New-York tribune., 1910-11-24
COLONEL CLONRY RESIGNS
President of Western Union
Served Company 44 Years.
T. N. VAIL SUCCEEDS HIM
New Head Announces That There
VIII Be No Radical Change
in Policy.

Colonel Robert c. Clowry resigned as
! Company yesterday and Theodore y. Vail
! president Of the American Telephone and
/ Telegraph Company, which year ago &C
/ quired pra cticaI control of the fcrn1er cor
! poration through the purchase of the Gould
! holdings, was elected 10 succeed him. Colo
| mel CIovry continues as a. director and
member OF the executive committee Of the
Western Union
Another change in the management Of
the Western Union Company made by the
board of directors yesterday was the cleo
tion Of Newcomb Carlton, formerly vice
president and general manager Of the Brit
ish Westinghouse Company, as vice-presi-
dent, to i'll the vacancy caused by the
resignation of George J Could at the an
nual meeting last October. The retirement
of Colonel Clowry from the presidency OF
the Western Union Telegraph Company
had been expected in the financial district
since the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company bought into the property.
Colonel Clowry wrote to Mr. Vail week
ago inclosing his resignation, to take effect
on November %, and requesting the latter
to submit it 10 the board on that date In
his letter 10 Mr.. Vail he said he was glad
10 turn the work Of managing the company
over 20 another. President Vail when
asked yesterday if there was any other
reason than that stated in his letter Of
resignation why Colonel Clowry had re-
signed as head Of the company, said that
there was none that he knew Of. NJ. Vail
said there would be no radical change in
the policy Of the company
Colonel Clowry would not add anything
10 his formal letter Of resignation. other
than TO say that he was the happiest man
in New York now that his resignation had
been accepted and he was at liberty 10 take
z much needed rest
Theodore y. Vail, who now becomes pres-
dent Of the Western Union COMPANY, is a
nephew Of Alfred Vail, who was the friend.
partner and supporter Of = 3 Morse.
the inventor Of the telegraph. Alfred Vail
was the practical man OF the two, he seized
upon the conception of Morse, made the in
struments, invented numerous accessories
so thai the system would work, and was
the first operator. Morse was at one end
Of the wire and Vail at the other when, in
1874. the first telegraph message, What
God hath wrought was sent over the
wire
President Vail was horn IN Carroll Coun-
ty, Ohio in 1875 His family later moved
70 NorristoV'n, y. !, and as a boy he
worked in the local telegraph Office there
He became a proficient operator, and in
1895 he went West and obtained a position
as telegraph operator with the Union Pa
ctfc Railroad, which was then IN process
Of constructor. In 1853 through the
friendly Offices Of General GrenvtIIe NJ
Dodge, chief engineer Of the Union Pacific.
M. Vail obtained an appointment in the
United States railway mail service, and
seven years later ne was appointed super
intendent of the entire service
IN 1878 Mr.. Vail took hold OF th@ +e1a-
phone, and IN q striking repetition deveE-
OF ed the invention of Bell as his Uncle had
developed the invention OF Morse forty
years before. Mr.. Bell and his associates
asked Nj Vail to take the place Of bust
ness manager and builder Of the telaphorA
system. He resigned from the government
service and began work on the srr1,or17ra
that stands today as the American TeIa
phone and Telegraph Company. with its
associated Bell companies
Colonel Robert c Clowrv, the retiring
president, has been head Of the companv
since April I, 1862 He first became conne-red
with the company IN the summer of 1SfS
when he was appointed district sl1perin
-endent OF the Western Union lines in the
Southwest In December, 1879, he was an
pointed assistant general superinrendenr /
with headquarters IN Chicago, and in Nav
&2H, he succeeded General Anson Stagar /
as general superintendent Of the territory !
west OF the Mississippi In October 1855
le was elected director. member of +he .
committee and vice-presidAnt Of
he company, retaining his Place a. general
Colonel Clowry IS seventy-two years old |
He gained his military title in the civil |
War. which he entered as captain IT 1Sf3 |
Part OF the time he was attached 10 the |
department ana was in |
,harge Of the military telegraph in the /
Southwest.