Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-17
NAME OFFICIAL
FOR BIG TASK
Vice-President w. w. After
bury Gets Furlough; Will
Sail For France Soon

Late yesterday afternoon at Wash
ington official announcement was
made of the appointment of w. w.
Atterbury, vice-president of the
Pennsylvania Railroad to direct rail-
road work abroad. 1t was the verifi-
the HARRISBURG TELEGR RAPH
as a near future probability. A dis
patch from Washington, D. c., says:
Selection by the United States
government of Mr.. Atterbury for
this French work is regarded here
as a well-merited tribute to his
recognized capacity anu ability as a
railroad executive. 1t Is also an
honor for Philadelphia and for the
Pennsylvania Railroad that he
should be the one among all the rail-
way officers of the country to be
selected for what promises to be the
most important and responsible SER
vice abroad in support of the AM
erican fighting tU".'e..
Directors GTent Eurlough
"The board of directors of the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Company, at
q recent meeting, IS understood to
have voted a leave of absence to Mr..
Atterbury for the period of the war,
or for such shorte" time as his serV-
ices may be require; by the United
States government. 1t is the under
standing here That as director gen
eral of railways in France for AM
erican service, Mr.. Atterbury will re-
mort directly to the commauder-in-
chief of the American forces ana
onarafinpc in that country.
The big proposition is to ne
worked out IN Tuink time. 1t means
the creation NJ additt""al railroad
facilities in France from chosen sea-
ports to the battlefront to transport
American troops, epulpment ana
supplies. The ev' sting French rall-
roads are now r'c'H''i ~ 'telr tapa-
city. Therefore, the work set TOT
Mr.. Atterbury is first to create ana
eouip a railroad system, equal TO tho
task it must perform, then to operate
and maintain it.
"Mr. Atterbury is a little over 81
and in the prime of physical ana
mental vigor. He possesses that
courage which comes with con-
fidence in his judgment and vision
to see things as they Will work out
When A. ]. Cassatt jumped him over
others to the position of general
vania Railroad of such congestion
as was seriously troubling travellers
and interrupting the operations OF
Industries, dependent upon the com
pany for TRANSFORMATION. Mr.. After
bury quickly brought order out OF
chaos.
Work Outlined
He is now scheduled to undertake
in France probably the biggest job
any railroad man ever had to con-
front. His training and knowledge
will stand him in good stead. Mr..
Atterbury knows n railroad and its
operating functions from the ground
up. He understands all about loco
motives, cars, tracks, signal systems
and operating practice. He knows
exactly what can be got out of given
facilities, over railroad line,
whether single or double tracked.
"Our government has backed con-
tracts for 800 locomotives to be
rushed to France. 1t is about to is
sue rush orders for 10000 tons of
steel rails to go there. Contracts
have been. placed for spikes. Many
other things will be needed. When
they get to France they will have to
be put together. Repair shops, loco
motive roundhouses and coaling sta
tions must be built to make the sys-
tenn complete.