The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-25
HARTMAN Is BACK FROM
EUROPE A VERY SICK MAN
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| displace the old ones; new laws mean new
| officeholders to administer them"
| do you refer to the corporation taxi"
| he was asked.
Eyes, and some new state laws" was
| the reply.
Legislation seemed to arouse his inter
| est greatly, and, warming to his SUBJ
| ject, he threw aside caution, rose from
| his pillow and sat up on the couch.
II am feeling bit better" he said as
| he looked around at the circle of inter-
| viewers. Sitting up and smiling pleas
antly, Mr. Hartman INDUCED in few
| "reminiscences.
Three years ago I was called spec
, ulator." he said. THAT was when Union
Pacific was placed on 10 per cent divi-
dend basis and Southern Pacific on s
| per cent basis. / had hard time con-
| vincing my associates that the roads
| could pay such dividends, but had come
to realize that we were building, not bet
| ter than we knew. but quicker than we
| knew. 1t was difficult for me to COM
| prehend that the development and returns
| which followed our construction work in
| the west were enormous and so rich"
do you mean to put the surplus earn
| ings into the roads treasury rather than
| to turn them over to the stockholders ?'
| he was asked
Not a SpecuIator.
Eyes, that's about it," he said, that
| Is my DEMONSTRATION and develop
| ment-and 1 guess the public and the
| press are convinced now that am not
| speculator.
During these years it was difficult to
| convince my associates; they were a hard
7 xvich
| out but | am through with that now"
! Mr.. Hartman would not say just what
| new undertakings he proposed But"
he said, at Is In my mind to open new
| territory and build new tributary lines.
| This means new settlements and more
people"
| This attitude he emphasized throughout
| his talk on railroad matters, leaving the
inference that he contemplated improve
ments rather than increased dividends In
| this connection the action of the directors
of the Union Pacific and Southern Pa
| cific railroads today is significant Both
| met but declared only the regular divi-
| dends.
| Mrs. Hartman. the financier's wife, the
(! Misses Mary and Carol Hartman, daugh-
! ters, and Roland, son. accompanied him
| to and returned with him today from
| Europe.
4! Mr.. Hartman said he had no immediate
! improvements in mind-at any rate not
/ until new equipment was needed At
| this point his attention was drawn to a
recent magazine article which said there
was complaint in the west against him
| because of the high short-haul rates.
'It is alleged that you exact more to
haul from New York to Salt Lake City
| than from New York to San Francisco"
some one suggested.
Defense of Rates.
st don't want to go into rates at this
time" was the brief reply my method
is to serve the public and have them
get what they pay for. 1t is like buying
q new suit of cothes--you want to get
| the most for your money. The public
gets its moneys worth.
IT give them the best equipment, the
best track and the best running time"
The interview came to an end only at
the instance of Judge Lovett While
Mr.. Hartman protested that he could