The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-10-01
PRIZES OFFERED in THE
BIBLE QUESTION CONTEST
LovETT ONCE POOR PLow BOY
Harriman's Probable Successor .
"Self-Made" Man

Judge Robert Scott Lovett, who
appears to be slated to succeed E. H.
Hartman as head of the Hartman
system Of roads, was pillow boy be-
fore he got into the railroad bust
ness. Like his dead chief, he began
life at the bottom and worked his
way up to the top by giving and TAX
ing hard knocks with the world.
He was born June ~, 1859, on
his fathers farm near Shepard, Tex
as. The family was poor; the farm
itself was far from rich one and
everybody in the household had to dc
his share aof the work in order to
make both ends meet.
Following a pillow one day when he
was fifteen years of age up to the
crest Of sandy hilltop on his faith
er's farm, he caught, for the first
time in his life, a glimpse Of a rail
road locomotive. The Houston East
and West line was being built to-
ward Shreveport from the city Of its
name and work train. operating
on narrow gauge tracks, had pushed
it's way close to the Lovett home
with a load of ties.
I4ovett Fascinated
Young Lovett was fascinated at
once and. that same day had the sat
isfaction of inspecting the engine
Later he did some odd jobs around
the railroad camp, driving team
which hauled ties and rails.
After the road was built young
Lovett went to Shepard, where he
got work as delivery boy in a gen
eral store at $40 month. His in
terest in railroads continued and in
the course of time he left the store
and went to work for the Houston
East and West as the local agent.
After having saved a little moeny
he began the study of law, and in
order to increase his library facili-
ties gave up his job at Shepard and
moved to Houston, where G. B. Udell
gave him a place in the local freight
Office at $40 a month. A little later
he was admitted to the bar and went
back to Shepard to try cattle cases
for the Houston East and West lines.
He attracted the attention of his
employers who gave him an entire
district to look after.
Lovett's next step in advance
came when he was appointed gener-
al counsel for the Texas & Pacific
Road at Dallas. The Huntington in
terests were then in the South and
reaching out to make a system.
Refuses Gould Offer
Despite the fact that George Gould
at big salary, he declined and be-
came one of the firm of Baker, Bolts,
Baker & Lovett, representing the
Southern Pacific. In that capacity
he first attracted Harriman's notice
by amalgamating the Texas Central
and the Houston East and West, ana
for this was rewarded by being made
president of the combined lines.
About three years ago Hartman
took Lovett to New York as vice pres
ident and general counsel Of the Har-
riman lines. He quickly became the
strong man" Of the Hartman en-
tourage and his chief placed more
confidence in him than in any of his
other subordinates. He understands
the Hartman methods Of railroading
perhaps better than any man con-
nected with his lines. and is regard
ed in railroad circles generally as
the logical success to the dead rail-
road Napoleon.
Judge Lovett is six feet tall and
he works with the feverish inten-
sity of the Wall street man. He pos
sesses what is called "strong face"
in which habitual aggressiveness as
serts itself. He initiates Hartman
in manner, being brusque to the point
of rudeness,' secretive and difficult
of approach. Like his former chief,
too, he is careless of dress and has
few amusements outside of his busi-
ness.
Eight years after he was admitted
to the bar he married Miss Lavinia
Abercrombie of Huntsville, Texas.
They have one son and live at the
Hotel Majestic, Seventy-Second street
and Central Park, West, New York.
Judge Lovett is Baptist in religion
and a Democrat in politics.