Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-13

it,. Dozens and dozens OF railroad projects
of virtue and high promise, that would
add materially to the development OF the
country. have been throttled by him with
out the promoters ever knowing where the
opposition came from. He thinks the coun-
try has enough railroads.
High Freight Rates.
What he wants is more business for his
road. He believes in high freight rates.
as high, in fact, as the traffic will bear.
The rates on the Southern Pacific and
Union Pacific, his pet properties, are far
higher than on any other trunk lines in
the country; but then the Union Pacific
pays 10 per cent dividends and the Union
Pacific stakeholder, getting 10 per cent,
can with reason point to the wonderful
work Of Hartman. who took hold of the
road when 1t was bankrupt and brought
It up to its present marvellous prosperity,
a prosperity all the more striking. viewed
from the fact that such standard roads
as the Central and the New Haven have
been retrograding steadily. Harriman's
genius as an economist was equal to the
test of the recent period OF depression
and the Union Pacific and the Southern
Pacific were allie 10 weather the storm
without discomfort or danger.
What an eye he has for economy in de-
tails is exemplified by his action soon
after he took charge of the Union Pacific
in the matter of watering locomotives.
The first time he inspected the line he
stopped at a tank station. What is the
size of that piper" he asked as the II. e.
man adjusted the pipe from the water
tank to the mouth Of the locomotive tank.
The fireman gave the diameter. Thea
Hartman took but his watch and ca Gu
lated how long it took to water the loco
motive. Later he called in the master
mechanic and the general manay,r.
Economics tina Count.
1t takes so many minutes 10 fill a To-
connective tnak with water he said. The
pipe is of such and such diameter. Is
there any reason why the pipe shouldn't
be increased to such and such diameter
The master mechanic and the general
manager said all the pipes on all the rail
roads were of a standard size.
rs there any reason?" roared Hsrri-
man.
He didn't have to finish the sentence.
The men there was no physi-
cal reason except the noLzies on the tanks,
the pipes and the mouths Of the tanks on
the locomotives would have to be en-
lergod.
MAKE the change at once" said Harri-
man.
II saved several minutes each time a
locomotive took water. The Union Pa
cifc has perhaps 1900 locomotives in serv-
ice. They take water perhaps three times
a day. Nine minutes a day additlona.
service out of 1900 locomotives and l,5O
train crews amounted 10 about 5000 q
year, as near as the auditor could figure
out.
In a few years he changed the Cnioi
Pacific from a poor railroad into a good
one and at the same time kept piling az
profits. Stories by the hundreds are told
Of the remarkable things he did. II,
seemed TO know more in a minute about
a railroad than the men who had devoted
their lives to il. His work on the Unior
Pacific and the Southern Pacific made hi
fame secure. He has done great Wort
with some OF the other properties will
which he has become Identified and Wal
street has come 20 lock upon him 40 IN.
doctor who can cure all railroad ills.
Hartman Is a slutton Cor work and ~
e works very fast, but he will have his worl
cut out for him when he returns. First
Q he will ave 10 untangle the mess In whicI
the Wheeling & Lake Erie is involved an,
e reorganize the eastern end Of the Goul
$ lines. This, added to the mountainou
mass Of stuff he has to attend TO in IN
Q ordinary run OF business and the proba
bllity that he may have to give serious at
%tention 10 the Rock Island at any time
e presages such a fall and winter for Harri
= man as even win satisfy his ambition.