The Life of Henry Bradley Plant / Founder and President of the Plant System of Railroads and Steamships and Also of the Southern Express Company

by G. Hutchinson Smyth

“It was the seventy-sixth birthday of the well-known giant of the Southern railway world, and he was presented with rich and rare tokens of the love, honor and affection which his employees bear him.

“It was a happy day all round, and the Plant people fairly revelled in the privilege of paying such becoming tribute to the man who has done so much for the Southern States.

“As for Mr. Plant himself, he declared that it was certainly one of the happiest moments of his life, and the brightest, happiest birthday he ever enjoyed.

“At a quarter to ten o’clock Mr. Plant was notified that a number of prominent officials of his various systems of transportation lines were waiting to see him at his private parlors at the Aragon.

“He met them, and was informed that they wanted to join with him in the name of every employee of the lines to exchange the congratulations and compliments of the season of his birthday. Mr. Plant at once summoned his family and friends, who are with him here, and soon Mrs. Plant, Mrs. M. A. Wood, Dr. G. Durrant, Rev. Dr. Smythe, and Vice-President M. F. Plant were in the parlor. There were also present the following friends and associates in the railway and express business:

“R. G. Erwin, Vice-President and General Counsel, Plant System; M. J. O’Brien, Vice-President and General Manager, Southern Express Company; D. F. Jack, Assistant to the President; B. Dunham, General Superintendent, Plant System of Railways; J. W. Fitzgerald, Superintendent, Plant Steamship Line; B. W. Wrenn, Passenger Traffic Manager, Plant System; F. B. Papy, General Freight Agent, Plant System; Hon. F. G. duBignon, General Counsel; T. W. Leary, Assistant General Manager, Southern Express Company; G. H. Tilley, Secretary and Treasurer, Southern Express Company; F. Q. Brown, President, Florida Southern Railway; Hon. S. G. McLendon, Counsel, Plant System of Railways; O. M. Sadler, Superintendent Southern Express Company, Piedmont Division; H. C. Fisher, Superintendent Southern Division, Southern Express; C. T. Campbell, Superintendent Southern Express Company, Central Division; W. W. Hulbert, Superintendent Georgia Division, Southern Express Company; Mark J. O’Brien, Assistant Superintendent Southern Express Company, Central Division; F. DeC. Sullivan, New York; E. M. Williams, New York; W. S. Chisholm, member of the firm of Erwin, DuBignon, & Chisholm, Attorneys for the Plant System of Railroads, Savannah.

“The room was a scene of rare beauty, there being on every side a huge bank of flowers, fragrantly speaking the affectionate salute of the employees of Mr. Plant and members of his family. On one side was a beautiful vase of American Beauty roses, sent from the main office of the Plant System in New York, by the employees there.

“Appropriate inscriptions were embroidered in letters of gold on the ribbons of red, white, and blue tied about the long stems of the roses. On the other side was a bank of carnations, chrysanthemums, lilies, and roses from H. B. Plant, Jr. This pleased Mr. Plant greatly, coming from a little son of Mr. M. F. Plant, a grandson of the distinguished railroad magnate.

“On a pretty table in the centre was a huge and gorgeous silver cup—a loving-cup—which was presented to Mr. Plant by Mr. S. G. McLendon, on behalf of the employees of the railway department of his great System. It is a most beautiful and elaborate solid silver cup, and will hold two gallons of champagne. It is, perhaps, the finest and most artistic piece of work ever made by the Gorham Manufacturing Company, of New York. The idea conveyed in the loving-cup is a most beautiful one. The cup has two large handles, and around the festal board is turned from hand to hand, each guest taking a quaff, the cup being held by two persons. The cup never touches the board until it has made the round of the guests.

“This cup, presented by the Plant Railway System employees, is handsomely engraved, and bears on one side this inscription: ‘The Railway Employees of the Plant System to H. B. Plant, President.’ On the reverse side is the date, ‘October 27, 1895.’