Evening journal., 1914-04-20
New News Of Yesterday
The ConqueStn Which He
Took the Greatest Pride
By Holland.

Railroad men. and, l think, civil
engineers, and the public regarded
as the most dramatic and sensa-
tional OF all the achievements of I'd
ward II. Hartman as railroad
builder the construction of the Via
duct or causeway across Great Salt
Lake whereby a saving OF some thir-
ty-five miles of the Union Pacific
system was made possible" said the
late Charles S. Cox, himself a promi-
nent railroad executive and a per-
sonal friend OF b. II. Hartman, the
friendship having been established
when both we're young men.
Il remember hearing engineers
say that MIR. Hartman was dump
ing 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 con-
constructing a causeway across the
Great Salt Lake, and was told that
the bottom OF the lake, If there were
any bottom, was probably miles be-
low the surface.
Hartman, however, persisted in
this work, and he at last was able
to report to Ms board of directors
that the undertaking was a success
and that the trains of the Union Pa
cific could cross the Great Salt Lake
by means of a causeway made Of
rock.
"It was always the presumption OF
railroad men that Mr.. Hartman
himself regarded this as CHIEF among
his achievements as a railroad build
er, yet 1 have the best of reasons for
knowing that this was not a correct
opinion.
Il heard, shortly after Mr. Harri-
mans death. from very high authori-
ty that several gentlemen, one of
these an English railroad manager,
were invited by Mr.. Hartman to
take trip over the Union
Pacific lines. They called upon him
after the trip was ended to thank
him for his courtesies, and they said
that they presumed the construction
of the causeway across the Great
Salt Lake was regarded by him as
his greatest achievement as a rail-
road builder.
ITO their surprise, Mr.. Hartman
replied that he did not so regard the
building of that causeway. He said
to them that he took the greatest
pride in the conquest by Union Pa
cific civil engineers and skilled ar
tisians of the great floods of tho
river. -
"These floods threatened COM
pletely TO destroy the colossal irri-
cation works OF the valley and to
ruin many thousands of acres which
had been, subdued to highly prifita
BILE cultivation. Damages of that
kind was sure to ruin thousands who
had invested all their capital in
these reclaimed 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 President
communicated with Mr.. Hartman,
seeking the aid of the Union Pacific
engineering corps. Thereupon Mr
Hartman gave orders that the en-
tire available forces Of the UnionsPa-
cific should at once undertake "a
conquer the floods and to control the
river so that the millions of proper.
ty couldO thereby be saved. He gave
orders that this work should have
precedence over every other-ever
train schedules-and that there
should be no hesitation about the
cost 1t was nip and tuck when tho
Union Pacific forces began the work
At last they conquered the great riv
er, which saved the irrigation plant
and they prevented the devastation
OF thousands OF acres OF reclaimed
land
"That. Mr., Hartman told thes'
gentlemen, he looked upon as hi'
chief achievement in railway con
structiOn and operation.
"He was asked If the government
had ever reimbursed him or the I'm
ion Pacific Company. He smiled
with a characteristic expression
shook his head gently, and said tha'
although President Roosevelt hat
recommended that an appropriation
be made to reimburse the company
IL was not made. Instead, the gov
enrment was making preparations tC
attack the Union Pacific with intent
to disioint it,"
Copyright. 1914. by +. j. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell oi
"a Political "Reminiscences of an ex.
Postmaster General"