Evening journal., 1913-02-28
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY,
The Ideal Railroad President
Of the United States
BY Holland.

"The late John Henry Devereux
was in my estimation the ideal rail-
way president of the United States.
This emphatic statement was made
to me about three years ago by the
late Charles Finney Cox, who was
for many years, and until his death
in 1911. the general treasurer of that
part Of the Vanderbilt railway sys-
tenn, including the big Four" which
is west of Buffalo Mr.. Cox WAS forty
years in intimate association with
railroad development in Ohio. His
brother. Jacob d. Cox, who was in
General Grants first Cabinet and
who was also at one time Governor
of Ohio, was prominent in railway
development in northern Ohio and
had some part in the organization of
what is nov the Canada Southern
Railroad system, and with him
Charles Finney Cox was in associa-
tion.
Mr.. Cox was therefore well qualified
to form an estimate of the personal
and business character of John Henry
Devereux.
"I have often thought" Mr. Cox
continued. that Mr.. DevereuX did not
receive from the public the recogni-
ton which was rightly due him rot
merely for the extraordinary business
ability which he showed in his de-
velopment of what is now know as the
Big -Four railway system, but also N
his attempt TO manage a great rail.
way system upon methods which
squared perfectly with personal in.
tegrity of character.
LET me tell you little incident
which came to my knowledge. Fol
many years after Mr. DevereuX be-
came the supreme executive author
ity of the Big Four he was greatly
disturbed by his sense that the rail
way managers of the company were
not as careful as they should be &
observe the fourth commandment. III
was convinced that it would be prac
ticable TO show railway managers tha
the movement Of cars and the opera
ton of shops could be PRACTICAL,
eliminated on Sunday. excepting 70
transportation. which would Droperl
come under the heads Of woJk of ne
cessity
"While he was formulating thb
| plan. he asked some Of his friend
what they thought of It. In reply
they told him that il would be yer.
difficult in railway management to dc
fine work of necessity.
'"I think I can do it, Mr.. Dever
eux said. AT all events | am going
try it,
IL think it was only two years be
fore his death, in 1886, that Mr.. Dey
ereuX issued an order suspending al
freight traffic on the Big Four except
Ing such as was necessary to NOV
perishable freight. His idea was tha
works Of necessity were covered er
tirely. so far as railroad business wa
concerned, by the term 'perishabl
freight
"The moral effect of that order va
very great IL was a wholesome IN
fluence with the railway employe
And yet Mr.. DevereuX's definition ,
work OF necessity was after a tim
found TO he altogether too narrow
"He did not live long enough
learn that Il is absolutely work {
necessity TO move as many fregl
trains as possible on Sunday. TT
traffic which We have today Is almo
imfneasurably greater than the tran
Of Mr. DcycrcuN's day To limit N
operation of freight trains for eve
one day serves 10 create congcst'o
Railway managers have found that
is an ineXorable Law of railway zone
alton. at least with the sonewh
cramped facilities we now have. th
freight trains should be moved as ra
idly and as often as possible no ma
ter whether they contain perishah
goods or not
"FurthermOre there would be grie
GUS and general comnlaint from shi
pers If the railway managers of II
United States now adopted Mr., De
creuX's order whereby only peris
able goods were moved on Sunday
knew AIT DevereuX well enough to
sure that Il would be consta
source Of regret to him had he liv
20 know that actual necessity. ii
necessity 20 prevent congestion. cor
ncls the running OF as many freie
trains as. possible on Sunday Yet.
7 have Just said. the moral effect
Mr. DevereuN's order upon the 81
ployes Of the Big Four system was
inestimahle value I know that
Quickened remarkably religious /
among the employees. Yet belle
that Il is absolutely correct 10 S
that necessity now compels the mo,
ment of as many freight trains as DC
sible on Sunday"
Copyright, 1913. by +. J. EdWarl
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