382 GEOKGE HUDSON, CHAP. XVII. 



and York was projected. His views as to railways 

 were then extremely moderate, and his main object in 

 joining the undertaking was to secure for York the 

 advantages of the best railway communication. The 

 Company was not very prosperous at first, and during 

 the years 1840 and 1841 the shares had greatly sunk in 

 value. Mr. Alderman Meek, the first chairman, having 

 retired, Mr. Hudson was elected in his stead, and he 

 very shortly contrived to pay improved dividends to 

 the proprietors, who asked no questions. Desiring to 

 extend the field of his operations, he proceeded to lease 

 the Leeds and Selby Railway at five per cent. That 

 line had hitherto been a losing concern ; so its owners 

 readily struck a bargain with Mr. Hudson, and sounded 

 his praises in all directions. He increased the dividends 

 on the York and North Midland shares to ten per cent., 

 and began to be cited as the model of a railway 

 chairman. 



He next interested himself in the North Midland 

 Railway, where he appeared in the character of a re- 

 former of abuses. The North Midland shares also had 

 gone to a great discount, and the shareholders were 

 very willing to give Mr. Hudson an opportunity of 

 reforming their railway. They elected him a director. 

 His bustling, pushing, persevering character gave him 

 an influential position at the board, and he soon pushed 

 the old directors from their stools. He laboured hard, 

 at much personal inconvenience, to help the concern out 

 of its difficulties, and he succeeded. The new directors 

 recognised his power, and elected him their chairman. 



Railway affairs revived in 1842, and public confidence 

 in them as profitable investments was gradually in- 

 creasing. Mr. Hudson had the benefit of this growing 

 prosperity. The dividends in his lines improved, and 

 the shares rose in value. The Lord Mayor of York 

 began to be quoted as one of the most capable of rail- 

 way directors. Stimulated by his success and encou- 



