The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-02-12
JOURNAL. SUNDAY

THE PENSACOLA JOUR
alone opened their arms to al reeu-
gees. Most cities, .after fumdgAtins
both trains and passengers four miles
sbuth q them, let the trains run
through twenty-five miles per hour.
Montgomery, Aha. established the
shotgun quarantine, and forbade any
train from the South to como within
that cityis limits. In vain appeals
came from Mobile, Pensacola, and
New Orleans, and the inhabitants Of
the intermediate territory that they
be permitted to send their well away
from the per1ls Of the fever
Trafie Blocked.
The traffic of the Louisville 4 Mash.
vile Railroad was blocked at Mont
gomery. Mr.. Smith went before the
City Council and pleaded with them,
showing the inhumanity Of 1t oil; but
Montgomery's Council was panicked,
and sought only to protect Montgom-
cry with her shotgun quarantine. "All
right" said Mr.. Smith; If you want
quarantine, I'll give you, quarantine"
He diverted the southern travel over
other routes to points of safety from
fever. He ordered that no train should
go into Montgomery from any direc-
ton. In five days Montgomery did
not have bite to eat. Appeals were
made that they would starve. "All
right" said Mr.. Smith; "let the trains
from the South come through" Even
then Montgomery refused. A d0lega-
ton had gone to Louisville 10 hay tho
case before the president, who, being
more politician than railroad man, or
dered that trains north of Montgom-
cry should go into Montgomery with
supplies
Mr.. Smith left the service Of the
Louisville & Nashville Railroad The
Associated Press sent out the news:
Milton Smith has resigned" Next
day the Baltimore & Ohio, the Penn
sy1vania, and Mr.. Gould had offered
high places to Mr. Smith. He went
with the Baltimore & Ohio as Cen
eral Freight Agent, with headQuar
ters at Baltimore, for three years,
then with the Pennsylvania, taking
charge Of all that great systems bust
ness west OF the Alleghanies."
Mr.. Smith was called back TO the
Louisville & Nashville In 1882 and
made Vice President and General
Manager Of the entire system. He
Immediately began the upbuilding Of
the South where touched by the Louis
VILE & Nashville Railroad.
The hard times of 1890 and the
panic OF 1891 were only war again
in another shape. The Louisville &
Nashville barely escaped disaster.
Mr. Smith went to New York and
showed the directors that the road
was all right If they would only keep
the wolves away. They asked him
to do so, and made him President
that he might better succeed. He be-
gan by threatening to throw a whole
bank full of wolfish brokers out of
their own tenth floor windows II
they continued war on the Louisville
& Nashville.
Smooth Sailing Since.
It has not always been smooth
sailing since. The politician who
WAKES fat on Office he gains by fight
ing the corporations put all sorts of
barriers in the way of the Louisville
& Nashville, because Mr.. Smith was
bigger than the best Of them. North
OF him, south of him, all about him
to ride into Office over the golden
rails OF the Louisville & Nashville
was the aim. Many q tilt was had
and many a patriot 81 bit the dust
In M. II. Smith the Louisville &
Nashville had champion ever ready
for every battles gage. He defeated
those who made target Of the Louis
vile & Nashville or attempted to take
it's raflc. All he asked WAS to be let
alone; and when not 50 let, he fought
whatever fight was necessary to pro-
tect the Louisville & Nashville. He
made lot of enemies, which was not
the least of his virtues. Men hated
him because they could not down him,
yet he fought only the battles of the
Louisville & Nashville. He had no
fights Of his own.
For thirty years It went on. Some
went up and some went down, but
the Louisville & Nashville goes on
forever. Wherever there is q public
fund or quasi-pubnc money, there al
hooters Is not the least Of q masters
labors If he will protect the property
put In his hands.
Kentucky, Tennessee. Alabama,
Florida. Georgfa-al show the re-
suits OF this mans endeavor. He built
roads into all of these states to de-
velop their resources and their indus
trfes-the coal of Kentucky, the min
erals OF Tennessee and Alabama, the
timber Of. all the states, agriculture,
commerce-and trafac everywhere
| was promoted
For forty years he held for Nash
Vile that milling fn-transit rate
| against which every city north and
south has fought and that built up
the great mill and grain industry here.
For all that time Ne has maintained
the integrity Of the like condition
rate that gave Nashville the Cumber
land River. wet or dry, as a rate
maker Through all the courts till
fame has hung about the case because
OF all these innovations the case has
been fought and sustained. The peo.
pie profited.