Year: 1879

GENERAL THOMAS 7. ECKERr RETIREs FROM THE
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY
The meeting of the trustees of the Atlantic
and Pacific Telegraph Company Tuesday evening
was concluded by General Thomas Thompson Eckert
handing in his resignation president and trustee
The members taken by surprise aud one OF them
expressed the belief that t not seriously Intended
Eckert responded that he had written his resg
nation after mature deliberaton and that he did not
desire longer perform the duties OF the presidency OF
the company. The resignation was laid upon the table


IN the hope several Of the directors expressed that
the action would be reconsdered. The Atlantic and
Pacific Company without any responsible head yes
terday General ckert sending word that his resGna-
tion irrevocabe.


A messenger was sent TO Hamilton Mex. Twombly.
vcepresdent he requested to assume the func-
tions of president, that checks and socktransers
could be signed. Mr. Twomby declined to until the
should take action the resignation and
indicate who should become General Eckerps ccssor
AS the regular meeting OF the trustees does not
take place until April 80 1t is understood that special
meeting will be called at The for the resg
nation could not be learned from the officers OF either
telegraph company and the trustees we're equally ret-
cent II was stated by gentleman well versed in tee-
graph matters that when the Western Union Company
obtained possession OF majority OF the Atlantic ana
Pacific stock, by he pooling arrangement change IN
the executive management Of the latter company was
prevented by the claim OF the friends OF General Eckcrt
that the present building was leased until May next,


and that certain press and other contracts entered into
by Atlantic and Pacific Company required the per
sonal attention OF its president. The lucrative offices
here and elsewhere OF the company were afterward
closed and the business gradually absorbed by the
Western Union. Later this gentleman stated that
the functions the president vested in the Execu
tive Committee majority being directors of western
Union that the president became mere figure head
This, lie aims, irksOme to man OF activity ana
business acquircmcuts like General Eckert, and lie
finally determined to resign.


II was also stated By an officer OF the Western Union
had made II necessary maintain separate business
mana gements, when all the business could be more
economically administered by single set OF officers.
ana thus make the Atlantic and Pacific stock more VAL
liable This policy he said, would probably be carried
after the lease expired and the business
would then all be done in the Western Union building.
Existing press and other contracts made by the Atlantic
and Pacific Company, he claimed would not be renewed
When the resignation Of General Eckert became
Known on Wall-st, many set afiOat. That
most generally credited was that General Eckert was
TO ION proposed telegraph combination 10 be
coInposed OF the NewYOrk Lake Erie and Western, tho
Baltimore and Ohio, the Pennsylvania the Philadelphia
and Reading and other railroads. under the recent FLOR
IDA declson and organize opposition 10 the Western
Union first making effort to have Congress pass a
general law permit railroad companies to combine Tor
port t was stated General Eckert had already dis
tngushed himself manager OF opposition telegraph
companies the Franklin and Atlantic and Pacific Com
panies being his special schemes. Neither General
Ecker nor the officers OF the Western Union Company
would converse the subject.