The San Francisco call., 1907-01-20
Gossip Says Fish Made Him, but He Has
Turned Down His Old Friend
By g. g. Carlton

NEW YORK, Jan. 1s.-The Inter
state Commerce Commissions inquiry
into the conduct Of the Hartman lines
IS interesting Wau street vastly, and
Harriman's emies in the street, OF
whom there arc many, are overjoyed
2, is explained that Hartman has
made enemies joyously; that he
has not hesitated 10 oppose the
wishes OF men like J. p. Morgan
or James J. Hill when occasion seemed
70 require IL, and that he peremptorily
dismissed from the presidency of the
Illinois Central Railroad a man Of such
tremendous influence in the financial
world as Stuyvesant Fish. GOssips in
Wall street hint that the present In
ouiry into the conduct OF the Harri-
man lines was instigated BY Fish. who
has powerful friends at Washington.
Il is certain that Fish has recently
spent considerable time in the ma
tional capital, and II is sure Fish has
OF late done his utmost TO bear" the
stock market. In a signed article yes
rerday morning he predicted all sorts
OF gloomy things for 1907. But IL was
plain enough that his incentive was
a desire TO even up scores with Har-
rimsn and arrest the upward tendency
OF Union and Southern Pacific stock
prices.
While there seems TO be no doubt
that Fish is after" Hartman, IL is
not certain that he was responsible
Tor the present inquiry by the Inter
state Commerce Commission. Harri-
mans Outspoken criticism Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt for assuming TO control
the Republican organization Of New
York State in opposition TO Harri-
mans bosom friend, former Governor
flTn11 Hnrrhf1acS frr-nfcff71 fTrpnfiNa
at Washington.
Hartman had personally known
Stuyvesant Fish ever since the former
had been q floor trader on the Stock
Exchange and earned his 81 per hun
dred for buying and selling the or
ders Of other brokers. Old-time brok-
ers have said that il used to be a Gus
tom Of the floor traders TO turn over
their orders to associates while they
took turns in going to lunch at the
noon hour, and that it was the under
standing that the broker left in charge
of the orders on the floor was to get
the 81 per hundred for each purchase
or sale. II is stated that Hartman
would never divide the proceeds. like
his associates For this he was ex-
ceedingly unpopular, and one day a
fellow broker suggested that Harri-
man bring his lunch with him in a tin
pail.
Stuyvessnt Fish gave Hartman his
first real railroad Job when he made
him vice president OF the Illinois Cen
trsl Railroad. Before that he had
been giving his Stock Exchange bust
ness TO Hartman, the floor trader"
Thirty wears later Hartman, the rail-
road Colossus. peremptorily dismissed
his former friend and benefactor from
the presidency of the Illinois Central
But during 8 long term OF intimacy
with Hartman Stuyvessnt Fish grew
70 know the former very well indeed,
and he was intimately familiar with
some of the transactions Of Hartman
that are now TO be questioned by the
Interstate Commerce Commission. Con-
seQuently Wall street is asking. How
much ammunition has Stuyvessnt Fish
furnished Harriman's enemies?"
The bears" led by Hsrriman's enc
mics, have circulated some unpleasant
stories about the condition Of Harri-
mans health, and the price Of Union
Pacific stock was pounded down sew
eral points yesterday in consequence
OF this report and the Interstate Com
merce Commission investigation. 1t
has been given out from Hartman S
house that he has been slightly in