To Americans living in the early twentieth century, E. H. Harriman was
as familiar a name as J. P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew
Carnegie. Like his fellow businessmen, Harriman (1847-1909) had become
the symbol for an entire industry: Morgan stood for banking, Rockefeller
for oil, Carnegie for iron and steel, and Harriman for railroads. Here,
Maury Klein offers the first in-depth biography in more than
seventy-five years of this influential yet surprisingly understudied
figure.
A Wall Street banker until age fifty, Harriman catapulted into the
railroad arena in 1897, gaining control of the Union Pacific Railroad as
it emerged from bankruptcy and successfully modernizing every aspect of
its operation. He went on to expand his empire by acquiring large stakes
in other railroads, including the Southern Pacific and the Baltimore and
Ohio, in the process clashing with such foes as James J. Hill, J. P.
Morgan, and Theodore Roosevelt.
With its new insights into the myths and controversies that surround
Harriman's career, this book reasserts his legacy as one of the great
turn-of-the-century business titans.
Originally published 2000.
A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the
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