The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-06
SOUTHERN'S NEW HEAD.
Wen known Railway Man Named To
Succeed Late w. w. Finley as
President OF Great System-Will
Continue Predecessors Policy of
Development of Section Which His
Road Feeds.

Road Feeds.
New York, Dec. 1.--Farfax Harri-
son, formerly vice president of the
Southern Railway company and for
the last three years president of the
Chicago, indianapolis & Louisville
Railway company, o. which the
Southern is part owner, was today
elected president OF the Southern
Railway company to succeed the late
William Wilson Finley, special
meeting of the board of directors be-
ing held for the purpose of filling the
vacancy caused by Mr. Finley's death.
Mr. Harrison is a Virginian, his
home being at Bek air, Va. He is
peculiarly identified with the South,
as his father was private secretary to
Jefferson Davis while president of the
Confederate states and all his rail-
road experience has been with the
Southern and associated lines. Mr..
| A'''A iS'h was poiii III 1919 ana WdS
graduated from Yale with the A. B.
degree in 1890 and from Columbia
with the a. NJ. degree in 1891.
He was admitted to the bar in New
York in 1892 and continued the prac-
tice OF law in this city until 1896 when
he entered the service of the South
ern railway in the legal department
AZ solicitor.
In 1893 he was made assistant to
the president and in 1906 became vice
president, which position he held un-
til 1910, wher. he resigned, being
elected president of the Chicago, In
dtanapolis x Louisville. He, how
ever. continued as u director of the
Southern railway so that his service
with the parent company has been
uninterrupted.
! Mr.. Harrison was one of Mr.. Fin
lcy's closest and most trusted adj
visers and is thoroughly in sympathy
with the policies which made Nj.
Finleys' administration 50 successful
both for the Southern Railway com
pany and the territory served by its
lines. Though Mr.. Harrison entered
the service of the Southern in the
legal department, his experience has
not been confined to that cranch Of
the service. He has given much
study to financial, traffic and operat-
ing problems and is intimately ac-
quainted with conditions on the
Southern railway and throughout the
section which il traVerses. AS cresi-
dent of the Chicago, indianapolis &,
Louisville he was actively in charge
OF the operation of the railway, 50
that he comes to the Southern call
way prepared by practical experience
as we'll us the most detailed knovl-
| edge of the details Of its affairs to
take up the duties of chief executive.
Mr.. Harrison today was also elected
| president of the Alabama Great
southern railway. Mobile & Ohio and
Virginia q southwestern.
Resolutions deplOring the death of
Mr.. Finley and paying a high tribute
To his work for the railways he head
ed and the territory they served were
adopted by the boards of directors of
the Southern railway, the Mobile a
ohio railroad. the Alabama Great
Southern railroad, the Virginia &
southwestern railway. These resolu-
tions will be printed throughout the
South.
Immediately following his election
President Harrison gave out the fol-
lowing statement.
II am i'm entire accord and SYM
pathy with the policies of my la
mcnted friend, Mr.. Finley, under
whom ! have worked for IL years.
I hope to continue to build the South
crn rs he built it by promoting and
enhancing its usefulness to and is
cordial relations with the people of
the SOdth. I count ON the support of
the entire present working organize
tion of the southern, rank ana file.
Having grown up i'm the service With