Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-19
PARROTT DEAD,
.FLACLER HEIRS
SEEK A LEADER
Late Lieutenant Of Railway Mag
nate Bore Brunt of Work Dur
ing Chiefs Illness.

JACKSONVILLE, oct. 1S.-When
Henry NJ FlagIer died at Palm Beach
May 20 he designated in his will Jo-
seph Rodman Parrot as one Of the
three trustees of his vast estate and
specified that this trusted lieutenant
should be president of his railroad
and hotel properties, the Florida East
Coast Railway and Florida East Coast
Hotel Company, until his death.
Little he thought or anyone else
at that time that a bare five months
would find this trusted man upon
whose shoulders so much had de-
vOlved following his former chief 20
the grave. Mr.. PARROT died the night
of October 10 at his summer camp,
near oxford, Maine, where he was
born 81 years ago October 80. His
body was sent to Jacksonville and
Mrs. Parrot will arrive there October
% from Europe. and funeral plans
then will be announced.
Henry NJ. Flagler died an octoge-
marian His health steadily failed for
months and his death being expected.
Joseph X. PARROT died in the prime
Of his manhood, and unexpectedly,
from angina peCtOris. Broken down
by the herCulean task Of fighting
through to completion regardless OF
hurricane and financial stress the
great extension over the keys and
ocean to Key West his health was
very poor two years ago, but a trip
abroad and this summer in Maine had
brought back the splendid health Of
his younger days.
Estate Left Leaderless.
When Mr.. Flagler died all went
the same as before in the conduct
of the railway system and other en-
tcrprises, for he had long since given
over complete control of these prop
critics to Mr. Parrott, the latter car
rying out the wishes of Mr. Flaglpr,
but bearing the brunt of the hard
work Mr.. Parrot died with no one
knowing just what changes may be
made in the lesser phases of the CON
Quoting Of the railroad and allied in
terests beyond the fact that all will
remain in trust for five years.
Mr.. Flagler made ]. X. Parrot, W
II. Beardsley and W. r. Kenan, Jr,
the latter his wife's brother, the
trustees with absolute power about
the conduct and administration OF
the vast estate in its entirety with
the single exception of the immediate
willing of a comfortable income to his
wife and a few similar requests Tn
rott was made president of the rail
road and hotel systems as long as he
should live lin appreciation of his
untiring devotion to the task Of build
ing up these properties"
1t is specified in the will that the
remaining trustees shall choose the
third when one dies. The presence
on the board of Mr.. Kenan, Mrs.
tlagler's brother, and Mr.. Beardsley,
former secretary and confidential ad-
wiser of Mr.. Flagler and for the past
few years a vice president Of the road
in charge Of finances, makes il Ger
tain that a man in full sympathy with
Mr.. Flagler's wishes shall be Sc
leCted.
Hard to Fill His Place.
But II Is going to be difficult to find
man with such a grasp of detail
and so familiar with conditions in
Florida. Mr.. PARROT had been con-
nected with the road from the time
it was 10 miles long in 1892 and soon
was given general supervision Of the
task Of penetrating dune and jungle
on down to Miami and then later OF
the building of the extension. An
this gave him knowledge necessary
to the work which can hardly be du-
pliCated.
The extension must be fully COM
pleted at MIR. F'laglers wish, and
there is a new system being built
down the fertile Kissimmee Valley
into the Empire Of the Everglades
tapping the north shore Of OkeechO-
bee, Flarida's inland sea. And II was
planned to practically double track
the entire system and to make other
extensive improvements within the
next few years-before the trustee
ship should expire.
He graduated in 1885 from the law
department at Yale. lie came 10
Florida in November of that year and
the following year welded Helen L.
Mercer of New Haven. She and one
daughter. Mrs. Helen Parrot Melon.
aid, OF New York, survive him.