Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-12-02
lew NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Saw Great Value of Railway
Passes in Politics.
Dean Richmond Was the First Man TO
Dsccve~ the Power of Free Trans
portation in Obtaining lesis-
Iative Favors.
By &. J. EDWARDS.

By &. J. EDWARDS.
Recently Oh the authority OF the
late Commodore Alfred Van SAINT
goord, who at the time OF his death
MAS the wealthiest and most success
nj steamboat line proprietor in the
east, told how Dean Richmond of
buffalo became the real father OF mod
srn railway consolidation by reason or
sudden thought which came TO him
while he was riding upon the Erie
canal. Commodore Van Santvoord
Knew both Dean Richmond and Com
modore Vanderbilt well, and lie was
always OF The belief that the latter,
who is generally looked upon as the
| father or modern railway consoida.
ton, got the idea from Dean Rich.
mond's feat in consolidating, in 1853,
the seven railway lines stretching
from Albany TO Buffalo into the New
York Central railroad, which. after
Richmond's death, Commodore Van
derbit linked with his Hudson River
railroad.
But Dean Richmond, according TO
Commodore Van Santvoord, did not
limit his discoveries in railroad mat
ters 10 the law OF consolidation; he
was. also, the discorerer OF the great
political and legislative value which
was contained in the railway pass.
Dean Richmond, let it be understood,
was from the rnid-fortes 10 1864 the
real Democratic leader in New York
state. He could have had any office
within the gift of his party, but, like
his intimate friend, Thurlow Weed,
the Wing and Republican leader OF
New York state, he always declined
the offer of any nomination 10 public
office
Before ! entered the railway bust
ness" Mr.. Richmond once told Com
modore Van Santvoord, railway pass.
es were given almost solely 70 railway
employees, although sometimes they
were handed to merchants who made
| large use OF railways for Transports
ton, as learned when | was in the
produce business in Buffalo. But after
| got my railroad organized. began
to extend, as Il mere matter OF .cour-
tesy, the pass privilege to my political
friends in the state legislature. ] soon
found out that If there is one thing
that member OF legislature likes it
is railroad pass. ! also discovered
that if | gave passes to the members
was sure of their friendship, and
could get anything ! wanted. And |
made the further discovery that pass
was very easy way Of getting rid Of
All importunate politician or" Of one
who was giving us annoyance.
There was in Buffalo politician
who made me think OF Il humble bee.
He was persistent nuisance. We did
not know exactly how to get rid Of
I him.
"One day he called upon ME and told
! ME that he would take it as Il very
-! great favor If would give him n pass
| to New York.
Il told him that nothing would give
me greater pleasure. provided he
/ would promise to use the pass i'll
case gave it to him.
/ lie replied that Of course he want
! ed 10 use ii for himself. and that he
wouldn't think of asking for pass for
himself 70 be used by somebody else.
so made pass out and | handed
/ Il to him, saying that unless he kept
! his promise TO me would cancel IL.
"IIe thanked me and went out. In
q few minutes he came back, and told
me that there was something wrong
about the pass. ! made pretense OK
reading it, and then told him there
was nothing wrong about il.
"'Why.' said he. it's only good ons
way: from Buffalo to New York.
We'll said |, that's just what You
asked for. And was ready enough 10
give you the pass 10 New York be.
cause ! hoped when you got there
you'd stay there. ! gave it to you to
gel rid of you, sand If I'd given you a
return pass, you'd be sure 10 come
back
We'll, it did get rid Of him. He went
TO New York. tied up TO some OF the
local politicians there and never came
back to Buffalo. | have never given Il
pass tha. brought me better payrrcnt
than that one"
Copyright. 1911. by T.. j. Eiwarie. All
Rights Reserved}