overnment, Mr. Smith was
welcomed back by his directors to the presidency of the New York Central.
The splendid condition of the Central and its allied lines is
largely due to him. During his service as regional director the
difficult task of the presidency of the New York Central was very
ably performed by Mr. William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. Though the
youngest among the executive officers of the railroads of the
country, he was at the same time one of the best.

Among the efficient officers who have served the New York Central
during the time I have been with the company, I remember many on
account of their worth and individuality. H. Walter Webb came
into the railway service from an active business career. With
rare intelligence and industry he rapidly rose in the organization
and was a very capable and efficient officer. There was
Theo. Voorhees, the general superintendent, an unusually young
man for such a responsible position. He was a graduate of
Troy Polytechnical School and a very able operating officer.
Having gone directly from the college to a responsible position,
he naturally did not understand or know how to handle men until
after long experience. He showed that want of experience in a
very drastic way in the strike of 1892 and its settlement. Being
very arbitrary, he had his own standards. For instance, I was
appealed to by many old brakemen and conductors whom he had
discharged. I mention one particularly, who had been on the road
for twenty-five years. Voorhees's answer to me was: "These old
employees are devoted to Toucey, my predecessor, and for efficient
work I must have loyalty to me."

I reversed his order and told him I would begin to discharge, if
necessary, the latest appointments, including himself, keeping
the older men in the service who had proved their loyalty to the
company by the performance of their duties.

Mr. Voorhees became afterwards vice-president and then president
of the Philadelphia and Reading. With experience added to his
splendid equipment and unusual ability he became one of the best
executives in the country.

Mr. John M. Toucey, who had come up from the bottom to be general
superintendent and general manager, was a hard student. His close
contact with his fellow employees gave him wonderful control over
men. He supplemented his practical experience by hard study and
was very well educated. Though self-taught, he had no confidence
in the graduates of the