New-York tribune., 1908-09-16
MR.. HARTMAN TALKS
Thinks Conditions 1re Importing
V0tcrs in Hest 1pdthetic.' y

E H Hartman was the Union Pacific of
fees yesterday for the first time since his return
late last week from his vacation trip I'm the Far
West and spent the greater part of the day in
talks with a succession OF visitors, devotins a
half hour Of his time 10 an interview with seV-
eral newspaper men. in the course Of which he
took occasion TO justify. without exception. the
various acquisitions Of the Union Pacific sys-
TEN. announced the shelving OF the Union Pa
ciac holding company plan. and said his OBJ
servation had shown that the voters II the
West were apathetic over the political situation
Asked about possible financing plans. he an
swered:
There is nothing new In Union Pacific fnanc-
ing. There may be some financing for the
Mexican roads There is nothing new as far as
I know about Southern Pacific financing. L
have thought about 1t, but not ready 10 tell
you about it"
Mr Hartman discredited the report that the
Union Pacific was 10 take over the Central Pa
cinc from the Southern Pacific. adding: You
fellows are pretty bright You get hold Of some
thing and then write it up; to which the re-
sponse was that no representative of the news
Paper which had published the report was
among mis- hearers
Asked about report which had for the last
three days been telegraphed from st. Paul, that
the Chicago & Northwestern was TO acquire the
Northern Pacific. as a result of an agreement
between Messrs Morgan and Hill on the one
side and the Standard oil interests on the othef
Mr. Hartman said: You know how those
things are That story originated in New York.
probably
DISINCLIEED TO TALK ERIE.
AS to the Erie, Mr.. Hartman was disihclined
10 talk and in reply to suggestion mat he
,lfr~ of he IS
souri, Pacific or the Wabash, he would merely
saw that he could not do 1t, in his position al
though his Identification with their management
IN that wav would doubtless be of benefit to
the properties
Asked if he was going to become a factor IN
the Rock Island situation, suggestion based on
the recent rumor that the St Louis & san frah-
cisco might be absorbed by the Hartman sys-
tenn he answered: How could l! haVeht
resigned from the Union Pacific.
In response to question about the present
status of the holding company" plan for segre-
eating the investment holdings Of the Union
Pacific in the stocks of other railways a project
70 consider which a special committee OF the
Union Pacific board appointed nearly year
600 Mr. Hartman said: That's behind us.
ON. man asked: why have Union Pacific
ord Southern Pacific been strong in the last
few ,nonths?" to which Mr.. Hartman retorted
BECAUSE they ought not to have been so weak
hofore" Another question concerned reported
remark OF Mr. Hartman in an interview early
J., the dav that the low operating rate of the
I-r,or Pacific system would be brought still
lower on which point Mr.. Hartman said:
What | said was that we hoped to decrease
the operating cost still further The operating
COST is as low as 1t is because the roads are In
s,cb good condition; that is, we can run four
+rains when formerly we had to run FIVE
RELIEVES RATES SHOULD ADVANCE.
His opinion on the question of higher freight
rates being asked, Mr. Hartman said
~ believe that freight rates should be ad-
vanced II we charge less rates other roads will
charge less rates, and many roads suffering
from lack of sufficient equipment and motive
mower. and cannot be improved until they have
more income The country is suffering from
lack of better facilities at the same charge. All
through the territory served by our system the
Continued ninth