494
Hildevert Hersent
"H. Hersent has the pleasure of putting on 10,000F
(current 200.000F)
at the disposal of Mr. Hausermann
and asks him to tell him where he wants to touch them
Or if he wants to buy some money?
And what?" (early 1901)
Georges Hersent, circa 1910
It was successively directed by its founder (died 1904), its two sons, Jean and Georges Hersent (from about 1904 to 1925), then by the two grandsons, Gilbert and Marcel Hersent (until the 1950s), then by a great grandson, Claude Hersent.
So it was this family business that hired four people from my close family, my grandfather, his son and his two sons-in-law:
Daddy, my grandfather, hired in 1891, dealt mainly with Hildevert and then Jean and Georges Hersent.
My father, Jean Cordelle, hired around 1923, mainly knew Gilbert Hersent.
My uncle, Geoges Chedal-Anglay (who was a long time at the port of Piraeus in Greece for the Hersent, around 1925 to 1935), knew Marcel Hersent rather.
Finally, my uncle Jean Hausermann (Toutouni) also worked for Hersent between 1927 and 1946 (in Bizerte, in 1927, then in Verdon 1928/31, then in Argentina, in Rosario 1931-41, and finally in Buenos Aires 1942-46).
This company experienced its greatest activity between the two wars. It was then heavily handicapped by the war of 1939-45, which broke its ties with activities abroad, and which caused it to lose its French activities, having not wanted to work for the Allemends. It did not dismiss its main collaborators and lived on its capital. After the Liberation, despite the reconstruction work then those related to the economic development of the "Trente Glorieuses", it has not regained its old place in public works, gradually converting itself into a capital management company (in particular Financial of the Port of Rosario, Brasseries Quilmès, etc.).
See a study by the Central School on Hersent.
Daddy From 1891 to 1924, he worked there with a strong friendship with the Hersent family. These ties with the family continued without clouds My father, Jean Cordelle, slightly more difficult with my uncle Georges Chedal-Anglay who nevertheless made his entire career there, and ties that broke up with my uncle Jean Hausermann who left Hersent after the war and the inevitable difficulties of a 5-year separation between the French leadership and its representatives in Argentina.
A portion of the essential correspondence between the Hersent and Daddy was retained between 1904 and 1911. To understand it, it is necessary to remember that the value of the franc (called free gold) of the time had been stable for generations, if not for centuries, and only began to devalue itself from the 14-18 war. At that time 1 Gold Franc of 1910 was worth 20 F present in 1999, provided that these reports have a meaning, they are orders of magnitude.
The distance and the time frame for travel and mail must also be seen: 3 to 4 weeks of boating between France and Argentina, exceptional communications by cablegram. The plane did not exist commercially before the post-war 1945, except exceptionally. The air mail began to pass regularly in the 1930s.
Here's a check card for a daddy:
"EUGENE HAUSERMANN
Engineer of Mr. Hersent
This was maintained:
-- A map of Hildevert Hersent, (against) giving back 10,000F ( 200 000F, down payment on results Tunisia, (again), dating from the beginning of 1901.
-- One letter from Hildevert Hersent of 11 June 1901 (page 4941), increasing its monthly supplements from 500F to 1000F as of June 1, and announcing a profit sharing.(Daddy has been director at Bizerte since November 1897).
For information (a small handwritten note by Daddy) it is also known that his contributions have varied as follows:
Nov. 1891, Bordeaux, Paris, Lison: 200F per month
August 1897, Toulon 350F per month
Nov. 1897, Bizerte 500F per month
June 1901, Bizerte 1000F per month
June 1904, Dakar 2000F per month
July 1905, Rosario 1500 pesos or 3300F per month +4400F per year for logt.
April 1906, Rosario 2000 pesos or 4400F per month +4400F per year for logt.
leave in France, 6 months in 1912: 2200F per month
Early 1913, in Paris, 1960F
Then, in Paris???
-- A letter from Hildevert Hersent of 1 Oct. 1903, giving back 25,000F, new deposit on Bizerte results.
-- One letter from Jean Hersent of 21 December 1904 (page 4942), serving as a contract for working conditions in Dakar (Daddy was director there from June 1904). This letter is lined with black as a sign of mourning, because Hildevert Hersent died shortly before. The letter specifies his contributions and his share of the profits of 7%.
-- One letter from Georges Hersent of 29 April 1905 (page 4943)he plans to entrust him with work in Rosario, Argentina, a little delicate conditions, but situation full of promises of the future. He leaves for Argentina on 28 June and proposes to him to take (possibly with his family) the same boat that stops in Dakar at the beginning of July.
-- The May 9, 1905, Eugene Hausermann confirms by letter (page 4944) The telegraphic agreement, indicates that he will be boarding in Dakar, but that his family will only join in a few months, having business to settle in France before several years have passed.
-- On May 27, 1905, by letter, Georges Hersent acknowledged receipt of the agreement of Daddy.
On 20 July 1905, Georges Hersent and Eugene Hausermann arrived in Rosario and the Hausermanns settled there for several years, without any forecasts of return. Eugène Hausermann was interested in profits for 10%.
-- The 7 March 1906, Eugene Hausermann wrote to the two Hersent brothers (page 4945), explaining the difficult situation of the site, and also its personal situation. He wishes to improve or envisages not being able to stay in Argentina. He will do as much in any case so that the site progresses in the best possible conditions. The letter is very pessimistic and arrives around 4 April 1905 in Paris.
"In the meantime, the Hersents had written the 27 March 1906 a letter (page 4946) which arrived only around 24 April 1906. The Hersents were satisfied with the efforts made in Rosario, and gave Daddy 25,000 F as a down payment on the results of Bizerte, Dakar and Rosario.
"On April 4, having received the worried letter from Daddy of March 7, the Hersent sent a encrypted telegram to Rosario, giving permission to Daddy and announcing their letter of March 27 which had not yet arrived in Rosario."
-- On April 9 and 12, 1906, Georges and Jean Hersent wrote (page 4946) Personally to Daddy with the objective of completely reassuring him by stating why the work in progress should have a satisfactory end in all respects. The future has shown that they are right.
-- On April 25, 1906, Daddy replied (page 4945)to letters of 27 March and 4 April expressing thanks for the confidence shown to him.
"A few months later, on 30 October 1906, the Hersents sent Daddy the following encrypted telegram:
"Hersent Rosario - OLOMMEREN ZETIJZER FELICITONS."
which means "Congratulations - We are addressing you- 20,000F"
It seems that a significant step in the construction site motivated this shipment.
-- at the end of 1906 and early 1907,
Hersent is reporting Sidi-Abdallah, Bizerte and Dakar (page 4947) And give Daddy the sum of 40,000F for the balance. In total Eugène Hausermann will have received as a reward and % on the profits on these 3 cases a total of 117.000F, i.e. 2.3 million present, thus detailing itself according to a handwritten note by Daddy:
Nov 1898 12.000F
May 1901 15,000F
Oct 1903 25 000F
March 1906 25 000F
Jan 1907 40.000F
The Hersents, total 119.000F but they are not sure...Daddy did not dispute it, he was not to be within 2,000F.
-- The 9 July 1907, Georges Hersent writes (page 4948) In fact, the company is now in a position to pay off its share of Rosario's debt. Dady plans to work half in Rosario, 20,000F in Rosario bonds, the rest in Chinese, Japanese or other securities.
-- The 14 September 1908, Georges Hersent writes (page 4948) He asked him to find out about plans to extend the port of Buenos Aires, and if he could take care of it later.
- Daddy answered on October 15, 1908 (page 4948)in detail, describing the promising visit of the Argentine TP Minister and the unsuccessful attempts of the Public Authorities, "wholly acquired from the English", to challenge the concession contract of the Port of Rosario Corporation.
He also informed about Buenos Aires' plans, but he wished not to commit himself to Argentina for many years and gave the reasons.
-- The 12 January 1909, Jean Hersent writes (page 49490) He asked Daddy to arrange a meal for his own account to water his decoration. He paid Daddy his compliments for the good work.
-- The 28 October 1909, Georges Hersent His congratulations on the completion of the foundations of the upstream wharfs and his down payment of 100,000F.
-- The 29 October 1910, Georges Hersent authorizes A new levy of 100,000F for the participation of Daddy, which thanks on 26 November, previews to keep 50,000F in Argentina and 50,000F in Rosario bonds. It seems that, for Daddy, the conditions for subscription of these bonds were particularly advantageous compared to their stock exchange price.
-- late 1911, G.Hersent pays a new deposit of 100,000F on 31-10-1911, Daddy thanks the 30-11-1911 (page 49493), and talks about his next return to France "After 14 years of hot countries."
The Hausermann returned to France in March 1912, took 6 months off to treat themselves and rest (Daddy was sick of the liver, Nanny had malaria).
Later, Eugene Hausermann worked at the Hersent headquarters, 60 rue de Londres, as technical director until his death in February 1924.
There are no indications of his income from 1913. As a result of the gratifications on the work of the Port of Rosario, he apparently received from 1906 to 1911 a total of 520,000Franks-Gold, or about 10 million F 1999.
It is also known that the acquisition of the Château de Vierville cost him 137.000Francs-Gold in 1910 and 1911, not to mention the works and furniture.
- One. map of Georges Hersent, 31 Dec 1925 to Nanny a sum of 68,000F for a project he had directed.
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