The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-11
The Hartman Suit and What
1t Means.
Railway King Has More Power
Than Commerce Commission.
CONTROLS MANY LINES
Ownership of Stock by q. P.
Makes Him Master.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.


The announced intention of the
national government at Washington
to file a suit in equity as a means OF
compelling the dissolution of the rail-
road combination has again directed
the interest of the public toward the
spectacle of the Immense power this
one man has acquired through his
control OF an enormous proportion of
the transportation mileage of the
country.
This particular move of the gov
eminent is aimed at the Hartman
practice of purchasing with the funds
OF one corporation, the stock of an
other corporation and holding it in
Thus the Union Pacific, Hartman
line, is a substantial holder of the
stock of the Northern Pacific, the
kGreat Northern and the Santa Fe, all
nominally competing lines and not os-
Itsnsdbly in the Hartman group of
railroads.
The defendants of the suit include
r. H. Hartman, Jacob H. Schiff, Otto
H. Kahn, Jas. Sti1lman, Henry A
CLARK, veritable gallery of famous
led as factors in the alleged conspiracy
Include the Union Pacific, the Oregon
EEhort Line, the Atchison, Topeka &
santa Fe. the Southern more than
E$z1S,OO0,OOO-
These lines run through every Sec
s1e5ippi river, Iowa, Missouri, KAN
sas, Nebraska, Colorado, California,
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklaho-
ma. Louisiana, Nevada, Minnesota,
North and South Dakota, Montana,
Idaho, Washington, Oregon and even
into Illinois and Wisconsin. Wher-
ever passengers are to travel. there
! is a Hartman railroad. Wherever
freight is to be carried, there are Har-
rfn1an lines and Hartman cars and
Hartman locomotives.
i The government will contend that
this form of ownership is not only in
equitable and illegal, but that the prac-
teal result Is to end competition.
The Union Pacific likewise is heavy
holder of Illinois General stock but the
latter line is not named in the htiga-
ton.
The investigation conducted by the
interstate commerce commission, dis
closed the fact the Union Pacific owns
1900. 900, par value of the stock of
the Santa F'e, and that about S300O0000
more is owned by individuals connected
with the Union Pacific, the total max
ing II per cent of the entire capital
stock of the Santa Fe.
The Union Pacific also. owns II, 528
shares of the Northern Pacific. 90,S64
shares of Great Northern ore certifi-
Gates, received on account of the same
numD6r OIL SnaTeS OF the TdlIrOdQ SIOCh-
The transcontinental situation epit-
omized IS that r. H. Hartman owns
the Union Pacific and the Southern
Pacific and that E. H. Hartman is
one of the heaviest stockholders in the
Great Northern, the Northern Pacific
and the Santa F'e. He therefore dom
mates all transcontinental traffic, for
no train can go from the middle west
to the coast in the United States with
out passing for some large distance
over a line owned by him or one in
Auenced by him.
Between ownership and influence
Harriman's shadow is over $4,000 miles
feeding systems. In the Central
Georgia, a distinct line of 1885 miles 1t
is supposed that he was link toward
q southern coast to coast system.
The Hartman owned lines and their
mileage are: The Union Pacific 5,430
miles; the Southern Pacific, 9,216 miles;
the Illinois General, 4,459 miles and the
Central Georgia, 1895 miles, a total
OF q, O40 miles.
The lines Influenced through Harri-
man partial influence are: The North
ern Pacific, 5,316 miles; the Great
Northern, $3.50 miles, and the Santa
F'e, 1889 miles. total of 1884 miles.
The grand total of railroad lines all
or partially in the Hartman domain
Is 40.0S4 miles.
/, The bill declares that at various
times since January 1. 1901, the de-
and others the management and control
Of these various roads, and have oper-
ated them in restraint Of trade and
commerce.
On account of legal restrictions 1t
may be April before the defendants an
swer the bill.
Z a FvTvE,R SANTA F.Fc