Evening journal., 1914-06-13
New News Of Yesterday
How 1t All Depended On
What Uncle John Said
~ Holland.

twenty-five or thirty years ago.
when the Boston and Maine Railroad
system was undertaking that great
work OF expansion which subse-
uuently gave to it control of the rail
road situation north of Boston in
New Hampshire, in Maine, and in
part Of Vermont, | was associated
with some OF those who were working
out important details" said Asa Pot
ter formerly a banker Of Boston and
now q citizen of New York.
"In view Of the recent difficulties
in the New ENGLAND railroad situation
in which the Boston and Maine Rail-
road system was involved, have
often thought OF some OF those eX-
periences which / met with when the
work Of consolidation was in pro-
gress
"One incident comes with special
force to my mind in view of the pecu-
liar prominence one Of those who
were associated with the transaction
afterward gained The late Frank
Jones, Who an one time was very pro-
minent as Democratic politician
and a man OF whom Grover Cleveland
became very fond was for some years
president Of the Boston and Maine
lie was himself a quaint character
who began life as a tin peddler, and
who became one Of the great leaders
Of affairs in the State Of New Hamp-
shire He also served for a time as
member OF Congress, gaining thereby
a unique reputation as having been
the only Democrat who had been sent
by New Hampshire to Congress for
many years
Mr. Jones had called a meeting of
the directors of the Boston and Maine
for the purpose of considering a plan
OF leasing a railroad or of buying its
control / was present at that meet
ing. There was very exciting dis
cussion. Most of the directors were
clear-headed and strong minded mon.
Some OF them favored the proposition
that stock control should be secured
through purchase, while others
thought the better way was to lease
the road One or two directors did
not favor the proposition from any
point Of view
"Mr Jones said nothing, but lis
tened ntently to the discussion. lie
knew that the directors would give
him practically unanimous support in
whatever decision he might reach.
AT last he said; Well, now every
body has had a chance to say what he
thinks about this proposition.
haven't said anything yet because
haven't made up my mind what Is
Il IN
Uncle John. We will have a meeting
in the course Of two or three days
and / viii have Uncle John here to
look over the proposition. Whatever
he says | shall agree to-
1.-TWO or three days later, another
meeting was held, and Uncle John
was there. He was a plain, farmer
like man who constantly rubbed his
hands over his chin or over his
cheeks or through his hair He wore
fur cap made out OF muskrat skins
He listened patiently for two or three
hours TO all that was said, saying
nothing himself At last Mr.. Jones
said 20 him; Well, Uncle John, wha
do you think2'
"Uncle John ran his finger:
through his hair, stroked his chin
and then said. Well. | think thus
wise And he went on to explain
what ne meant by 'thuswise.' Wher
he had finished, Mr., Jones said i ac
cept Uncle Johns thuswise opinion.
In that way the proposition was de-
termined
Years later, when l read move
by Winston Churchill in which h'
depicted a famous New Hampshire
boss, I recognized under the as
! sumed name-and so did everybod,
/ else who knew the man-Franl
4 Jones Uncle John"
1 Copyright, 1914, p j. Edwards. AL
rights reserved.)