Evening journal., 1914-04-27
HEAD OF Reading
RAILROAD IS DEAD.
GeorgeF. Baer Was Stricken
Suddenly On Sat-
urday
IN PERFECT HEALTH
UNTIL ATTACK COMES

PHILADELPHIA. Pa. April 81
George +. Baer, president OF the Read
ing Railroad, died last night. There
was no struggle no pain, no unhappi
ness in the end except the fact itself
Not from few moments after he be-
came i'll Saturday morning on his way
to his Offices was he conscious.
When he died there were in the sick
room Mrs. Baer, the five daughters, Mrs.
William Griscom Coke. of Wilmington;
I Mrs. William n. Appel OF Lancaster
Mrs. Hebcl L. Smith. Mrs Isaac Hcisler
and Mrs Frank l.. Connard all of Read
ing the four sons-in-law; Walter Doug
lass, the family coachman for - years,
and four physicians. DIR. Alfred Stem
gel, DR.. George G.. Ross, DR.. +. j.
Nlaer and Dr. Muhlenbcrg, OF Reading.
Mrs. Baer wanted Walter Douglass to be
at the bedside; she depended on him
whole lot, just ss Mr.. Baer had for so
many years.
Mrs Bacr never once left his side
during the thirty -four and onehalf
hours he was III. Even when the end
came she kept up her brave front and
was the strongest unit of the stricken
family group. u is the more remark
able because Mrs Baer was very nearly
the age of her husband who was n
last September.
Mr. Baer's death came in manner TO
remove one of the city's and states
foremost figures without warning. \
healthy, working man on Saturday, he
is dead today and the doctors hardly
know what killed him. They only know
that he was seized with a gastric trou
bic, supplemented by kidney disorder.
So quickly did the illness take hold that
Mr. Baer only had time to speak and
then sank into unconsciousness. This
condition continued to the end.
Noted Railroad Man.
George f. Baer. captain Of industry
and one of the most noted railroad
men of his time in the United States.
was born in Somerset, Pa. on Sep
tember 20, 1912, the son Of Major
Solomon and Anna Maria (Baker)
Baer. His earliest American ances-
tor was Christopher Baer, who came
TO this country from Zweibruecken.
Germany, prior TO 174O, and settled
IN Northampton county. Pa, in 1743.
His son. John Jacob, who was George
+. Baer's grandfather, moved to Al
legheny county Md, in 1900. whence
Solomon Baer, who was born in 1894,
later went to Somerset county, Pa.
where he engaged IN farming. He
died in 1882.
! George f. Baer was, in the true
sense. a self-taught and self-made
man. He received his early education in
the Somerset Academy and at the age
Of 13 years he entered the office of
the Somerset Democrat TO learn the
printers trade. He worked there for
two years and then entered Franklin
and Marshall College The outbreak
of the Civil War, however. interrupted
his studies. About that time peculiar
circumstances made George +. Baer
and his brother Henry owners of the
Somerset Democrat. Henry entered
the army and George got out the
paper. studying law at night
Served in Civil War.
In August lS62. he raised a company
for the One Hundred and Thirty third
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, of
which he was elected captain. The reg
iment proceeded TO the front and served
in Humphreys division of the Army of
the Potomac. Joining the army at the
second battle OF Bull Run. Captain Baor
participated in all the engagements up
TO and including that at Chancellors-
vile, when he was detailed as the adj
| jutant general of the second brigade.
After the close of the war Mr.. Baer
resumed his law studies and was ad
mitted to the bar in 1864. -Four years
later he removed to Reading, Pa. and
rapidly gained prominence at the Berks
county bar, where for many years he
was an active practitioner In 1870 he
prosecuted an action for damages
against the Reading railroad so ably
and successfully that he was made
counsel for the Philadelphia and Read
ing Railroad. As his law practice in
creased he was able 20 extend the field
of his operations and so successfully
did he embrace the opportunities Of
fered him that he became an important
factor in many industrial and financial
enterprises and especially in coal pro-
ducing companies.
For a considerable time he was the
confidential adviser of James Pierpont
Morgan and rendered valuable services
to him. He co-operated with him in the
plan TO unite under one management all
the coal-carrying railroads with termin-
ais in New York city.
When the reorganization took place
in 1901. MT. Baer was elected presi-
dent Of the Reading Company. the
i, Philadelphia and Reading Railway
Company, the Philadelphia and Read
ing Coal and Iron Company and the
Central Railroad Company of New
Jersey. The Reading Company was
/ made a holding company, acting un-
der a special charter in Pennsylvania
The Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
way Company became the operating
company, while the Philadelphia and
heading Coal and Iron Company as
suined the control and operation of
all the coal properties Of the sys-
10 tenn. with a few exceptions. Mean
. While, Mr. Morgan and his interests
, acquired a controlling interest in
the Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
= road
Fought Long Coal Strike.
When the great anthracite coal
strike began on May u, 1902. Presi-
dent Baer conducted the fight against
!. the United Mineworkers OF America
- who had instlgated the strike. II was
e a long and desperate fight and during
J, all those wearing months and the ex-
citing scenes which accompanied that