The Early Spark
In a small house on the busy streets of New York City in 1848, a baby boy named Edward Henry Harriman was born. His family didn’t have much money, but little Eddie had big dreams!
Eddie’s father worked at a church, but the family still struggled to buy food and clothes. Instead of playing with toys, Eddie loved to count numbers and learn about money. He would sit by his window and watch the busy streets below, dreaming of becoming someone important.
A Boy with Big Dreams
“Mama,” young Eddie would say, “one day I’m going to work on Wall Street!” His mother would smile and pat his head. She knew her son was special.
Eddie didn’t get to go to fancy schools like some other kids. But that didn’t stop him! He read every book he could find about money and business.
“If you can’t go to school, bring the school to you!” Eddie would tell himself as he studied late into the night.
First Steps to Success
At age 14, Eddie got his first job as a messenger boy on Wall Street. He would run up and down the busy streets, carrying important messages between big offices. His feet would get tired, but his smile never faded! ♂️
The older business people noticed something special about Eddie. He was always on time, always polite, and super smart with numbers. Soon, they gave him a chance to work with stocks – that’s like buying tiny pieces of big companies.
Learning the Money Game
Eddie worked harder than anyone else. While other people went home early, he stayed late to learn more. He made friends with important business people and learned their secrets about making money grow.
“The key to success,” Eddie would say, “is to work hard and never give up!” Those words would help him become one of the richest people in America.
The First Big Win
One day, Eddie heard about a small railroad company that was having problems. While everyone else thought it was worthless, Eddie saw something special. He used his savings to buy parts of the company.
Guess what? Eddie was right! The railroad company got better, and his money grew and grew. People started calling him “The Boy Wonder of Wall Street!”
| Age | Achievement |
| 14 | First job as messenger boy |
| 22 | Bought Stock Exchange seat |
People started noticing the smart young man who could turn small investments into big profits. Even the biggest businessmen in New York wanted to work with Eddie. But this was just the beginning of his amazing story!
Railroad Crossroads
The year was 1897, and E.H. Harriman was ready for his biggest adventure yet! He heard about a big railroad called Union Pacific that was having trouble. Most people thought it was broken and couldn’t be fixed. But not Eddie!
A Bold Move
“This railroad just needs some love and care,” Eddie told his friends. He spent all his savings to buy the railroad. Some people thought he was silly, but Eddie had a plan!
The railroad tracks were old and bumpy. The trains were slow and often broke down. Eddie knew he had to fix everything to make it work better.
“We’re going to make this the best railroad in America!” Eddie promised his workers.
Making Things Better
Eddie did something no one expected. He spent lots of money to make the railroad better:
• He bought new, faster trains
• Fixed all the broken tracks
• Built safer bridges
• Hired more workers
• Made the train rides more comfortable
Happy Workers, Better Railroad
Eddie knew that happy workers would do a better job. He gave them better pay and safer places to work. He even built houses for them to live in near the railroad!
“When we take care of our workers, they take care of our railroad,” Eddie would say with a smile.
Facing Big Problems
Some days were hard. Sometimes trains would get stuck in snow ❄️, or rain would wash away the tracks. But Eddie never gave up! He sent teams to fix problems right away.
| Problem | Solution |
| Old Tracks | New, stronger rails |
| Slow Trains | Faster engines |
Success on the Rails
After just one year, amazing things happened! The trains ran faster and safer than ever before. More people wanted to ride on Eddie’s railroad, and it started making lots of money.
Other railroad owners couldn’t believe their eyes. How did Eddie fix such a broken railroad so quickly? They started calling him “The Railroad Wizard!” ✨
Eddie’s success with Union Pacific was just the beginning. He started thinking about buying more railroads and making them better too. His dream of connecting America by rail was getting bigger and bigger!
Building an Empire
Eddie Harriman was on a roll! After fixing the Union Pacific Railroad, he wanted to make it even bigger. He had a dream of connecting all of America by train.
Growing the Railroad Family
Eddie looked at his map of America. He saw lots of smaller railroads that could become part of his big railroad family. One by one, he started buying them:
• Southern Pacific Railroad
• Central Pacific Railroad
• Illinois Central Railroad
• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
“Together, we’ll be stronger!” Eddie would tell the workers at each new railroad he bought.
Making Trains Better
Eddie loved new ideas! He brought exciting changes to his railroads:
He also made the trains faster and safer. Eddie would often ride on his trains to make sure everything was perfect.
“A happy passenger will come back to ride again,” Eddie always said with a smile.
Friends in High Places
Eddie made friends with other important business people. He met:
| Friend | Business |
| John D. Rockefeller | Oil Company |
| J.P. Morgan | Banks |
New Ideas for Trains
Eddie loved trying new things to make his trains better. He brought in:
• Electric lights on trains
• Better brakes to stop safely
• Stronger engines to climb mountains ⛰️
He also built special tracks just for fast trains. This meant passengers could get to their destinations quicker!
Helping Communities
Eddie knew his railroads helped towns grow bigger. When trains came to a town:
New stores opened
Factories were built
More people moved in
Products could be shipped everywhere
A Growing Success
By 1901, Eddie’s railroad empire was huge! His trains carried:
• Millions of passengers each year
• Tons of mail and packages
• Food for cities
• Materials for buildings
People started calling Eddie “The Railroad King.” His trains were everywhere, helping America grow bigger and stronger.
But with all this success came some big challenges. Not everyone was happy that Eddie owned so many railroads. Some people thought he was getting too powerful. Eddie would need all his smarts to handle what came next!
Battles and Challenges
Not everyone liked how big Eddie’s railroad empire had grown. Some people thought he had too much power. But Eddie was ready to stand up for what he built!
Fighting with Other Railroad Owners
James J. Hill was another railroad owner who didn’t like Eddie. They both wanted to own the same railroad called the Northern Pacific.
“There’s room for both of us on these tracks!” Eddie would say. But Hill didn’t want to share.
The Big Stock Market Fight
Eddie and Hill had a big fight over railroad stocks. It was like playing a game of tug-of-war with money! The fight was so big that it shook up the whole stock market. People called it “The Northern Pacific Corner.”
Dealing with the Government
The government started looking closely at Eddie’s railroads. They thought maybe he had too much control. President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to make sure Eddie played fair.
| What the Government Wanted | What Eddie Did |
| Fair prices for all customers | Made his prices clear and fair |
| Safe railroads | Made safety even better |
Making Friends from Enemies
Eddie was smart. He knew fighting wasn’t always the best way. Sometimes, he would turn his enemies into friends!
• He listened to what others wanted
• He found ways to work together
• He kept his promises
• He shared his success
Solving Problems
When problems came up, Eddie had clever ways to fix them:
He would think carefully before acting
He wrote down all his ideas
He asked smart people for advice
✅ He always tried to do what was right
Standing Strong
Even when things got tough, Eddie didn’t give up. He worked harder to make his railroads better than ever. He showed everyone that he was more than just a powerful businessman – he was a leader who cared about doing things right.
Through all these challenges, Eddie learned important lessons. He saw that being powerful meant being responsible. He needed to think about what was good for everyone, not just himself.
As the battles settled down, Eddie started thinking about new ways to make his railroads help America grow. He had big plans to make things even better!
Making Things Better
Eddie loved making his railroads better and better! He wanted everyone to have safe and fast trains. Let’s see how he made that happen!
Safer Trains for Everyone
Eddie really cared about keeping people safe. He made lots of new rules to protect workers and passengers. ️
“Safety first!” became Eddie’s favorite saying. All his workers knew it by heart.
Making Trains Better
Eddie bought new trains that could go faster and carry more things. He fixed old tracks and built new ones. Everything was getting better! ⚡
• Stronger train tracks
• Bigger train engines
• Better train stations
• Nicer places for workers to rest
Helping Communities Grow
Wherever Eddie’s trains went, towns got bigger and better. People could travel more easily and send things to far-away places. ️
| Before Eddie’s Help | After Eddie’s Help |
| Small towns | Big, busy cities |
| Few jobs | Lots of new jobs |
Giving Back
Eddie knew he was lucky to be successful. He wanted to help others too!
He gave money to:
Build hospitals
Make libraries
Help schools
Protect nature
The Alaska Adventure
In 1899, Eddie took a special trip to Alaska. He brought scientists and artists with him to learn about this beautiful place.
Teaching Others
Eddie loved to share what he learned about running railroads. He taught young people who wanted to work on trains.
“The best way to be successful is to help others succeed too,” Eddie would say.
Happy Workers, Better Railroads
Eddie knew happy workers did better jobs. He made sure his workers had:
Good places to live
Fair pay
Good doctors when sick
Schools for their children
Eddie worked hard to make American railroads the best in the world. He showed that being a good business leader meant caring about people and doing what’s right.
As Eddie’s railroads got better and better, more exciting changes were coming. The whole country was growing, and Eddie’s trains were helping make it happen!
A Lasting Legacy
As Eddie got older, he thought about all the amazing things he had done. His trains had changed America forever!
Final Train Rides
Even when he wasn’t feeling well, Eddie kept working to make his railroads better. He would say, “There’s always more work to do!”
“The best part of my life was making trains better for everyone,” Eddie told his family with a smile.
Eddie’s Big Ideas Live On
Other people started copying Eddie’s good ideas about running railroads. They saw how well his ways worked! ⭐
• Taking good care of workers
• Making safety the most important thing
• Fixing things before they break
• Being kind to nature
A Special Gift
Before Eddie died in 1909, he gave a special gift to New York. He gave lots of land to make a beautiful park where people could enjoy nature.
| Eddie’s Gift to America | What It Means Today |
| Better Railroads | Safer, faster travel |
| Nature Parks | Places for everyone to enjoy |
People Remember Eddie
Today, many places are named after Eddie Harriman. There are:
️ Mountains
Schools
Train stations
Bridges
Eddie’s Family Carries On
Eddie’s children and grandchildren kept helping others, just like he did. They gave money to schools and helped protect nature.
“My father taught us that being successful means helping make the world better,” said Eddie’s daughter Mary.
Learning from Eddie Today
Eddie showed us many important things:
Work hard and never give up
Be kind to others
Make things better for everyone
Take care of our world
Eddie Harriman started as a poor boy who loved trains. He grew up to build the biggest railroad system in America! But more than that, he showed that being successful means helping others and making the world better.
Every time we see a train today, we can remember Eddie Harriman, the boy who dreamed big and changed America forever. His story teaches us that we all can do amazing things if we work hard and care about others!