Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-31
struguIinr mt the Bottom.

out OF MIN was q BeDldl, out SOHleilOW Coh
elusive "As to that I have nothing to say"
Struggling at the Bottom.
Lovett is a Texan. lie was born in San
Jacinto in 1860, and ever since he began to
work. which was pretty early in his life,
he has been in the railroad business. He
is a railroad lawyer, but, also, he knows
the other side of railroading, for he has
helped build and has helped operate. His
father was a farmer, and young Lovett
worked on the farm, and worked hard,
too. All home plans were laid to make him
a doctor, but he wanted to be a lawyer.
When he was Is, still persisting in his de-
termination and even then studying at
night, he found he and his father never
would agree, so he went to a neighboring
farm and hired out.
He saved his money and went to Houston
for a year in the Houston High school, All
the time he kept at his law books. When
his savings were gone he went back to
his own country and got a job as clerk in
the general store of a man named Smith at
Shepherd. His pay was $40 a month and
board. His principal work was to drive
down after the freight that came for the
store on the new railroad, the Houston
East, and West Texas. Finally, he was
made station agent at Shepherd, with all
the duties Of the station agent at a small
place-selling tickets, handling freight, TAX
ing care of express matter, and all that,
He was a good station agent, active, alert
and accommodating, and the road soon
picked him out as a conner and wired him
to go to Houston and take a job as bill
oerk in the general freight office.
Work and study Count.
Lovett studied law at night and clerked
in the day time. When he was admitted
to the bar he quit clerking and entered
the law firm of Charles Stewart, then a
member Of congress. 1t wasn't long until
he was country counsel for the Houston
East and West Texas and began travelling
back and forth, trying COW cases mostly.
He progressed steadily until he was APP
pointed, in 1889, assistant general counsel
for the Texas & Pacific. He became gen.
eraI counsel for that road in 1891 and moved
to Dallas.
He was working for Jay Gould then, and
Gould liked him. However, he saw an APP
portunity to branch out and soon quit the
Gould lines ana went into the law firm Of
Baker, Bolts, Baker & Lovett at Dallas.
one of the clients of this firm was the
Southern Pacific road, and Coils p, Hunt
ington soon became acquainted with the
clear-eyed, Woodworking, capable young
Junior partner, and picked him to do the
heavy having for the Southern Pacific in
Texas. 1t was heavy lawying, too, for the
Southern Pacific was in constant warfare
with the state Of Texas, and there were
some tremendous legal fights.
1t wasn't long until Huntington made
Loyett general counsel for all the Southern
Pacific lines in Texas, and when Mr.. Har-
riman took over the Southern Pacific and
was examining into its organization he
| asked Lovett to come TO New York to see
! him. Loyett came, and Hartman looked
him over. The inspection was satisfactory,
for Lovett returned to Texas as general
counsel for the Southern Pacific. That
was In 1901.
Meanwhile Hartman kept an eye on
Lovett. He, little wizard, liked this affable,
! courteous, silent railroad lawyer, and In
1904 he asked him to come to New York to
be general counsel for the entire Hartman
system. In less than thirty years the man
who began railroading by grubbing stumps
came to be the head Of the legal depart
ment OF one Of the worlds greatest trans
portation systems, with an active voice
i'm management. Now, only thlrty-five
years from the stump-grubbing days, he
is the actual head of that system. More
over. by the shiftings Of circumstance he
is president Of the road on which he cut
ties and shoveled dirt.
Cool, quiet, Cautious.
Lovett was a sort Of a complement for
Hartman. The wizard was bold, dashing
energetic, dominating. Lovett is cool,
quiet, cautious and methodical. lie has a
most acute legal mind, as experience al
wide as his knowledge, and he was Of IN
valuable assistance to Hartman in carry
ing out his marvellous plans. Now the
burden has fallen on him, and there is No
necessity for saying he is better equipped
for the task than any man whatsoever. FOR
Hartman knew, and Hartman designated
him to go on with the work.
He is about five feet ten. with muscular
shoulders and a well-rounded chest. His
voice is soft and pleasant his eyes twinkle
geniAlly. his lips are constantly breaking
into a smile. His handclqsp is warm an'