Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-30
BIG NAN HAS GOOD MEMORY
E, q, Hartman Does Not Forget Incident
Of Two Years Age
RECALLS MAN WHO BLUNDERs At CUT OFF
Refuses 60 GO to Hotel Represented
by Person who Tried TO
Drown Him in salt
Lake.

In explaining the outcome and the rea-
sons therefor of a rivalry between San
Franciscos two biggest hotels for the en-
tertainment Of +. II. Hartman and his
party on their recent visit to that city
en- route to the orient, the San Francisco
Chronicle revamps an interesting story
which has the merit Of truth and veracity
to commend It, 1t will be Of interest to
some railroad officials in Omaha and a few
newspaper men who were on the trip re-
forred to and witnessed the embarrassing,
albeit intensely amusing episode. Here is
the Chronicles story:
The keen rivalry between the Palace and
81. Francis hotels was manifested in an
intense degree yesterday by the efforts of
the TWO big CaraYansares to capture
President Hartman and his large party.
The PALACE won, and for some reason
William McMurray, who attempted to lure
the party to the St Francis, lost.
Inc reason that prompted the Southern
FRclhc magnate to avoid the st. Francis,
according TO reliable information, dates
back to Thanksgiving day two years ago,
On that day Mr. Harriman's special train.
with 9 lot Of prominent railroad officials
aboard, made the initial trip over the
thaI IaiI Iake cut,on; McMurray was with
charge. The presidents train was hauled
out on the long trestle over great Salt
lake and all the railroad magnates and
prominent citizens of Ogden permitted
themselves to be photographed. There was
picturesque and notable person In the
crowd-Lorin Farr, a bearded apostle OF
the Mormon church, one time mayor Of
Ogden, railroad contractor in the early
Gays, and builder OF the line over the
Promontory mountains. He was present
az the driving of the golden spike in 1850
ana the company wanted his picture. Nc
Murray undertook to arrange Il. 1t
happened that plain-looking person of
small stature blocked the cameras view
OF Farr. so McMurray grabbed him by the
arm arm and unceremoniously told him to stand
We want to get a picture Of one of the
ray.
"Oh, very we'll" said the small man.
quite humbly, permitting himself to be
the trestle.
discovered that the small man was E.
II. Hartman.
This man McMurray tried to drown me
In Salt lake once" Mr. Hartman is said
to have remarked yesterday. II think
perhaps, / had better stop at the Palace"
HRrriman's own Proposition.
The fact of the matter is Mr.. Hartman
himself, who had always oeen the hardest
man In the country for the photographers
to catch, proposed, when the party's train
got well out on the cut of and the party
disembarked to view surroundings, that the
assemblage have its picture taken. There
upon, Horace G. Burt, then president Of the
Union Pacific took Mr.. Hartman by the
arm and stepped to the center Of the large
group in front so the camera could get a
clear shot at the great railroad king.
Meantime Mr.. Burt was called away for
something and McMurray, who it is true, did
not know who Mr.. Hartman was, though
he was a Southern Pacific land agent up to
that day, in his blind eagerness 20 get a
shot at Lorin Farr, abruptly snatched the
''plain-looking person, short of stature
by the arm and asked in a rather peevish
tone: Here, won't you please stand aside
so we can get good picture Of Mr.. Parr
and Mr.. Hartmann"
Certainly" replied the railroad king, as
he stepped of to the very edge of the cut off
overlooking the water as the picture shows
him. When Mr.. Burt returned he saw Mr.
Hartman had changed his position.
why. Mr.. Hartman" said he, why are
you standing over there, why don't you
stand here so the photographer can get
a good view OF your"
"The gentleman yonder," rejoined Har-
riman, pointing to McMurray, asked me
II I would get out of the way"
That was the last Of McMurray that day
and the next he was in San Francisco.
He was not an employe of the Hartman
road great while after that