The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-26
Thomas Martin Emer-
son Succumbs to At
tack Of Indigestion.
HIS LIFE SPENT IN
RAILWAY SERVICE
Beginning as Freight Clerk, He
Forced His Way to Head of
System, and Took Rank
Among Leading Rail
road Men in
Country.

Wilmington y c.. November a.
Thomas Martin Emerson, president OF
the Atlantic Coast Limo Eailroad Com
pany. died late Tonight at his home
in this city. following IN attack Of
actut" indigestion Sunday while on
a trip Of inspection over the system
with members of the board of directors
Nr Emerson. attended by his physician
and friends, reached Wilmington ~ an
early hour this morning on q special
train from tho South. and while it was
announced during tho day that his con
dit'on was improved. there cama =
Turn Tor the worse ana hc dlcd NJ
II O'Clock to-night
9ir. Emerson was taken i'll sunday
at Dupont Ga while on an inspec-
t!on tour OF the road Of which hc
was president. Ia was taken 20 Way
cross. Ga. sunday night and snem,
Monday undcr the car. OF piIYxicians
there Last night ho apparently w.4
much Better. and was taken a1oa.d u
special train FOR Wilmington \
trained nurse and q physician accom-
panied him. Whe,, he arrived here to
day hc was taken 20 his ONE, his
phrsician rc3or,inH hinl practically
out az danger.
Air Emerson rose I" tha presidency
OF one of the Souths greatest ral-
roads from Tho very ranks by sue
cessirc steps Arst az clerk in the
freight offices, later as chief cler,; In
the general freight and passenger
freight. thor general freight ngent.
and late. .ntii July 1902. general
traffic manager, being accounted 1T that
time ono or the best traffic men In
the entire country He later became
third icc-prcsidcnt OF the system in
chars" OF traffic. and in November.
1908. nc was elected uresident 10 sue
~ k. f.f - 4: ~ nF
main, Ga. he was uf tho conatruc-
tive type oi railway presidents aud
cncoura@ed the development OF ;hc
country through which the system
passed. as the strest ana safest policy
of the road. He was prominent So
cinlly. n Mtson o. high degree and
TOOK an active interest in life of the
community In which he livcG.
III, Active Career.
A!r. Emerson was born in treble
County, Ohio, March %. 1891. ana was
therefore in tho sixty third year OF
his age. III. entered the railroad ser
vice In 1867 as 4 clerk in the freight
ofticc at Hagerstown, Ind, and hy de-
grces forced his way to the very front
rank of railroad men In the country.
From clerk in the freight office he
became night telegraph operator. and
lat"r chief freight ana ticket cicri; at
Marion. Ind. and Fort Wayne. Ind.
-Thi passenger travelling agent o1 the
Detroit ana indianapolis Through
Line. Coming South in January. 1878.
hc became clerk In the general freight
office -: the Charlotte. Columbia and
augusta Riilroad. ana in July OF the
Same year became chief clerk In the
general freight and passenger depart
ment OF Atlantic Coast Line. in which
capacity hc served until September l.
1850, when FOR = year he WAS assistant
general freight and ticket agent of the
same road. la August, lSsl and fo-
II year he was assistant general freight
agent OF The Chesapeake aud Ohio
Eaiiway. afterwards becoming general
freight and passenger agent. which he
served until July /. 1891. From July
i. 1921 10 July, 900 hc was traffic
manager OF the Atlantic Coast Limo,
later third vice president and succeed
eel about five years ago the late Ircsi :
dent Erwin, OF the Atlantic Coast
Line.
:lo is survived BY his wife and two
daughters. Mrs. c. Van Lcuven, who
is IN a hospital in the North. where
she has been Receiving treatment Tor
the past four months. and Mrs. 4. 5.
Williams, OF this city.
The funeral viii bc conducted Thurs
day afternoon ut o'clock from ST.
Johns Episcopal Church. this city. and
interment will he in Oakdale Cemetery
nero