The San Francisco call., 1909-09-10
Poor Lad Finally Becomes the
Greatest Railroad Man the
World Has Known

Edward Henry Hartman. Colossus
of Roads" First King of Transconti-
mental Railroads, Spinner of Golden
Webs" as he has been termed, was
born at Hampstead, Long Island. April
25, 1s4s, where his father, Rev. Or
lando Hartman Jr. was then rector of
the little Episcopal church of st.
George. He had four brothers, two of
whom are now dead, and two sisters,
both married at this time. His family
was English in origin, and the first
Hartman on his advent in America
| in hand and exhibited other signs of
afiuence
No share of the reputed wealth of
! the founder of the American family of
Hartman was inherited, however. by
the future railroad chiefs father, for
he was glad TO receive salary of 5000
a year for his ministerial services, and
finally was forced by poverty to move
to Jersey City at a time when Edward
was six years of age. Here the rector
took charge of two small parishes and
sent Edward. the fourth of six children,
to the district school with his brothers
and sisters.
BECAME CLERK AT FOURTEEN
Then the boys were sent TO Trinity
school, New York, TO obtain what
proved to be the last two years of Har-
riman's schooling. At the age of IA
he became a brokers clerk in Wall
street, New York, and since that day
no school save the college of hard
knocks" has known him. A brother
Orlando. entered the business world
and now is "a merchant of BROOKLYN
When 1Sf years of age, four years
after he went into the street" Harri-
man was interested in a partnership
and at % years of age he had made
and saved enough to strike out for
himself and purchase a seat in the
stock exchange. This he held until his
death.
OF the years of struggle against pow
| erty before his advent in Wall street
Hartman never would speak, and con-
corning the years following his en-
| trance into the brokerage business he
/ was equally reticent. II is known that
| the young man, member of the ex-
! change and floor trader. hustled for
business among the wealthiest, and Sc
cured il, and that he quickly amassed
considerable fortune, never getting
on the short end of any large financial
deal
MARRIED CAPITALISTS DAUGHTER
Shortly after planting the foundation
OF larger operations in Wall street by
purchasing a seat in the exchange.
Hartman married Miss Mary Averell.
daughter Of a capitalist and railroad
stock holder of Ogdenburg, N Y BY
! her he had five children-two sons.
Avereu and Roland, aged II and 13
years respectively, and three daughters.
Mary. Cornelia (now Mrs. Robert Liv-
| ingston Gerry and Carol, still at
school
The Harrimans have town residence
In Fifth avenue. New York. and houses
in several other cities. but they con-
slider their home. as did the railroad
builder. the suburban palace in the
| Ramapo hills, called Arden, set in the
midst OF 10000 acre estate. An in
cline railroad 1900 feet IN length con-
meets the exalted home with the low
lands.
| Gradually Hartman gained in
wealth, and what he more desired. in
| fuence. though he never revealed the
identity of the powerful allies he Sc
| cured. He began to study railroads,
and quietly acquired an interest here
| and there. Finally, in 1883, 13 years
after the seat on change had been pur-
chased. he emerged into the full gaze
of the financial world for the first time.
HIS FIRST SEAT AS DIRECTOR
At the election OF officers of the Illi-
nois Central railroad. held in 1889. Ed
ward II. Hartman was chosen as a di-
| rector He was citizen of Wall street.
but unknown to the public. and all that
was asked of him was the idle ques-
| ton regarding the hidden interests he
represented. In reality he represented
| no one except Hartman.
| In 1887, the year Stuyvesant Fish was
| made president of the Illinois Central.
Hartman was elected vice president.
Fish has been forced out OF the road.
Hartman took it for his own He be-
came the leading mind among the di-
rectors. and displayed great interest in