“‘Our steamships were the children of my later years, and they, with the faithful employees who operate them, are, and shall continue to be, very near to my heart.
“‘The gift of the employees of the Southern Express Company brings to my mind pictures of the past. The express business was my first love, and I see here present those who were with me in troublous times, and bore with me the heat and burden of the fight. Their affection and loyalty have sustained me in many an anxious moment, and the knowledge that I had around me those upon whom I could count in every peril has enabled me to achieve some measure of success. To extend to them my thanks for all that they have been to me and done for me would be idle. They know how I feel towards them, and I am sure I know how they feel towards me.
“‘I wish to say to you all that I am more apt to express my feelings in acts than in words; many of the employees of our several companies have been with me so long that they have become as members of my family. I feel towards all the employees that in a business sense they are members of my family and I want them to feel that they bear this relation to me.
“‘I see with us to-day one to whom I feel I owe much; I refer to Dr. G. Durrant, of New York. I had a severe attack of illness last May, but did not know until long after it was over how near to death I was. To his untiring and faithful attention, both as a good friend and as a skilled physician, I owe my recovery, perhaps my life, and it gives me pleasure to take this occasion to express my confidence in him and my thanks to him.
“‘These beautiful flowers on my left came to me from my little grandson, and I bespeak in his behalf from you all the love and affection which you have shown to me, and express the hope that in days to come, when I am no more with you, he may be one of yourselves and a co-worker in the enterprises which all the employees of our companies sustain by their energies and their work.
“‘These flowers on my right come from those at our New York office, some of whom cannot be with us to-day in person, but who are with us in spirit and love and testify their memory of the occasion by this beautiful remembrance.
“‘Mr. and Mrs. Frank Q. Brown, of Boston, have presented me with this cane, which I appreciate very highly, but will hope that I may not need to have immediate use for it, though if that time should come it will be a staff upon which I will gladly lean. Mr. Brown is now one of us, and though he has but lately come among us, I am sure you will all welcome the President of the Florida Southern Railway in our ranks.’ [Applause.]
“It was the happiest of seasons for Mr. Plant, and his face beamed brightly with the light of profound gladness.
“All day there was a stream of distinguished callers, who congratulated him on the day with good wishes for many returns. Letters and telegrams and cablegrams were read, all bearing the hearty congratulations of friends and employees.”
