Knows 3,000 Names And Faces

Jim Lovett, the elevator starter in the Postal Telegraph building, at Broadway and Murray Street, has sncceedng in mastering the names of the 3,000 jeople who work in the offices there. Lovett's feat would be remarkable under any circumstances, but is particuarly so ín this case, because the building has been open only a few months, and up to a week or so ago new tenants were coming in daily, each tenant bringing with him three or four clerks, says the New York Sun. Among the people in the building Lovett is known as the walking directory. Clerks, bookkeepers, stenographers and typewriterS, as well as the 180 men and girls employed in the company's operatingroom, are all known to him, and In most cases he is able to give an accurate description of any of them. There are a couple of dozen John Smiths, and no end of AVilliam Joneses, to say nothing of a string of Browns and Whites; but if you happen to want any Greens, particular John Smith or Bill Jones, all you have to do is to give Lovett a slight description of him and he will answer: "Oh, yes, I know him. Got a mole behind the left ear. He's with Blank, Blank & Blank, sixth floor, 605. Going up." and before you realize what has happened you find yourself in an elevator going rapidly skyward. In a modest way Jim Lovett is a sort of Sherlock Holmes. "I started in life as an elevator man in a hotel," he said, "and being fond of studying human nature, I made a practice of remembering the names and tures of the guests of the house. I got so that I could cali men by name who had not been lnside of the house tor a year, and who had been entirely forgotten by the clerks and other employés of the house. I discovered in this way that I had a good memory, and I can teil you It has served me in good stead many a time. I have been in hotels all over the country ever since, and have become a master of faces and names. My last place was at the Waldorf, where I had charge of the nat, coat and umbrella stands, and there, more than any other place I was ever in, I had to exercise my powers of memory. I carne here as an elevator man, and in a few weeks secured the place of starter. There are now about flve hundred tenants in the building, and including clerks and operators eome 3,000 people. I managed to get the offlce-holders in my head flrst, and in a few months had them all down fine. Then I started in on the others, and now I thlnk I can teil you the Hoor and number of the room where anybody is employed." Lovett is very proud of hls accomplishment, and takes offense lf anybody consults the directory by the elevators when he is around.