The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-07
He IS ANOTHER
kEOkUk boy
z. [. Lomax, Who Goes to Western
Pacific Railway to be the Con
eraI Traffic Man
aeer.
SOMETHING ABOUT HIM
Won His Greatest Success as coionI-
cation Agent for Western
Road He Now
Quits.

The Omaha Bee of last Sunday con-
tanned the following interesting article
regarding e. L. Lomax, one time
Keokuk citizen, who still has many
acquaintance here:
e. L. Lomax, retiring general pas
senger agent of the Union Pacific rail-
road, who goes to the Western RAJ
ciflc to take the more responsible
position of traffic manager, did not
sell newspapers on the streets when
he was boy, neither did he shine
shoes or run errands. His life story
is devoid of the romantic color that
forms the cornerstone of fiction He
was just a well-bred Virginia lad
born at Fredericksburg, February %,
1S52-and his father, who was pros
porous Virginia gentleman, gave the
boy all of the educational advantages
that were available to moneyed folk
in that day. The younger Lomax was
not pampered, but he was well reared.
In 1857 the Lomax family removed
from Virginia to Keokuk, Iowa At
that time the future railroad man was
Eve years OF age and his rudimentary
education was acquired in the public
schools of Keokuk. A little later he
was sent to Coleman institute near
Fredericksburg, Va, where he com
pleted collegiate course, including
civil and mining engineering. +, 1869
he returned to Keokuk and entered The
United states engineering corps under
General James II. Wilson, then in &C M
mand Of the department of the north
west. His first engineering work was
with the surveying party assigned to
survey route for canal from Lake
Michigan to the Illinois river, ulti-
mately to connect with the Missis-
sippi He had fitted himself for engi-
neering, and was making satisfactory
progress in that technical undertake
ing-and yet he was not satisfied. He
longed for another kind of work. He
wasn't clearly determined just what
kind of workjust SO 1t was some
thing to give free rein to his pre-
dilection for taking the initiative.
While casting restlessly about for a
groove into which he might fit himself
more satisfactorily, the young man be-
came impressed with the possibilities
of the railroad service. A. e. Touz-
ain. then general ticket agent of the
Burlington & Missouri River railroad
with headquarters at Burlington,
Iowa foresaw the making of traffic
man in the then undeveloped youth.
Come over to Burlington and work
for me-, said Mr. Touzalin.
All right said Lomax
The negotiation was brief, but it
marked an epoch in the career Of e.
L. Lomax, for 1t was the turning of
fate,s pivot, and the turn of that
pivot made him general passenger
agent.
Right then? Hardly General pas
senger agents are not incubated in
three weeks like Buff Cochins. Years
and years Of experience must inter
vene. But the engagement with MIR.
Touzalin was the starting point of the
Lomax railroad career. Mr. Touzalin
simply gave the boy chance--and the
boy made the most of that chance.
!. Mr.. Lomax remained with the Touz-
8lin administration in various capac-
tiles for two years or SO, and was
serving as chief clerk in 1872. when
he resigned to accept the position of
chief clerk in the Office of Amos Rus
sell, general passenger agent of tne
Iowa Central railroad, headquarters at
Marshalltown. In 1874 he went to ST.
Louis as clerk to John w. Mass, gen.
eral freight and passenger agent Of
the st. Louis & Southeastern railroad,