Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-04
HORACE c, BURT
THE RET|CENT MAN
Something About the President of
The Union Pacific Who Re-
signed Saturday.
SELDOM TALKED TO REPORTERS
Il, Mas an IndefatiCable Worker Who
Hated Pnblicty-What He Accom-.
pIishcd in 90 Years.

uonce c. Burt, whose resignation
va. announced in saturdays News
VA, the hardest man to Interview, not
,arbe ]. c. Stubbs, Of any who came
nNlt Lake from time to time. Horace
@ Burt as BELTS a man who was at the
head OF corporation representing
hundreds Of millions, Is a man OF
marked retIcence From the stand
toInt Of the reporter he was one of
The most ignorant men going He
knew absolutely nothing. once in
awhile on rare occasions he would thaw
out.
The News recalls one occas iol when
he invited the boys" into his palatlal
private car down at the oregon Short
Line yards. II was hot day ana Mr.
Burt called upon his porter for lemon
ade In large fagons. For nearly an
hour he chatted affably and then shook
hands warmly That was long ago
After the boys compared notes sub
seQucnt TO the audience they found that
they had not enough Of " story to
Bad a shotgun,
That was his way, If he knew a re-
Porter was on the track Of Informal
lion that was authentic he would either
fatty deny 1t by saving ut Is all news
lone" OF else would simply walk right
over the top Of him and appear deep
" Interested in the scenery or the Of
fee furniture,
WOULD TALK PLAINLY,
When Mr. Burt had anything to say
le would talk plainly and briefly. ON
ether occasions when questioned as To
physical changes contemplated, equip
nsnt ordered on other matters he would
Invariably say II have nothing 10
give out that would interest the gen
snl public The reporter who got an
ucusIyc story out OF Horace G., Burt
Vu apt to become spoiled and grow
tGtalted until he became thorn IN
" ride Of the rest of the fraternity
W. Butts aversion TO newspaper inter
lsgs Is known to every city editor
nd railroad reporter between san
hancIsco and New York, and when
tnpcrter came into the office with an
tlhoHhtIvp interview from the presi-
d'nl Of the Union Pacific he announced
Namcst as a triumph
Characteristic OF Mr.. Burts methods
q Monday Dec. q, 1897, It was official,
y announced from New York thai
Horace g. hurt had been selected 70 be
NE President Of the Union Pacific, lit
was In Chicago at the time, and wheI
newspaper reporter called on hin
WIN the news Mir. Burt said II have
hol been notified, and | do not believe
care 70 talk until | am Officially noti'
ned q the appointment" II IL In
NIestng tu note that when he was
OfclaIly notified he failed to make th'
matter known by his loQuacity, for M
70 date he has never talked for publica
uon on the subject,
Merry SALT LAKE REPORTER.
There was ono Salt Lake reporter, III
mas since graduated TO a desk In
newspaper office IN the east, who aver
~ mat he would get something out o
nUIaCe q, Burt-and he did, but no
WYE along the lines he expected, Goad
Wy the perlinacity OF the young mai
@@h Burt turned on his tormentor
,uu battery from those steel grey-blu
wv Of hlf and insisted that he be LEI
spue Then the youngstor waXed face
"uS ana remarked that he couldn'
81" upon-newspapcr reporters wer
.@l az much necessary evils of tn
ssuWWehlh century as were railroad
.Mdenls. What Mr.. Burt subsequent
@'l about reporters would hay
"a11e interesting reading.
aver an rs said and done Mr. Bur
uue OF the great railroad men Of tn
v ,a,Iy today After he IL beneath IN
s.0uWu me Union Pacific will stan
Ties, "'"''''e''t w no u"P"'''
BEGAN AT THE BOTTOM.
t, nolace G, Burt began his rallroa
I, ,v' ~ chairman In u aurveyin
hnH "nlch was running n line for
,os1 y ot tho Chicago & Northwestern
1,,.i j! IOWA lie soon left the pionee
m,s, W become superintendent Of IN
,,S 'Vu'ton work. Advance was stead
NAV. 'alnd, and he was successlvel
nbs,,, assistant superintendent an
n.y. s."u,londent Of the northern low
ma n ol me Chicago & Northwestern
Bs,o.n 'h chief engineer for the Who'll
Aa, y, ~ was acting IN this capacit
"' 0rs' came into general motto