Mitten's Millions

The name Mitten is more famed than that of any other in the realm of intra-city transportation. In Philadelphia, Mitten Management Inc. operates all buses, street cars, subways, elevateds, and many a taxi. Last week President Thomas Eugene Mitten died (see p. 54). Famed in life, he became more famed dead. His buses, street cars, subways, elevateds, taxis bore the sombre legend OUR CHIEF, T. E. MITTEN, 1864-1929. Soon after, his motormen, busmen, taxi drivers learned that most of the Mitten millions (variously estimated at from $3,000,000 to $10,000,000) were to be left in trust for "the promotion and advancement of the cause of cooperation between capital and labor and the furtherance and continuance of the Mitten Plan."

The Mitten Plan, briefly, permits all employes to have a voice in the operation of the company, encourages them to become stockholders. The bequest, written into the will five days before the body was found, is invalid under the state law which nullifies charity bequests made within a month of the donor's demise, but his son, Dr. Arthur A. Mitten, who succeeded him as Mitten Management's president, will carry out his famed father's wishes, will create a trust, the Mitten Foundation.