Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-01-04
Views and RevleWs
Old and New Presidents of the
Union Pacific

The advent of new president OF the Union
Pacific, the railroad which has been by far the
biggest factor in making Omaha what it is, re-
calls the long list of noted names that have been
at the head of that corporations official roster.
wonder how many people know that the first
president of the Union Pacific was General John
A. Dix. 1t was the same General Dix who
while secretary of the treasury under
Buchanan at the outbreak of the war, had con-
cuded his order to arrest the captain of rev.
enue cutter refusing to obey directions to bring
his boat from New Orleans to New York, with
the famous sentence: IF any one attempts to
haul down the American flag shoot him on the.
spot" General Dix was president of the Union
Pacific from 1865 to 1868 and was iour, years
later elected governor of New York. In the
construction of the first transcontinental road
Thomas c. Durant and Grenville NJ. Dodge
were the operating engineers, but neither of
them was officially the head of the road
Another Union Pacific president was Sidney
Dillon who if permitted to have had his way,
would have put all the terminal activities on
the other side of the river to promote scheme
for a town-site on the lowlands between Omaha
and Council Bluffs lampooned as "Dillonville."
Jay Gould took the helm subsequently and then
made S. H. Fl. Clark president of the Union
Pacific. and he remained until the lamented re-
ownership, for which he was appointed by the
court to be of the administrators along
with several others. 1t was Edward H. Harri-
man who pulled the property together and prac-
ticaly rebuilt the road, but did not at first take
the presidency himself Instead he installed
Horace G.. Burt, who ruled with efficiency but
not popularity until Mr.. Hartman decided to
take the place in his own right. Although
president of the road which is required to keep
its official headquarters in Omaha, Mr.. Harri-
man held forth in New York, and the presidency
came back here only when A. L. Moher at
tanned to that position. As all know, Mr..
Mohler was succeeded by E. E. Calvin whose
title was merged into that of federal director
when Uncle Sam took over the operation Of
the railroads for war purposes, and who now
takes a newly-created position, while Carl r.
Gray becomes official head of the Union Pacific
General Pershing is the second guest bear
in Omaha. General Grant stopped off here for
the day on his return from his trip around the
world after he had retired from the White
House.
The death of Major General Thomas H.
Barry was chroncled in the news this week
General Barry had seen much service on fhe
western frontier, which brought him in and out
of Omaha, as we'll as in Cuba, the Philippines
and China, and had been commandant Of the
United States Military academy at West Point
but, what is more pertinent, he was in charge
of the Western Army Division with jurisdiction
including Fort Omaha and Fort Crook at the
time our country went into the great world
war. We in Omaha thought that our city
should have favorable consideration for the
great military training cantonment that was
eventually located at Des Moines and an ap-
peal was made to General Barry on behalf of
Omaha by the Chamber of Commerce for re-
opening and review of the report on available
sites which had listed St. Paul, Des Mones and
Cedar Rapids in that order of preference with
out even mentioning Omaha. l went along
with a committee of eight or ten representa-
tive ,Los, II IL, 49, L
wait on General Barry at his headquarters in
Chicago with view to impressng him with
our feeling that Omaha had been shabby
treated, and its advantages as location for the
cantonment disregarded, and to ask for square
deal. Those who were present will not forget
the session with its lively interchange and
abrupt termination. 1t was never reported in
detail in the public prints and it will not be.
1t is history that Des Moines kept the canton
ment, in fact its pull was so strong that con-
tracts for erecting the buildings were let be-
fore the designation of Des Moines as the place
was officially confirmed at Washington. Per-
haps General Barry could not have helped us
at any rate he didn't.
The latest Roosevelt book is out by Rev.
Ferdinand c. Iglehart, whose intimate personal
friendship dates back to association with him
as police commissioner in working for the clos
ing. of Sunday saloons in New York City. The
author gives this explanation of Mr.. Roose-
velts re-entry into the presidential quest which
seems to be made public for the first time
Toward the close of Mr. Roosevet's ad-
rninistraton | said to the president, Hosts of
friends over the country want you to run
again. your hold upon the leadership of the
republican party is absolute. Your closest
friends want to know whether you desire to
run again He replied, I meant exactly what
| said the night I was elected, that l would
not be a candidate to succeed myself. have
had all the honor there is in the office, have
accomplished much of what I undertook to
do, and the people have treated me with such
consideration and affection that | am willing
now to yield my office to some one else He
continued. Besides, | am very, very fond of
nature, and would like to pursue extensively
my nature study. ! am very, very fond of
reading and of writing books. I should like
to spend some solid years in the field of lit
erature. | am very fond of hunting and
would like to have longer periods of rest and
recreation that way. No, | shall not run
again. am positive on that subject, and you
are welcome to say to all the boys that are
closest to you that | am in earnest and will
not take the nomination
Then he paused. and with voice some
what softened he said. I will tell you this in
strictest confidence. There is only one con-
dltlon under which I could ever be induced to
enter the race for the presidency again
Deeply anxious, l inquired, And what is
that: lie answered. Frankly this. If the
republican party were ever to 20 back on the
progressive policies which ate so necessary to
the highest prosperity of the country, and to
which have devoted my life, if it should be-
come necessary might be compelled to take
the field again and try to keep the party on
the right track. I do not expect any such
condition to arise. have every reason to
believe that the leaders of the party recognize
the wisdom and the virtue of the policies for
which the party now stands; that they will
not reverse it and invite party defeat and ma
tlonal injury. | do not want it to occur If