The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-14

movements and the inquiries concerning him are almost as numerous and press ing as those concerning MT. Tatt It was coincidence last night, that just as one Alabama Great Southern train car ried from Birmingham William Howard Taft the President -elect, another entered with a man as widely known, and a man considered ia some respect as powerful Edward H. Hartman
 Sketch of Hartman.
 The great railroad magnate was born at Hampstead, l.. l.. in 1S46 He is the son of an Episcopal clergyman. As a boy he attended Trinity school in New York for a number of years and then went into a brokers office on Wall street. He was a partner in a brokerage business by the time he reached his eighteenth year. In his twenty-second year he bought a seat in the New York exchange. In 1888 he became a director of the Illinois Central railroad and in 1887, it's vice president.
 When the Union Pacific, in 1893, went into the hands of receivers he and his associates bought practically the entire property, paying for same $41 ,O00, 900. In 1898 he was made chairman of the eXecu- tive board of the road. He began rebuild ing the road, spending for this purpose be- tween ogden and Omaha $2O,O0OO00. On the death of Collis F. Huntington, in 1900. president of the Southern Pacific Harri- man secured control of this railroad and merged it with the Union Pacific, spend ing within the next six years in improv- ing these lines S2o0 100000,
 Morean-HllI Contest.
 
 J. J. Hill for the control of the Northern Pacific is said to have been indirect cause of the 1901 financial depression. and in 1906 his name was again prominently before the public on account of the unex- pected declaration of large dividends by the Union Pacific company.
 Another notable instance when Harri- man was prominently in the limeight was in April, 1907. when a New York news paper published q letter from him stating that President Roosevelt, in 1894. had urged him to contribute to the republican campaign fund. which statement was strenuously denied by the President In February, 1907, Hartman was examined at length by the interstate commerce commission as to his methods of railroad financing.
 Acquires the Central.
 One of the most recent acquisitions by the Hartman interests is the Central of Georgia railroad. It is commonly ru- mored. too, as is known, that Mir Harri- man desires to gain control of the Sea board Air Line and the Atlanta, Birming ham and Atlantic. both of which roads are now in the hands of receivers. In southern railroad circles much Is expected from the fact that MT Hartman is eX- tensNely interested in railroads operating in Alabama, because. as is pointed out, he has always developed his properties to the highest degree. While in Georgia, recently, MT. Hartman was quoted as stating that if the southern states would abandon their anti-railroad policy he would spend s10000,0oO in improving the Central of Georgia.
 MT. Hartman Is accompanied on the trip by his daughter, Miss Mary Harri- man. who has several other young ladies as her guests. The party will accompany MT. Hartman through the south and to Mexico, where a stay of some length is contempla ted.