The Washington herald., 1914-04-20
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Conquest in Which He Took the
Greatest Pride.
Written Expressly Tor The Herald.
By DIR. e. J. EDWARDS.


Railroad men. and, 1 think, civil engi-
neers, and the public regarded as the
most dramatic and sensational Of all the
achievements of Edward II. Hartman as
a railroad builder the construction of the
viaduct or causeway across the Great
Salt Lake whereby a saving of some
| thirty-five miles of the Union Pacific sys-
tenn was made possible" said the late
Charles S. Cox, himself a prominent rail-
road executive and a personal friend OF
E. II. Hartman, the friendship having
been established when both were young
men.
Il remember hearing engineers say that
Mr.. Hartman was dumping millions into
the Great Salt Lake and would never get
back a penny" continued Mr.. Cox. He
was advised by competent engineers to
desist from this purpose of constructing
a causeway across the Great Salt Lake,
and was told that the bottom OF the lake
II there were any bottom, was probably
miles below the surface.
Hartman. however, persisted in this
work, and he at last was able to report
to his board of directors that the under
taking was to be a success, and that the
trains OF the Union Pacific could cross
the Great Salt Lake by means OF cause
way made Of rock.
1T was always the presumption Of
railroad men that Mr.. Hartman himself
regarded this as chief among his achieve
ments as a railroad builder. yet have
the best Of reasons for knowing that this
was not a correct opinion.
u heard, shortly after Mr.. Harrman's
death. from very high authority that sew
eTal gentlemen, one OF these an English
railroad manager. were invited by Mr..
Hartman to take a trip over the Union
q, i'm, aff
the trip was ended to thank him for his
courtesies, and they said that they pre-
sumed the construction of the causeway
across the Great Salt Lake was regarded
by him as his greatest achievement as a
railroad builder.
TO their surprise Mr. Hartman re-
piled that he did not SO regard the build
ing of that causeway. He said To them
that he took the greatest pride in the con-
quest by Union Pacific civil engineers and
skilled artisans Of the great floods OF the
river.
These floods threatened completely to
destroy the colossal irrigation works Of
the valley and to ruin many thousands OF
acres which had been subdued TO highly
profitable cultivation. Damage Of that
kind was sure to ruin thousands who had
invested all their capital in these re-
claimed lands.
by order of President Roosevelt. Mr..
Hartman said. the government engineers
and forces attempted to prevent complete
disaster and to conquer the floods, but
they were unsuccessful. Then the Pres
dent communicated with Mr.. Hartman,
seeking the aid OF the Union Pacific en-
gineering corps. ThereupOn Mr.. Harri-
man gave orders that the entire available
forces OF the Union Pacific should at
once undertake to conquer the floods and
to control the river so that the millions
Of property could thereby be saved. He
gave orders that this work should have
precedence over every other-eyen train
scheduIes-and that there should he no
hesitation about the cost. II was nip and
tuck when the Union Pacific forces be-
gan this work. At last they conquered
the great river. which saved the irriga-
ton plant. and they prevented the de-
vastation Of thousands of acres Of re-
claimed land.
That. Mr.. Hartman told these gen.
tlemen. he looked upon as his chief
achievement in railway construction and
operation.
He was asked il the government had
ever reimbursed him or the Union Pacific
Company. He smiled with a character
istic expression, shook his head gently.
and said that although President Roose-
welt had recommended that an appTopris-
ton be made to reimburse the company,
1t was not made. Instead. the govern
ment was making preparations to attack
the I'nion Pacific Company with intent to
disjoint it"
Copyright. lgLl
Tomorrow DIR. Edwards will tell of
a Political RemIniscence of an ex-
Postmaster General