The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-24
hARRlMAN LEFT
 ABOUT $75,OOO,OOO
ESTATE OVERESTIsIATED AND HE DID NOT DISTRIBUTE MIL LIONS TO FARMILY BEFORE HIS DEATH.

New York. Dec. 24.-The estate oi the late F. H. Hartman, instead oi running up to hundreds of millions. as estimated, will amount it is now learned. to less than $75.O00.O00 This will represent the maximum of the for tune held by the late head of the Har- riman railroads It Is not true. as re- ported, that not long before his death MT. Hartman distributed many mill lions in securities to members of his family.
 Inquiries made in quarters from which a statement could come with authority regarding a report that MT. Hartman before his death turned over $50. 100000 in Union Pacific and other stocks to Mrs. Hartman and his eld- est son. brought out the information that not only were no such gifts made by Mir. Hartman but that. further more. the amount of his estate had been greatly exaggerated in published estimates The latest of these put the estate at $149 OOO.0OO on the strength of a supposed appraisal
 AS a matter of fact the appraisal now being made by the State Control ler's office upon which to determine the inheritance tax has not been filed, and so far as known. has not been com pleted- No other appraisal of the es- tate has been made. The statement, mans property will be found to be not more than s75.000 900. and possibly much less. is based on authoritative information which fixes this as the maximum. It Is impossible for any one at this time to set forth the exact value of the estate When all the ac- counts are settled. however. the net amount left to be turned over to Mrs Hartman. Mir. Harriman's sole bene- ficiary under his will. may be nearer S50.OO0. 900 than $75.0O0. 900.
 Mir. Hartman had been engaged ac- lively in many undertakings up to within short time of his death and in carrying these he entered into con tracts which must be adjusted before his estate can be definitely settled. Since his death some of the securities held by MT. Hartman have consider ably appreciated. He was known to have held Guanarty Trust stock which represented an outlay of about g. 5OO.- 000.- Since his death this stock has appreciated considerably in value and netted the estate. upon the recent sale of this stock No the Morgan inter ests, fully S1,0O0,00 more than this fig ure.
 MT. Hartman was also a large hold CT of Wells Fargo stock. and this, too, has appreciated in value since his death. There are other securities however. held by the estate which have decreased in value. and these go. part ly at least, to offset the increase in the value of some of the other securi- ties Chicago Subway securities are
 
 value since Mir. Hartman .died. and the estate Is believed to hold a consider able amount Of this stock
 When the facts regarding MT. Har- riman's estate are formally revealed in the States appraisal of the estate 1t will be found that while he was a very rich man his estate will not meas ure up by any means to the estates left by the VandeCbilts and the As tors and others of the names linked with the country's largest fortunes.
 The facts regarding the size of Mir Harrimarfss fortune. which will be found to be relatively small compared with some of the estimates which have been made since his death. will serve to bring out more prominently than ever the extent of the influence which MT. Hartman eNerted through his in domitable personality. The influence which he exerted in financial affairs was much greater than that attaching to fortune of less than S75.0OO 900.