The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-15
THE LATE Il. III. HARTMAN.
otto III. Kahn Talks of the Personal
Side of the Great Railroader and
financier.


last night before a gathering OF dis
tinsuished men and women at the
finance forum OF the Young Mems
Christian Association at 31S West
Fifty-seventh street. giving some inI
innate "reminiscences OF the railroad
man. with whom he had been asso-
ciated for many years.
After his prepared address. Mr..
Kahn, answered questions from the
audience. In the course of this in
formal talk he declared that Harri-
man. moved by patriotism. had plan
ned to build the Panama Canal IL the
United States had not undertaken the
great work. This announcement was
received with deep interest.
MY first vivid impression of Mr..
Hartman dates back to hot sum-
mer afternoon In 1897. when. look
Ing pale. weary and tired out, he
came TO our Office to induce us to
take an interest with him In a GER
tain business. We did not particu-
iarly care for II. and told him that
We preferred not to join In the trans
action. He argued to convince us Of
the merits OF the proposition, and.
finally. not having made any headway.
he dcsisted. thought he had accept
ed our declination. He got up TO GO,
but turned around at the door and
said: II am dead tired this after
noon. and no good any more. have
been on this job uninterruptedly all
day. taking no time even for lunch
con. I'll tackle you again tomorrow
when / am fresh. I'm bound to con-
vince you. and to get you to come
along He did. He came again the
next day. and finally we yielded 20 the
sheer persistency OF the man, and to
the lucidity of his arguments. 1t Is
worth mentioning. by the way, that
his judgment was right; the business
turned out very well.
"He did not know the meaning of
the word defeat He never threw
up the sponge His power of will
was nothing short of phenomenal, and
by Its exercise. coupled with his in
domi.able pluck and amazing brain
facilities. I have seen him perform
veritaGie miracles In the way OF
making people 10 as he wanted"
Difficulties. risks. dangers" Mr..
Kahn went on 10 say. "were not only
no deterrents. hut rather inducements
TO undertake the task. When there
was an easy way 20 accomplish
thing. and also diaicu,t way, Mr..
Harriman's irclination would be to
take the latter. / once told him I
suspected him of purposely creating
difficulties and obstacles for himself
for the riere sport OF overcoming
them"
illustrating Mr.. Harriman's persis-
tence. Mr.. Kahn referred TO Harri-
mans demand on Thomas +. Ryan In
1905 for n share In the purchase Of
the majority stock of ;he Equitable
Life. which Mr.. Ryan refused.
For Ave years nothing more was
heard Of the matter" Mr.. Kahn said,
and even Mr.. Harrlman's intimate as
sociates thought he had dropped the
idea. only a short while ago II be-
came known that year before his
death Mr.. Hartman had finally sue
ceeded I'm his object. having purchased
from Mr.. Ryan one-half of his hold
ings."
"At the time OF his death the pa
pers were full Of comments as to the
vastness OF the terrific y In which his
influence was potent or controlling;
but the most remarkable thing. to my
mind. was not tho extent OF his power,
but the fact that his commanding
position. his control over so many un-
dertakings. rested not on money, but
on personality. L do not think that
the greater part OF his personal for
tune was invested in railroad stocks,
and. IL every cent of IL had been SO
invested. II would have amounted to
but small fraction OF the share
capital OF the properties I'm which his
influence was predominant.
II will only point TO the fact 4 & in
the first fiscal year following Mr.. Har-
riman's election To the Union Pacific
Board the surplus earnings of the
Union Pacific applicable to 100000
900 OF common stock were $500, 900.
TO-DAY. taking the figures Of the last
ascal year. the surplus earnings Of the
Union Pacific system excluding the
Southern Pacitc) applicable to 216.-
O0O OO0 Of otc,l,