This is a document from the Delaware, Lackawanna 

and Western Railroad Company.



The document was signed on February 3, 1888. 


This is a "proxy" document, which delegates 

the voting powers of a stockholder to a third 

party, such as an attorney. This person, having 

received a signed proxy document, would then 

be authorized to vote on behalf of the stockholder 

at a company meeting. 



The shares belonged to Robert Winthrop & Company,

a notable brokerage firm based in New York City. 


They were founded in 1856 by Robert Bayard Winthrop

(1833-1892). The company became a member of the 

New York Stock Exchange in the 1860s.



This document was signed by Mark Thomas Cox (1853-1909), 

who was a partner at Robert Winthrop & Co.


Mark T. Cox was one of the incorporators of 
the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey,
and was identified as a director with the 
Wisconsin Central Railway, besides various 
other railroad and industrial enterprises. He 
was also a member of the board of directors 
of the Union National Bank of Newark, and 
of the Fidelity Trust Co. of that city.



The document states that the shareholder does hereby 

"...appoint Percy R. Pyne, George Bliss, and E. S. Higgins" 

to be their "lawful proxies and attorneys for me and in my 

name, place, and stead, to appear at a Meeting of the 

Stockholders of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 

Railroad Company...."


These three notable men were as follows:


"Percy R. Pyne" was probably Percy Rivington Pyne I 

(1820-1895), although he might possibly have been his son 

Percy Rivington Pyne II (1857-1929). The father was the

president of City National Bank, a director of the Delaware, 

Lackawanna and Western Railroad, and a director of the New 

Jersey Zinc Company. The son was a director of the same bank,

as well as manager of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 

Railroad, and treasurer of the New York Zoological Society.


"George Bliss" was Colonel George Bliss (1830-1897). 

Colonel Bliss was an attorney who practiced law in New 

York City. In 1859 and 1860 he was private secretary of 

New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan. In 1862 Bliss became 

paymaster general of the state, with the rank of colonel. 

During the Civil War he was appointed captain in the 4th 

New York heavy artillery. In 1862/1863 he organized the 

20th, 21st and 26th regiments of African American troops. 

In 1866, he became the attorney of the metropolitan board 

of health. In 1873, he became the United States attorney 

for the southern district of New York.


"E. S. Higgins" was Elias Smith Higgins (1815-1889).

Higgins was the president of E.S. Higgins & Co., Carpet 

Manufacturers, of New York. During the Civil War, Higgins

and his brother secured a contract to supply army blankets 

for the government, which led to a large expansion of his

company. Higgins became a director of both the Delaware, 

Lackawanna & Western Railroad and the Chesapeake & 

Ohio Railroad. He was a director and the largest stockholder 

in the Consolidated Gas Company, as well as a director of 

the Central National Bank. 



The number "300" is written in red ink at the top 

right corner. This is the number of shares of stock 

that the stockholder owned at that time.



This handsome document is about 8" by 7", 

and is in very good condition, with a horizontal

crease where it has been folded.




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