Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-09-17
Edward Il. Hartman

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achievements it was not a short one
Of humble origin and small begin
nings, before he died he possessed such
power as is given to but few men to at
tain.
Young Hartman, assisted by
wealthy relatives, entered Wall Street
as a banker and broker at the age of
"A. For the work he had had no cleri-
cal training and little schooling. In
this occupation he amassed a certain
amount of wealth and not any fame.
In 1891 he withdrew to enter the rail-
road business, choosing the far West
as his field. That was eighteen years
ago, and it was then that his career
was really begun. Attention was not
attracted to his early work, but one
day the financial world awoke TO the
fact that a new power had entered.
From that time he was a figure of in
creasing proportions, manifestlng in
his progress and ability and al energy
which his admirers described as al
most superhuman. During those
eighteen years he created an industrial
empire the of which are not
less han $500, DOC, 900 a year, with alli-
ances that covered over 500, OO0, 900,
and with a capitalization exceeding
81, 000, DOC, 900.
In his career there is much that
appeals to the imagination. Never
working in the open, the stages of his
advance were marked by brilliant
coups the plans and preparations for
which were concealed even from pene-
trative Wall Street. knowledge of
them was secured only in their con-
summation. Dazzled and startled, the
world likened him to a spider, spin
ming and weaving in secret retirement,
and then, with a brilliant, lightning
like dash, selling his prey.
In his career and in himself there
was much that suggests Napoleon.
Like the great Corsican, he was small
of stature, of a strategic cast of mind,
of unbounded ambition, of great imag-
ination expressed in plans for expand
ing power, of sustained courage. in
domitable spirit and great mental
energy. Like Napoleon, he was ruth
less in his purposes, neve stopping
from consideration of right or of justice
to those who obstructed his way. As
did Napoleon, he centered in himself
allpower, reducing his allies to subjec-
ton to his imperial will, and, like him,
he joined a marvellous capacity for de-
tail to a wonderful breadth of concep-
| ton. He failed in his supreme ambi-
ton, as did Napoleon, not from loss of
ing off. With none did he divide
authority. 1t was not until he was
seizea by his Iatai illness that he IN
trusted to others the execution of the
plans he had formulated. But it is
doubtful if such plans as had not been
fully worked out in his mind have been
communicated to those who will III
eed him. The effect of his death had
been largely discounted. Financial
disturbance, so much feared, has not
followed.
Hartman aimed at absolute control
of the transportation of the continent
of America. The financial world has
been satisfied for a long time that he
had conceived the daring plan of merg
ing the Vanderbilt railroad properties
with his own, thus giving him a trans
continental route from ocean to cean.
And many shrewd observers have
believed 1t to be but a step in the mag
nificent conception of universal con
troll, which, he boosted to the Federal
authorities, he could attain if the
government would let him alone. His
capacity for gigantic affairs was DEM
onstrated in his achievements of
eighteen years.
In the latter part of his life the
glamor of attained success influenced
the worlds opinion OF him In a greater
or less degree. In their admiration of
his demonstrated powers and great
constructive abilities men forgot the
methods by which he had achieved his
success and for the employment of
which he was as roundly denounced
as any man who has ever braved pub
lie wrath. Denunciation did not
swerve him from his purposes. Au-
dacity was one of his qualities and not
infrequently accompanied the employ
ment of methods that moral people
could not commend. 1t was his au-
dacity which led many to believe that
he was a man dangerous to the we'll
being of the nation. Evading the laws
when such course served his purpose,
his position vas sustained by the