New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-03
HARTMAN TALKS OFC CROPS
SAYS HE BELIEVES COMMISSIONS ARE
THINGS OF THE PAST.

THINGS VI The HASI.
Edward H. Hartman. chairman of the Board Of
the Union Pacific Railroad Company. and president
of the Southern Pacific Company, who returned last
week from a three months trip through the West
and Southwest was at his Office in the Equitable
Building Yesterday and received there dozen or
more reporters to whom he talked freely and in
terestingIy about railroad conditions and crop and
industrial prospects In the Western country. This
is the first time that Mr.. Hartman has con-
scented TO talk at any length to local newspaper
men for publication. He declined. however, TO
discuss the Northern Pacific merger. government
control of railroads and financial questions
nected with the management of the Hartman
roads in the West
In answer to various questions Mr.. Hartman
said in part:
The crop situation is just it has been published
middle of March. it very dry, and since then
we eaH We n na1 CONDITION As to Arizona and
New-Mexico they are TrlgatinS countries,
never %ere Better Crops there are practically
sqred In Oregon t the Io Gd h9t go c @
encouraging. In Idaho the outlook is al that
could be desired as well as in Utah. In Colorado
there has been some apprehension but lhe recent
rains have ha d up 5e he rouh WHICH
probably affected the wheat crop that ~l IN ex
tent of about 10 80 per cent, has as YOU know.
been broken and we have ed hdg M are9dr 95b
shed. have been replanted IN corn. which mas mas
got good tb start u sna which has delayed
the progress of that crop for possibly ten DAYS or
ditons to produce fair aveTage crop or course
kansas as far as corn is concerned, and the pros
poets equally good as 70 otner CROPS Pt OoII
1t is too early to form an estimate Oh tne crop ~
public toward the railroad properties. principally
the properties affiliated with the Union Paciic are
ting the beneficial results of the Improvements
which been going on d GT the f51 @
Southern Pacific. and will be even more strlKinS
Union Pacific when the Improvements have been
completed want to impress TINS % on you i ana
far the attitude OF the PUBIC t9Wd t me {s
that in building the Pacific railroads little atten-
ton paid to saving DISTANCE ana tnaT T me
territory as possible for the purpose OF getIng as
ton on Of land grant think you ought to bring
these facts before the PUBLIC as l WISH TO cor
reconstruction and Improvement between Omaha
and Ren9 o So 5aT @ % and that IS out Of that
miles is the distance saved in constructing we
line across Salt Lake. showing that tnese ri ran
roads were originally constructed on true i-ii79'
AS to the changed feeling OF the ptSpe Is
West toward the railroads thn lr me 5I he
PUBIC IN s4hs and the iToproved service that has
{h%in , M ef Of fbe lines so that the DELAYS
of the past which have occurred by want Of Pr?per
facilities have been done away with. have e!lnII
mated much of the adverse feeling winch existed
AS to overcapjtaliza ton: think that is large
question and one which would take fone +iLne
railroads that the Old railroads of $4,000 or 5000
mile a Are s 9 railroads costing sG1
a mile more than that. 10 build them and when
we hag s 81 CO.. oG or d 5000 TO save distance
eliminate grades and curves. Now ! would ne re
is Concerned You must remember that when those
Sui!lles u'iu a. ~ sor1itons tban prevailing -
be raised n1d rgr os Were not ale to sell
~ tbs price which the market demanded. su5
Therefore il is dffticuIt determine what raiir's
might be oyercapita lized and what rnisat E'-
L" The ne Iegisation of the future he p-@r.i-
road insea 5e 9r rbe pbIfc End the
ton companies Give the railroads the opP@rj,rl..
do and LEGISLATION Is always a remedy which can
In regard to consolidation and community -.
interest est Nov What aIn EIan y Of rz
What mean is common intfTes' . never nens[Tl
mon interest: that is what the term community
Of Interest is meant dr to S9v 5fef 6f Of dS pS
and transporter. the employer and enpioyed-
heeyg 1e 'Sm6Ina 5dns m 32 go 29 @
matter which none OF us can forecast
Asked whether or not the return Of the receiver
ship period was impending. he said;
Not II the railroads are permitted transact
their business in a businesske way. The receiver
ships VIII S%,ns of b od he resurrection 81 ali
classes OF business. because ralrCads are retiN inc
producers of large amount of traffic which they
themselves enjoy
In regard the Interstate Commerce Commission
he said:
I believe that commissions things OF the
past | think transportation companies
Should have to submit to dictation or control by
bodies who do know anything about transport
taton / think now. gentlemen. is the time for all
Of ms 70 speak out what think Meet the thing
face 10 face Bodies formed for the purpose OF con-
trolling transportation should have in them repre-
sentatfves OF the companies whose business IS
TO be controlled
Asked as TO what he attributed the increase IN
earnings Of the Union Pacific and affiliated roads.
Mr. Hartman said:
The increase I'm earnings is accounted for by
lumber and shipments We have return bust
fn of those sections for merchandise
which permits move traffic in what would
otherwise be empty IL originates west OF salt
La Ike CITY. The saving making Is in i'm
proved methods We have put over SSOIlV9 into
INN royements in two years and half If IL were
not for the condition OF the Union Pacific property
being as il is to enable to move the
business which originates those Western roads
they could do it This also applies 10 our sub
sdiary companies improvements on which are
being made