The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-20
HARTMAN IN TEXAS
RAIL KING WAS FAv0RITE IN SOUTHWEST.
Rapidly Won His way Into Hearts Of Texans With His Kindly Humor
 and Good Fel1ow-

San Antonio. Texas. Sept. 19.-tSpe- cial. .)-There 10 no community Tn which the sudden demise of Hartman the railroad wizard created SO deep an impression or was heard of with more sincere regrets than that of San Antonio.
 This notwithstanding the fact that
 the average king of finance is a small
 CT potato in these parts when sized up merely from the dollar viewpoint than he is elsewhere. The fact of the mat
 ter Is that during his stay in this city last winter. Hartman made more
 friends than he before had made in a
 lifetime. No doubt conditions were especially favorable for the making of friends.
 Hartman came hero to recuperate
 his strength. had shaken on a great
 many of his business cares and was in an ultra genial mood. Then again he was thrown among a crowd of men who cared little about the bulge in his pocketbook. but who from experience
 knew him to be the man of the deed the man who had done much for San Antonio and Southwest Texas by put ting its railroads into working shape. and last. but not least. who was un- derstood to contemplate doing more.
 To that extent at first. perhaps. ma- terial considerations entered in the reapproachment.
 Thinking 1t it to bid Hartman well
 come to San Antonio In some sort Of
 official way. a party of prominent men him a visit at the Hot Wells Grounds where his< camp was located. After
 Hartman had Invited them to come into has car "Arden" and make them selves at home. the usual talkfest about the weather, which Hartman found the best possible. of course. en-
 sued. From that his health was made
 the subject of discussion and as each of his visitors told him in a neigh borly way what to do to get rid of his
 aiiment Hartman listened with kind iy interest.
 Boys" he said. after a while. "ow- ing to one of your laws I can't offer you e drink in this car but l would l ike you all to take smoke with me. You see the sheriff there and the
 mayor might run the bunch of us in | and 1t would hardly make a good i'm precision if tomorrow morning every | newspaper in the country said under a box car heading that crowd of San Antonians had been run in along witA Hartman. Have you figured out what that would mean to your reputation?
 Why 1t would simply be your ruin. You don't seem to have an idea around neTe Wuet pau ulAu aul f1eES he pointed at some newspaper men in
 the car. among them the writer Of
 this. You had better get those fell | lows over there to keep quiet about your coming here. My. how you peo-
 pie are careless with your good names"
 All this was said with very seri-
 ous miep There was a roar of laugh
 ter and then ope of the newspaper
 men thought 1t wise to ask some ques- tons.
 Mfr. Harriman.' he asked. ''I under
 stand that you contemplate accom- penying Teddy Roosevelt to Africa on
 that big game hunt. Is that true? It looks a little unlikely to me but
 as practical men," He got no fur
 ther. Here was cool cheek such as the
 railroad king had never before en-
 countered. But the inference of the
 question had not been lost. With a
 broad smile Mir. Hartman turned to
 the scribe. Well" he said. "to be perfectly frank with you. I'd like to nave a look at that country. am not fond enough of killing to under take big game hunt. But in case l
 should go would like to reserve the privilege of choosing my own com | pany" Evidently Hartman and Roosevelt did not hitch yet.
 During his stay here Mir. Hartman
 showed a keen appreciation of the lit- tle things in life. For hours he would play with little children or watch the
 red birds which from the first engaged his attention . great deal. Red birds and railroads are now plotted from his mind. All who met him while here regret that this should be so.