The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-18

try was actually astonishing, He worked
| ike a horse year in and year OUT and
the harder he toiled the more amiable
and jocuIar he became, which Is con-
trary 10 ordinary human nature. ! knew
him after he had passed the age OF nifty
He was then the handsomest man,
thought, I'm the United States. He was
six feet and two inches tall, had curly
hair and a full beard and wore an sz
hat
I'm his social moods he overlooked the
tremendous things he had done and
talked of the little bargains he had made
in nails, screws. and files while hard
ware merchant in Sacramento. He was
also proud Of his muscular strength,
saving that he could throw any wrestler
I'm Litchheld County. Conn. where he
was born, and that at the age Of eight
cen he could lift a barrel of -four breast
high by the chimes.
IT recollect we went into Texas 10
examine some roads that We to be sold.
When we came TO a bridge. Mr.. Hunting
| ton would go below and look up at the
| character of the construction. At one
| place I walked ahead, and jumped
fence with the help of both hands. Mr..
| Huntington was nearly sixty years old,
| but he winked at Henry L. Pierce. Of
Boston. who was present. and then
| Jumped the fence with one hand. He
loved the old poets. and was especially
| fond of Chaucer. A poet himself. ne
dreamed of a railroad across the Cont
nent. and then, as a practical business
man, he laid it down and put It into op-
Grafton.
MY acquaintance with Mr. Hartman
| began in California. where, the other Of
! fcers Of the Southern Pacific being away
| from home, I gave him a dinner. He
was already rich man, and one of the
| owners OF the Union Pacific, but he was
not nationally famous. Later he had a
notable dinner of his own in New York.
and was gracious enough to send me an
/ invitation l sat next to Levi P Nor
| ton, formerly Vice President OF the Unit
| ed States have been In many COM
panies of great men, Mr.. Morton said TO
ne, but none was so distinguished as
| this, In the matter OF finance and bust
ness. and that old man there pointing TO
Mr. Huntington, is the ablest man pres
| ent.'
1T was a fine compliment, I thought.
from a very high source. and repeated
| IL 10 Mr.. Huntington.
| Did he call me an old man?' Mr.
Huntington loudly asked.
Yes I replied, somewhat surprised
at his tone and manner.
why didn't you knock him out OF his
chair?' Mr.. Huntington shouted. He was
| then In his seventy-sixth year.
What were your early methods OF in
forming yourself about the freight within
the reach of your rairoad?" l asked.
1T was said I took a census OF the
| plums and peaches in the orchards, bu:
that was joke OF some man who knew
more about pomology than railroadng.
The carrying of ore was then our prin-
cipal business. was also accused OF sug-
| costing the phrase, under similar cir
cumstances. as found in the section OF
The national law concerning the the long
and short hauls of our transportation
| companies. Indeed, I have heard much
about myself that l have never denied.
Whenever competition meets. let me say
| at this time, there is readjustment of
customary or prevailing prices In San
Francisco l paid 10 cents copy for the
Bulletin or Alta. The price In Sacra-
mento, where those sheets had to sell
along side OF local newspaper, was
| 5 cents.
when making rates for hauling freight
we had TO consider the natural advan-