1894.] lb J [Brinton. 



ble character and brilliant oratory commanded the admiration of 

 all who met him, and it was not long before he was elected definitely 

 President of this important outlet of the anthracite region. His 

 far-reaching plans were soon formulated, and under the name of the 

 Reading Coal and Iron Company a gigantic corporation was created, 

 the object of which was to control, by purchase or lease, practically 

 the whole product of the western, middle and southern anthracite 

 coal fields. 



The crucial part of this colossal undertaking — the examination of 

 the numerous and complicated titles — was entrusted to Mr. Keim. 

 The thoroughness with which he performed this herculean task has 

 excited the astonishment and admiration of members of the bar 

 ever since, for although the transfers which he passed covered about 

 ninety thousand acres and involved many millions of dollars, not one 

 acre has been found, the title to which he approved, but that title 

 has, in every instance, been confirmed by the courts in spite of 

 sometimes strenuous litigation. It is doubtful if any other real 

 estate lawyer in the State can approach such a record, either for 

 magnitude of transaction or uniform accuracy of opinion. 



These occupations brought him constantly into relation with the 

 affairs of the Reading Railroad and in 1871 he was appointed its 

 General Solicitor. The calls upon his time at the central office 

 became so frequent that, in 1874, he left Pottsville and took up his 

 residence in Philadelphia, which city became his home for the 

 remainder of his life. 



The severe depression in business throughout the country which 

 followed the famous crash of 1873 soon made itself felt acutely on 

 the extensive and heavily hypothecated interests of the Reading 

 Railroad and the Coal and Iron Company. Affairs drifted from bad 

 to worse until, in May, 1880, both companies passed into a receiver- 

 ship. Mr. Keim was appointed, pro tempore, to that office. This 

 threw an enormous burden of complicated and discouraging busi- 

 ness upon him. In this position he continued until January, 1884, 

 when a reconstruction was arranged and Mr. Keim assumed the 

 Presidency of both companies. This phase lasted but a short time, 

 and in June of the same year both companies again passed into the 

 hands of receivers, of whom Mr. Keim was one, and in that condi- 

 tion they remained until January, 1888. 



During this trying period Mr. Keim made every effort to sustain 

 the financial integrity of the companies, to guard their disburse- 



