The Washington herald., 1915-01-12
HISTORY BUILDERS.
Two Leading Figures in Railroad De,
velopment.
written Expressly for The Washington Herald)
BY DIR. f.. J. EDWARDS.

BY DIR. f.. J. EDWARDS.
Sometimes when 1 am in mood for
reminiscence, especially recollections OF
my early association with Commodore
Vanderbilt, 1 recall what he once said to
me about John NJ. Forbes. He told me
that Forbes was the great leader in rail-
road development to the lakes and the
Mississippi and beyond. and I inferred
from his frequent references TO Mr..
Forbes that the commodore really was
| led TO contemplate giving up his steam
boat business and take up railrOadinE
| upon a large scale by the knowledge OF
what John NJ. Forbes did
This was said to me by the late
Charles e. Clarke, who was associated
with Commodore Vanderbilt from the
time the latter undertook the creation
of the Vanderbilt system until the COM
modore's death and, later, was assOciat-
1900. For years Mr.. Clarke was vice
president OF the Vanderbilt lines, having
authority over the financial department.
1T Is a singular fact that both the
commodore and John NJ. Forbes were
occupied until middle life with ocean
transportation before they took up rail-
roading. However, it seems to me that
this illustrates the evolution which is so
strongly characteristic of our American
transportation system. Mr.. Forbes, with
Boston money. completed the Michigan
Central Railroad and took it into Chi
cago. Then he began constructive work
from which came the Burlington system.
The commodore began his railroad life
after the most careful consideration and
thorough study of the railroad work
which Mr.. Forbes had accomplished.
This. however. was not the case with Mr..
Forbes. / was told. some years ago, by
good friend of Mr.. Forbes that the
latter got into the Michigan Central
Railroad partly by accident by partly by
philanthropy. The road had been con-
structed from Detroit westerly until II
terminated in a swamp. That was the
beginning OF the great Michigan Central
system. Mr.. Forbes was appealed to and
was told that he could buy stock in the
Michigan Central at 20 cents on the dol
lar He did not know the first thing
about railroading, although that is not
strange in view of the fact that railroad
construction at that time had just begun.
1t occurred to him, however. that he
might buy this stock and in that way be
able to aid a friend, who, | think. was
also a relative, by putting him in charge
of the property simply for the purpose OF
giving the man something to do.
This philanthropy was failure, for
the man had no capacity for railroad
management. Mr. Forbes. however. had
got in so deep that he was persuaded
that II he wanted 10 save what he had
put in he would have TO take hold OF the
property himself He did so, and in a
few years the Michigan Central was
brought into Chicago. BY that time Mr..
Forbes realized what the opportunities
for the development of the great country
west of the Mississippi were and there
fore began the building UP of what is
now the Burlington system. He did some
thing else, of which many years later he
was informed. and which at the time he
did not realizc-he inspired Commodore
Vanderbilt to enter the field Of railway
transportation from the great West to
deep water upon the Atlantic"
Copyright. 1915. by Dr. +. ]. Edwards. All rights
RcscTVedD
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell Of
The Foresight of the Late f. II. Harri-
man."