Class of 1902

Since the obituary article was written for this MAGAZINE concerning the death of Dennis F. Lyons, some further information has been received from his secretary of his varied and important activities during a busy lifetime. Lyons joined the legal staff of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1911, nine years after graduation, becoming assistant general counsel in 1917 and later general solicitor for the railroad administration. At the termination of federal control he was advanced to the position of general solicitor of the company, which he held until 1925, when he became the second man to occupy the position of general counsel. During this period, in addition to handling freight claims and personal injury work for a number of years, he took an active part in the inauguration of the company's group insurance and pension plans, for which his earlier experience as deputy insurance commissioner of Minnesota proved invaluable. He frequently appeared before the Interstate Commerce Commission, arguing cases of great importance. One of these cases of national interest involved the proposal of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railways to consolidate, it being the first major attempt to take advantage of the federal enabling act permitting consolidations by agreement. He was in personal charge of the case for the Northern Pacific throughout the proceedings. He also took personal charge in 1930 of the defence of the suit brought against the company to settle many questions arising out of the company's land grant. Matters involved in this case, continued to occupy his time until August, 1936, when his final illness began to confine him almost entirely to his home, are said to have involved a vast amount of painstaking labor, requiring legal ability of the highest order. Lyons also served as one of six lawyers as a member of the Law Committee of the Association of American Railroads in charge of the successful suit to test the validity of the first Railroad Retirement Act, and to some extent participated in the work of the same committee in preparation of the suit to challenge the second Railroad Retirement Act, until pressure of other duties forced him to discontinue active participation before the trial of the case. He was also active in arguing a number of cases before the Supreme Court.

Announcement has been received of the marriage of Isabel Naomi Kellers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick T. Kellers, to Arthur Clarence Tozzer, in New York City, on September 28.

Secretary, 65 Commodore Rd., Worcester, Mass.