The National tribune., 1901-06-13
THE RISE OF ". II. NEWH5&7
New York Centrals President Started ss a
Hotel Clerk Al $40 q Week.

New York central's President Started a. a
Hotel Clerk as $40 Week.
From the post of clerk in the United
States Hotel. at Louisville. KY. 81
years ago. at a salary of $40 a week,
to the Presidency Of the New York Gem
tral Railroad with q salary Of $4,000 .
year-thet, in brief, In the career OF w.
IL. Newman: II he had had visitips
cards when ne was a tow-headed youth
IN knickerbockers they probably would
have read, Bill Newman, Chicken
Bristle. Metcalfe County, KY" It's a long
cry from Chicken Bristls to New York.
Louisville was one of the short breaths.
MIR; Newman came 20 Louisville in the
year he became of age, which was 1889,
and secured employment as clerk in the
United States Hotel through Theodore
Harris, who was tavern keeper in those
days, but who is now President OF the
Louisville National Banking COMPANY.
John ). Long and Col. r. B. Hall were as
sociated with him in the management of
the hotel. The three took fancy to New
man Immediately, and they liked him the
more when they observed that the guests
of the hotel liked him, too. Newman pos
sessed manly independence, a careless but
attractive freedom of manner, generous
franknesS and warm hospitality, united
with politenesS to men aud Difference to
women.
III htI NdPdNllg NOT TeCOTu-
ed that he wore the traditional diamonds,
but it is remembered that he displayed
a commendable tendency to save his
money. He was liberal without being ex-
travasant and WAS a good fellow without
running into debt.
IL luck had anything to do with Mn
Newman's success * came in evidence
only in connection with his departure from
the United States Hotel to become freight
agent OF the Southern Pacific Road at
Shreveport, La. The road had been pur-
chased several years before by Col. Il. B.
Hall, John S. Long, Thomas Coleman
and several other louisville capitalists.
Hall was elected President of the road.
He was proud OF the honor, but disliked
to leave his friends in Louisville and take
up his home in Shreveport among
strangers.
Come on down with me-" he said to
MIR. Long before he left for his new home,
with me or III die from lonesOmeness."
What IN the world could | do down
there?' replied Mr.. Long. why don't
you take young Newman with you?"
That's good idea," remarked Col
Hall, and that reminds me that he told
me last night he would like to go. He's
bright fellow and 1 believe IN take
him"
That's how Mr.. Newman got his start
in the railroad business.
Only few years previous to Mr.. New
mans arrival in Shreveport, the war had
been concluded and business was conduct
ed in an indolent manner. Goods con-
signed to merchants passing through Mr..
Newman's hands as freight agent were
taken away in wheelbarTows, handcarts
and OK teams and in every other prirni-
tive way possible. The transfer system
Of the city had its inception in a mule
and a wagon which Newman put into
commission as public dray. Instant
popularity attended the enterprise and
pretty soon Mr.. Newman bought another
mule and dray. Progressive stages Of
business brought three more mules and
three more drays, and soon Mr.. Newman
was more than doubling his $75 a month
salary.
He made his next important step by Sc
curing the place of General Freight Agent
of the Southern Pacific when it was e1-
tended to Longview, named after the
President of the road. When the line was
merged into the Texas Pacific System in
1872, Mr.. Newman retained his place un-
Ter the new management, at the head Of
which was Thomas A. Scott, as Presidentl
Edgar Thomson, once President Of the
Road; John McManus, W.
[. Waters and other men prominent in tho
,arly schemes of the Pennsylvania Road
combined with Messrs. Hall, Scott and
Long, and other Louisville stockholders of
ne Ola southern fdclnc TO DullQ Lne FOeq
rom Fort Worth to Dallas, but the pania
If 1878 retarded The work. When tho
Dad began to grow again, Mr.. Newman
vas there and grew with it. In the quar-
er of century since then Mr.. Newman
Ias held various places of trust with the
Iissouri Pacific, the Chicago and North
the Lake Shore and other roads.
Two years ago Mr.. Long met Mr.. New
nan at the Waldorf-Astoria IN New York.
well, how are you getting alongp
aid he to Mr. Newman.
Pretty WELL" answered the other,
81 just had conversation with
Vanderbilt and he offered me the Presi-
ency Of the Lake Shore"
We'll, that's about as high as you can
ct in the railroad world, is 1t not?" laugh
ngly asked Mr.. Long.
Perhaps" answered Mr.. Newman.
Which may have meant that he was
linking of the New York Central.