
eXpressionists have from time to
time related things they could not
substantiate against the Southern
road. The General Assembly of
North Carolina fixed restrictions such
as hampered all sorts of railroad i'll
terests by passenger rate matters
while items l, 2, 3, 4. ,. &. Z, and the
rest of the numeral family in cause
for actual complaint played at the
same old game OF unabatement.
Colonel Andrews occupies the most
particularly unique position OF any
railroad man or body OF railroad
men in the entire Southern country.
There abides about him a quiescent
individuality that never allows and
that very often disallows. Well in-
ured to the people and the section in
which his lot was cast, he has adj
vanced from the post of sub to the
high rank of first vice-president OF
the line that is distinctive all over
the world. The added honors of
headship OF that same road have also
been offered the Colonel, and for his
owl good and sound reasons he re-
fused all such Politicians who have
climbed to office on his name and back
ing will relate that he has stood to
them fairly and firmly and we'll even
in the face of peanut-isms OF the po-
litical misalliances from time to time.
Honest and earnest opposition
coupled with the corrective spirit is
one thing and political littlene-s
wrapped about with multi-colored
cords that are leading strings is
another entirely and positively. Col
onel Andrews keeps up the evenness
of his way. His job does not make
him d subservient disciple OF money
garbage, by reason OF his very pos
tive and distinctive personality. He
is well informed with regard to his
section and its people. His road is
the big artery to the actual life oi
the Piedmont region, and he knows
it and says he knows it from time To
time when the placement call comes
and each response has been real. The
thinking people OF the South would
love to pronounce anew 81 greeting
and rehabilitate him to the extent ol
DIT ltdsD I"o-stolC ''AaA@ ''l
might facilitate progress TO those
who are lesser informed, but equally
honorable and ambitious. Ii his 81
lences are supposedly ominous there
is also the assurance that "ominous'
is backed by omniverous hopefulness
and effectual foreguarding. In other
words the Southern Railway is plan
ming more, better and bigger thing
for the South, and when the test is
put A. B. Andrews will be found as
the proof basis, and will be shown to
stand out with his same genial, gen
erous modesty, but directly as q
great and marked human aid and
issue such as characterized his career
| and made more effective the potency
| OF his personality in and through th'
vast South-embracing system bis rail
road pulses through