The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-29


 Harahan will tomorrow assume charge or the Seaboard Air Line railroad as It's president. His election was decided upon several weeks ago. He succeeds N. B. Medrum, who has been president of that line only short time.
 Great things are expected of President Harahan on the Seaboard. Not only as a physical developer but in tact dis
 played in handling railroad problems, he has shown great ability. Before his father, the late James T. Harahan. died, the Illinois Central, of which he was president, was known and is still known in Illinois as "our railroad" the pro- noun meaning the people. Billie Hara- han is expected to display the same fac ulty of making friends of the patrons of the Seaboard Air Line as did his father on the Illinois Central.
 It is refreshing to find in this day of railroad turmoil man such as Billie Harahan, who, in his relations with the public and the public authorities, has been so conspicuously successful.
 MT. Harahan, who relinquishes the po- sition of vice president and chief engi- neer of the Erie railroad, Is a thoughtful student of the attitude of the people and their representatives toward the rail- roads. President Harahan is one of that progressive type of railroad men who can see the people have some inherited rights. He is no usurper of domain. He Is a believer in tempered cooperation toward inevitable rate regulation rather than rough shod and indiscriminate setting aside of all edicts of the lawmakers
 Will Find Good Organization
 MT Harahan will find awaiting him when he establishes his offices in Ports mouth an organization that will assist him in the tremendous developments which are expected to be made on the Seaboard Air Line. The requirement Of the company by s. Davies Warfeld, that eminent Marylander and his associates, means that plenty of money is on hand. They will no doubt give the pupil of Fred Underwood a free hand in his work.
 He has as perhaps he well knows some problems to solve that will call for an exhibition Of that vital energy for which he is we'll known and display and the exercise of all the capacity which he has shown to such full degree on the Erie railroad. There he will find c. R. Capps of the traffic department, vice president after whom the Illinois Gen. tral has been for some time If common reports be true; an official whose grasp of monumental traffic problems has made him one of the best in the business. He will find Charles H. Hix. whose dis play of ability has brought him to the vice presidency and also general man ager within the memory of many short term employees of this division He will find C. B. Ryan, his general passenger agent, a live wire and one of the best informed traffic men not only as to pas senger but freight traffic, that has been on a southern line in many years. All down the line it Is said the Seaboard official family is one of cooperation ana .sall together for the service.
 With Billie Harahan as president ana this organization, with the money and behind the scene power s. Davies War field. the Seaboard Is bound to blos- som. He will also find among his di- rectors "a Birmingham man-A Ii. Woodward--who is no less informed than many of his best directors and he will no doubt see that MT. Wood- ward is Loyalty behind him. Taken by and large the situation looks extreme ly flattering for the Seaboard and It's allies.
 Was Born in Nashville
 MT. Harahan is product of the south. Born in the southland, at Nashville. spending three~fourths of his life there. he won his way rom an office boy in the Louisville ana Nashville offices at New Orleans to high responsibilities in railroad work and came under the eyes of great mas ters of railroad operations like liar riman with the inevitable result or re- moval to broader activities He now leaves the vice presidency or the Ere in the prime of life to come back south thoroughly trained in the schooi or ex- perienee, physically and mentally 1t to take charge of a great railroad prop | ertv such as the Seaboard.
 President Underwood of the Erie | railroad recognized as one of the lead | CTS in modern railroad operations, has d reputation for picking prizes among railroad men. A number of men whose | talents he discovered and whom he | attached to his staff as lieutenants and who were taken as executives by | other railroad systems have achieved | success. Daniel Willard, president of the Baltimore and Ohio, is a notable | example of this. It is therefore not surprising that man of MT. Harahan's should be found on President | staff Speaking of him. Mir Underwood said: "The Erie rail l road regrets exceedingly to lose his services for the reason that he has been placed in delicate and responsible positions and has invariably | made good. He Is a man of conspic- | uous ability and tact. When s. Davies Warfeld, chairman of the executive of the Seaboard, saw me in | reference to Mir. Harahan I told him that in my Judgment he could not se- feet a man better qualified to fill the | for president of the Sea- | board Air Line railway"
 Warfield's Plans for South
 & Davies Warfield the Baltimore | fnaneier, in June last, when he became | the dominant factor in the manage | ment of the Seaboard system, through | the purchase by himself and associates | of a large block of Seaboard stocks | a policy for this property l which may mark a new epoch in the | railroad affairs of the south. Coming | from a distinguished family of that | state long identified with the deyel- | opment of the south, MT Warfield as chairman of the receivers of the Sea board and active in the successful re- | of the property became | convinced that the growth of the south | had reached d stage where ownership | in an extensive railway system such as the Seaboard. with men of the south in the mana cement to voice the needs of | this section. was a logical and timely | need and that the south was rich l enough in men and money to success fully carry out such a plan. This was the moving thing in the purchase of Seaboard stocks by the Warfield syndi- cate and as announced at the time the | system will be operated from and In the south with representative business men on it's directory from the states which 1t traverses.- As Mir. Warfeld l puts 1t, this means straight out inde- pendence of the Seaboard and a policy | of intensive development of the ter ritory which it serves.