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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 1892)
THE OMAHA 'DAILY BEE : SUNDAY. an. -TWENTY PAGES. is A WOMAN AND HER MILLIONS Hetty Grein Tolh How Sin AciumulateJ a Vast Fortune. HIE CAREER OF A PHENOMENAL WOMAN HIMT Slip I. < iiik , tlvi' null l > ri-sM---Ilor .Mnny Intrrmti mill Imrstuirnt' * Our nl tlm Kolintrk tlilK ( . 'liar- iirli-rx ill ( ( optrlnlitC'l. ' The oilier day appeared ft list of the wealthiest Americans. Seventh in It was. a woman. Those who preceded her in the category wore Vandorbllts , A si in , a Rocke feller. Too richest woman in Iho United States. It not in her ludl. idual right , at least by her own talents , Is ilotty ( lowland Kob- insoti Gicen Her estnto is valued nt $10- 000,000. Hut the truth is , that neither she nor anybody else can c tlmato its full value , and xho who knows bettor than any ono else approximately what * ho ts worth is adroit In declining to make an estimate. Hocontly n frluml ot Mrs. ( ireon nald to her , "Will vou toll nto how you made your fortune I" Mrs. Green , wno Is fur moro a woman of acilona than ot words , was nt llrst wary ami reluctant , out when satis-lied , ns ho speedily was , that the question was put in good faith , and that her reply to It would boompiocd honorably anil truthfully , she consented to toll what Is assuredly n remark able tale , the moro absorbing because Mrs. Oroon novcr before consented to toll the tale horjclf. As It was not taken down in tthorthand , but Is given substantially from memory , it may err In unimportant particu lars. In the main It is nusoluloly authentic. A riiriioliirnal Wminm' * l.ooUs. Mrs. Urcon , it may bo. well to state before the story lUolf begins , Is n phenomenal woman. Her head is shnpoly , strong and compact. It Is singularly square. Tbo aver age woman's head is low above Iho brows , broad across the oycs , narrow nt the tips of the cheek bones , round nt the blending ot check with chin , dimpled and bubble like nt the ch'ii ' Itself , howliko In the lips , with ful HOBS nnd redness , where pools delight to find cherries parted to show pearls. The average woman's ucid Is more round than square ; nnd the portion phrenologists dcslcnato Iho temporal rldgo ol Iho frontal bone that Is , the sides of iho bond from tbo ovoa to the hair line aud an Inch or two under that , Is generally well expanded. Ilotty Ilowland Hoblnson Green's head differs essentially from the head o ! the typical woman , It possesses nothing indeed of that sentimental nnd ii'sthotlo conformation which sculptors have handed down from Ureoic days as the ideal feminine head round , mild , delicate , nnd If extremely bcauliful in perlcctlon ol mold nnd symmetry of lines suggestive of imagination and taste , likely also to btwgost indecision , if not feebleness. Mrs. Green's head is shapely , but It Is square. U is almost rectilinear. Take block of good proportions ; talio n keen uatchot , square the sides , front and back , square the chin , accentuate the tips of the cheek bones , square the bumps Indicating reasoning powers and resolution , omit the dwelling on either sldo of the upper part , supposed to suggest imagination , give thi < nquuro head n firm , straight nose , n little broader at the nostrils than straight noses generally are ; thin out the lips , but leave them ruddy ; Insert sharp pray eyes , setting them buck'well under the bony gables ; raako them furtive , watchful , perhaps suspicious develop thu perceptive lines across the eyes ( iqtiiro the cntlro head now to these thii lips , keen oycs and high cheek bones , nuc ihoro Is tlio richest woman in the United States , perfectly preserved , brown in her hair beginning to gray ; her nuo , nay 5r . llu\v She Drohsun. How was she dressed , with all her wealth ? As there is scarcely a civil court fromSalom tohan Francisco in which Mrs. Green has not been plaintiff or defendant , her co.stumos are familiar less to women of Hociotv than to practitioners at the bar , judges on the bench nnd talesman In a panel. When the ques tion was put lo Mrs. ( ireon , "How did you make your foriunoi" hud ano bcon porf"ctlv rrnnk'her Instant reply would have boou , "Uy notspondlng it. " For Mrs. Green in her npnnrel , in her diolarv , in her lodgings , in her moans nud mode of transportation nnd In all her methods of transacting busi ness nnd llvinir llfo is primarily a saving woman , tier dress in cold weather is goner- orally a blmplo woolen fabric llttinp lightly to a good , almost stalwart figure , for Mrs. Green is well built , not stout but robust , and can wear u shonmudo dress moro comforta bly than most women who nro above or below medium proportions. It Is scarcely likely that Mrs. Green's ordinary gown costs more than $10 , nud U lasts an uncommonly long time , for her ousy brni'i and deft lin gers have something else to do besides look ing after the latest fashions and examining millinery in shop windows. 'lliu hlory of Her rot-tune. "How did I make my fortune ! " Mrs. Green said with amiable and yet abstracted inter est , "Well , to bo candid , I did not make it. I Inherited a largo part of It. My ancestors wore Entrllsh Quakers. A Kobinsou waTery < Tory governor of Massachusetts Hay , nnd I la Imvo the silver seal lhat attested the ofllclal ill deeds of his ofllco. 1 own the bouse not far at : from Now Bedford which ho bullion ground bo bought dirccily from tlio Indians , i was lo , eolo heir on both father's , grundlalhrr's , M : mother's , and crandmothor's .sides. 1 was born In Now Itodford , and want to school to Mrs. Lowell in lioston. Mrs. Lowell was wife lo the brother of James Knsscll Lowell , liulng my father's only child , and living nlcnu with him und mv grandfather , I grad 8t ually full into the habit of reading his busi cal ness loiters lo him and writing answers at ihe bis dictation- , and 1 acquired qulto without Iho thinking over it knowledge of the many pus kinds ot Investment In uhicn ho wus con cerned. Wo lived when 1 was urovvlng up In Sulum , on Federal street , near Iho gov ernment building. " off Mrs. Urcon's friend said vivaciously luv "Then you must have often con Hawthorne or your father must have known him in the custom house ? ' ' knd Mrs. Green shook her head. She had not BC- hoard her father mention unv ono of that BlU name ; she did not know any HiiwUiorno in rtft , .Saloni. Yet Hawthorne should have known the this daughter and solo heir of u line of 1'uvi tun Quakers. Another "moss" might have bed giown on an "old inunso. " i to "My father was ono of the pioneers ot the .00- ' industries of thu I'acillc roast , and built tlu .00nd - llrtt slicot railroad in Sun Francisco. He DUB- was largely Interested also in commerce , am " nrmy of the nhipt that came in and went out $ ut Salem ho owned or sent oft with cargoes | she I married ICdwurd Henry HITCH , whom 1 iot met through my father's connection will buncolnir Investments. Mr. ( ! rccn | wiioi TtUo still living ) was in the least India trnde ant vitu had a lurgu forluno of his own. lli.s faUioi Iwau was u judge und u grout friend of ( Japtali .Marryuit , " I and "All i" said Mrs. Groan' * friend ; ' -then you nro can tell mo something of Interest about thai tlolluhtful romancer ! " "No , " replied MM , Croon , shaking her * quuro hcuii , "I don't know unylhluif es pecially Interesting about him , Our com < HUM ( HUMt moicliil klTulra , " Mrs. Giccn went on , uftci % u brief pause , "naturally took us frequently to Now York. 1 wus murrlcd , Indeed , fron thu hoUbO of Henry Urlnnoll , In Hond street pretty fur down town now. Ludy Frank' Unlived therefor a time whllo thu cxpodl lion was gene In soaich of Sir John Frank lln. " "Ah ! " sold Mrs. Ciccii's. ' friend , again delighted - lighted at the prospect of an engaging per sonul reminlscimce ; "you saw a bcuutlfu il ueX .nit nud churnn'uir woman at u time when run ' . pathos must have been added to a person ' nk V nllty otherwise deeply ultractlvo. Do voi recollect anything ubout her ! How did * shi appear ! \\haldidshouoarl How did 8h < talk } Was she in but , of course , she was suffering the keenest tori nro concerning tin fate of her husbaud. You saw her fro ijuuntlj 1" "Y-c-3 " answered Mrs. , . Green , surprlsoc nt the caccrnoss of the questions. "Then wa'nt much noticeable about her 's I rometn t > or" for Mrs. Green is unaffected in ho llll language , uud drops unconsciously now am then into Naiitucliot und Capo Cod dialect. Nut Iriiiul of l.unyer * . "Our commercial interests were lar o am > In 1IV IV I' I oK i6 M , rt The enormous quantity of goods sold by us during the past two months , has convinced us of the "wonderful power of price. " We have there-lore decided to sell all our goods hereafter at one half our former margins , expecting the increase in sales will more than offset the decrease in profits. . " We arc daily receiving a complete new slock and all new goods placed on our floors will be marked at the lowest possible percentage of profits , This policy of selling everything at a small profit with price as the leading feature , and maintaining a good quality of goods , will make our store more than ever before the most pro fitable place to buy furniture. All goods marked in plain figures. Charles Shiverick & Co. , Furniture Carpets Draperies. . , , . 1206 , 1208 , 1210 Fcirmim St. , r . , ma rr ' ' Ht\t ' . ( UK W , jjforv- M t. ! / covered pretty nearly everything that money 11 could Do put Into. My husband was con - I nected with Uussoll & Sturges , nnd It was convenient for us to live forulimolu London. We spent seven years tnoro , and I looked after our Interests through Having Hi"- Our ship went pretty much all over the gloL and wo suffered a great deal from prlvatoer- Incdurinfi the wnr. Wo placed n great many claims with livarts , Southmuyd A : Choate" nnd Mrs. Green does not speak of thobo emi nent counselors with unquallllcd affection. Indeed , she feels deeply ngKrlovcd toward them , and was disposed to think that she should bo permitted to statelier reasons , but licrdlscieot Interlocutor declined to permit her lo do no for publication. "My fiUhor was III for n long time before Ills uoatu , " Mrs. Green went on after com- posiuir her emotions. "Ho died at 1'J West Twenty-sixth street , Now York city. Ho was able to keep his own hand on his affairs until within a year or so , but , of course , his business became very much entangled , owing to misrepresentations and deceit. Ho was resolved to provide for bis child , nnd would have loft everything in my bands bad ho been permitted to'do so. As it was , ho inndo heavy purchases , especially in realty , for my children , nnd I have Junt been out In Chicago looking after tnoir interests in the Grant Locomotive v.orns section that unprincipled people are trying to steal from mo. Chicago is an awful place , " Mrs. Green continued. "You can't trust anybody , no lawyer * and few Judges' and no Juries. They Just want to get everything out of you they can. " Mrs. Green was spot'ilie in her character ization of liwyors she distrusted and Judges she was coriuln wcto purchasable , and who excepted only ono on the United States bench and one in the state circuit court. As her experience in litigation in that city was not sufllriont to give her personal ground ! for suspicious views of thr Judiciary , it seemedihat her feelings had for the moment got the bottorof her usually calm and ran- sonnbla Judgment. Indrcd , Mrs. Green is prone to tnuo a dejected vlowof the Judiciary of the United fatntos gouoivlly , and of Amnrican lawyers she thinks even less than the Judges when she loses actions. "ll'\v Miuty .Mlllfiiiih HIIMI Vim' . " ' "Mrs. Grnon , " said her Interlocutor , "will you toll mo In what you have your millions ! And , by the way , is It proper to ask how many millions you have I'1 A fain lluihtof personal iuterestovcrspread Mrs. Green's countenance. "Well , I ain't ironic to say bow much I am worth. It ain't necessary for any ono to toll things ho don't , want to and enemies might , turn against him. No , " said the richest woman in the country , lowering her voice lest u word should bo overheard "no , I don't tell any body how mucti I nni worth. Men that have no right to know It nro mousing into my af fairs all the time , ana I mil not going to fur nish them with nny information Itaiy will use to hurt me and my children. " ' Your children ura with vou , MM , Gwnl" "Yes , two of 'em ; that U all there is Henry Howlnml and mv daughter. " Mrs. Green's devotion lo her only ton , who is slightly crippled , is intense. Uoth her , children have reached maturity , nun neither is permitted to wnstu the fortune that will bo their * to do as thev please with in u 'aw vi'nr.v Thuyoun man la rathcrgood looulng , disposed to UIKD life more ngiooably than his mother , and will cut a uhlo swath when ho comes into Ills shnru of her mill ions. ions.What do you propose to do with your BOH. Mrs. Green ! " asked the friendly caller. "Business , " was the simple * , torao nnd comnrt'honsivo reply. "Has ho special training frr business ! " "liless you , no. Jubt outof iho university. r > on't Know u thing.1 Young Mr. Green ia a graduate of Ynlo. "You are colas to bring him uu now'to business ! " "Yes ; he's 23 : ought to suttlo down. Will. " "What particular business do you propose Mr. Green shall follow ! " "Jleglnnlug now with a ca'ago factory in Chicago. " "Then n cairtagg factory is rtnoaa your properties I" "Yes , " said Mrs. Green , softening as she contemplated the great Hold of her interests. e O\rn * u ( 'arrlauo I'uotorj- , o s "Mrs. Green , how did you como to own a u carrlnco factory ! " Lent money to It bofo' the Chicago lire , t'l' ruined everybody out there. No $ . ' , fW ca'agos bought lucre for a your or two. Had to take ca'apa fact'ry to save my mawgaKO. 'Ned , ' aavs I , 'hero's a nickel lor you' street ca' f.ire. You go out to the ca'ugo fact'ry and look Into u * affair * . Door out there needs palntlu' . You buy * a little paint , put It in un old tla can lou oi 'em out ttiuro ; buy the uhoupoit brush you can a Uud , and paint that uoor. You know how mu oh the paint cost , you know how much the brusti cost. You can watch how lout ? It takes to paint that do' . Then you will know what paintlii' n door ought to cost. You BOO , if wo don't look utter these things they run away with u lot o' money. Mon swindled me dreadfully out there ropairln1 a ohimbloy. i'liDvent out and attended to it myself , and iiov. It's oil right. " "Did Mr. Grcoiuako kindly to the carnage factory ! " "Oh , bless you , ho a'n't got anything to say about such things. Ho does what I toll him. JMg concern. I look after everything iu it myself. When Ned wont out there lirst folks said the anarchists would kill him because ho is a rich woman's son. I baid'Ned don't you bo afraid. Mind you' own business ; anarchists mind theirs. Pay for everything vou want , and don't spend a cent on what a'n't of value to you. ' Got on liratratc. Why , alter ho was out there six months in that ward , way out on front yard of Chicago , among i-ollln'mills and railroad tracks , they wanted to run him for alder man. " Hill u I.Ittln of i\-or.vtlilrn : ; . "Your other Investments , Mrs. Green ! " " 1'rotty well scattered , " said Airs. Giwn , who seemed to dream pleasantly In enumer ating then -"coal , iron , copper , lead , tin , cotton , land , especially on margins of cities nnd growniG towns , where it I * nnny to hold it until time brings it into town , vil- lauoa , and nil their plants , railroads , ship ping in fact , everything it is prudent to put money In , but especially real estate. I own n sijuare mile to the west of Chicago , and thesis miseratlo people have ueon trying to stonl it from ico. To improve It I had butter train service put on between it and the city , for you know you can't got nice people to ride in cars that .I'n't nice , nnd In every wuv possible I inndo that property worth keonlti' for my cbl'dreu. ' Now these people claim that the title was not , clear , nnd that my lather had no claim upon it , and I have hud to lU'ht that for years , and i am going to keep up the fight to tlm last court , " Mrs. Grcou Is well known us a litigant. She knows ns much law as her attorneys generally do , and slta nt their table during n trial to keep them on the right tack. "Your Investments uro widely distributed , Mrs. Groen' ! " "Yes ; " and she smiled ngnln as she saw In her mind's eye the area of the globe they cover ' California , Colorado , North Carolina lina , Massachusetts , Chicago , Michigan. Ver mont , Alabama , Georgia , Florida , Now York , England , ludla , South America on , pretty much everywhere money can go and fotoh buck something. " The richest woman in the United Status wears no rings , except n couploof antinuated uands with small aim not valuable Jewels In them. No brccrfletH adorn nor arms. No diamonds ll.isu in brooch or hair. She lives , whou west , In the cheapest bololn , and on thu hit-host Uoor In the cheapest room. In Nc\v York she is well known in many board ing houses that are not expansive. That Mio has been for many yours a formidable figure in Wall street gous without saying , "Will you toll mo somuot your experiences on Wall Hticetl" abkcd her interested uc ijimiutniico. "Oh , I never speculate ! " instantly replied Mrs. Gronn , with a forty-mllllon-dollar twin kle in lior gray eye , as she looUod down oil her well worn $10 KOWII. I'Yum which it unpuurs that Ihn richest woman In thu Unlt'jd States Is not altogether without humor , "Mi-j. Green , you must taku wonderful delight in your gigantio business affairs I" "Ob , no , indued. 1 hate business. I Just attend to it lor my children's sake. I would a grt'4t deal rather Do a boeloly woman , " limillil I'miiloii * . This invalid pension law of 1800 IIUH by no moans lost it * vitality. Iurtn < , r the iUUitor | oiulint,1- September ! < 0 IlS.Bl ; ! naiiios wore added lo the iionsiion rolls under it , the total of the IIrut imymonta boliifr * ; t-.rAi,000. During the sumo iwrioil 12,1121 cages urlsinjr under the gonuriil law wuro also paBsoil on favor ably , thu total of llrfat pnymonta being about $700,000. The number of pension ers on the rolls August ill , J8- ! ) , was S'JJ.fi&D ' , while Juno HO , 1801 , It was 07(1.- ( HiO. This trreat iiunvitiio waa duo to iho law ol 1800. Hut for it ihoro would hiivo boon n reduction. While 60,037 now names were put on the rolls ( luring the quarter inonlionod the increase in the total number of pensioners bolwuon .luno ! tO nnd September 1 waa but 18,500. Tnli ) shows that the losses by death will boon exceed the gains under the new law , and that in ten year * or so u fatoucl.v docroubo in the number of pensioners nnd the cross ninount paid thorn will begin , nnd that fifty or sixty years henuo the number will bo below 100,000 all widows. HE1"1 Mu.iioip.il Oontrol anil Opiratiou Steadily Advauciiig. LEGISLATIVE ACTION IN SEVERAL STATES Ilcnv the jMiuiopiillcn Have Conililiioil to Ail vu nc n Their Intorust * anil Clicclc Unl'iivor.ililo Li'slNl.itmu Viilinililo PnuicliUrtl Siild I'ur u Snn . II. T'fcior lloeeuater in Xew I'mliul'iienilent. / . Favorable logislution has of late played no small part in iho Impetus given to municipal ownership of electric lighting. General laws allowing municipal corporations to omban : in those projects exist In Pennsylvania and Nebraska nnu various other states ; particu larly , New York. Illinois and Ohio have not been at all backward In passing private bills granting their towns such powers. Mr. Ed ward Bellamy has Just claimed for himself and his followers the credit of bavin ; ; secured - cured tlio passugo of tbo now Massachusetts law , but I do not think that ho was war ranted iu so doing. These who approve the municipali/.atton of the tnonopolios of service cannot properly ba called nationalists sim ply because the nationalists also favor the sumo. The distinction lies In the fact that tneso monopolies require for ihoir operation the exclusive iiso of some portion of the pub lic highway and can never permanently bo competitive. But to utTect this legislation the two classes Have co-opnrated and , in this Instance , with success. In demanding freedom from locislatlvo control , It was the fashion not loner ago to claim olecf.ic lighting ns the peculiar field for private enterprise , to point to our tires * rass in that Hold nr.d to Knglaud's back wardness , and to claim that freedom from legislation was the solo explanation. That thu British electric lighting acts retarded to some extent thu breakneck introduction of electricity Into the United Kingdom , it is far irom my purpose to deny. Whether this was n benollt or u dotrimunt is , however , still a mooted question. Yet since the amendatory act of IbSS , thn progress of electric lighting In Graut Urliuln has been pa less marked than our own , and the move ment toward municipal ownership is ovoa moro iiollceablo. From the report of Mr. 1'roeco , the electrician of the British postal department to Lord Jvtiutsford , under dale of December , ib'Jl , wejjqarn that The electric light l heiliK u\tonded In Ijon- don ut thu rate of oxor fi.Oji lump- ; per \uiuk Tin-in Is nut a town In Ihu I'nllu.l Kingdom uf any hi/uurcoribun.uum-0 , whli'li IIIIH nut takun thu hiilijei-l Into serious conblilurnlluu , Tumi- Inn , ilriKhtdii , ll.miot. Norlh.iiiiptoii , l.iniin- ington , It.ilh , lluanp. lluriidli-y , riiroluini , l.ynton. J.yiiinouih , OUuh.iinpioiioklnj : , , - w.iy , ShnOiuld , IllucUpviil , ( iieunciuh , tlu-oii-Tynu , Hoin ni ioulli. bi < utliimi : > tuu , llr.ulford , til Auatull. Iliisllni-'h. t'.irdlll , K\u- tur , IMinliiir li anil l\ijwl i , ; urn lUhti'd by uloi'trlulty , The curptir.itlons are doing tnu \uirk thuiiihOlMis In Illionp , lll.u-lipuiil , ll.irus- luy , llriitol , Dulilln , diuunouk , ( lliis ow , llr.ulforJ , NottlnKhuiii.'llnKhiun , M. I'anerus , Miini'liustor aim Hull , , Ironi oUhty to luu other towiij liuvu buuuri l inuvlslon.il orilurs unit lire nun coiiildorliii Mou licit touarry out the pu uii tluii itirurdud ilu'in. In this taport , wblchi/was occasioned uy thu propoiul to introJi ce electric llgat Into Malta , Mr , I'reeco concjudw : The lOHscns In favor of the Multusn Kovurn- inoiit currylnx out the work tnomsulvus are IneoutL'.sUiuHi. Thu lubtallution at St. I'uncras has proved successful beyond expectation , and the board are now contemplating fresh stations to sup ply other portion ! , of the parish. On the continent Its- , progress Is found in the dis tribution of eluclno lighting stations , but there are not a few In thu smaller cities owned by the municipalities , Tna representatives of the oicotrlo light ing corporations frequently make two con tradictory statements. In the llrst place they claim that private companies are will ing and able to take over lo themselves the existing municipal plants and to continue to furnish the same liuht at a cheaper rate. On the other hand , they constantly complain that they are making no prollts uader their present contracts. How both statements caubotruoat tbo same time Is dlfllcult to comprehend. And thu difficulty lies in this , that they tell different dories when Helling bond * ou Iho hi lock exchange and whou secklnc contracts la the city council cham ber. Erastus Wimon recently read u paper in which ho gave the accounts of a company that had for several years cleared n hand some profit , and ha maintained that the elec tric light projectors were themselves largely to blame for nny losses by reason of miscal culations of oxpotiscs and dopreciatiou. Ilo adds : The fntnro Is full ot pioinlbo for thoao un- durfikliiKs , ospccliiliy lii thu vnluo of the franchises , thu ability to fcirnMi power In lliolr cninliltiiittim with tlio SUM Industries of tliucounln , which must only bo i. iiifstlon | of tlino. anil in liiolr ubIIUy to nriimotu und to assist In thu application of electricity to btreot railway ciiternrlsus. Acaln , Sir .lohn 1'onder , in hi * report as president to the directors of the Metropoli tan Electrical Supply company , limited , of London said , nyearnco : Our working expenseIn the past nnd oven at present uro , with few exceptions , the sumo , to nil Intunls and purposeis ; they will bo xvlien wn nro hliii ; our prusunt nmxi- niuiii supply of lll.jjij llzhf > . When I .stale to you Iliad wn have made u small utoflt on the out-tin n of ; ! J.noo lights , It deus not ru- iliilio a mo it amount of Imu''iimUon to fioo tlrit It iniist , ho a very Kood buslnoss If wo oiin rondiiot 1U,0M ( lights with a foinumatlvoly small liicrc.'tsu In working o\ionsm. [ And Mr. H. E. Bunny , n loading olectrioil authority of Chicago , adds his testimony us follows : E outrlc llK'litlnz Is Iliinly lodged ninoai ; comniorclal unlorprKo' ! , und hus been far woven or more ynirs ; now. Thu Important tlnntr to pet ut Is , how does Its lorord ruail from thu Invi'itoi's itunupnliii ? Does it lank with water \\nrus. iua oiks , thu tuli'Kr.ipli nnd thu sic-aiii rullwiiy as u prodiiuor of divl- iluiuKir t'lHino-itlnniiDly It doos. All ulio are famllhtr wltn the optM-.itfons of cluutrlc iteht- Ins plants can boar testimony to Ihn faut that , notwitliitaiiilniK pr.ivo mUtiil ; < n that havi > bu'tin niiiilu In iilaunliii ; for und furnlsli- Ins Iho.orylcc , anil which linvo maturlally lussunud the nut llnancial losulis. with ono posilDlu uxci-pllon of tlu ) toiophonu , the futiiiu of no Imiinrss IIHS been nuno groutly underustlitiatcil than the o.eetrlu llijlii. From all this I think wo must coucludo that the frunclnscd corporations , in sptto of insolycncy now and then , are not in such n bad way as they would have us boliovo. There remains nrnVono moro point to bo considered the cry of political corruption. Will the assumption cf eloctrio Ii titlntf by tlio municipality , and the consequent increase in thu number of ofliceholders , tend to further corrupt our city governments ! Tbo answer Is that much uf iho present cor ruption Is the result of granting franchises to private parties , and the municipal owner ship will remove more debasing elements than it will introduce. .Tho franchisee ! cor porations nro never willing to let well enough alone. Having secured their privi leges , they nro constantly seeking now favors , and for this purpose require Influence amount the covcnimunt oHlclals , The city of Philadelphia assessed the corporations using the streets for ovorhaad wlresl par polo per year , together with n tax of $ . " for each now polo orerlod , lint oven this slight return for their privileges seemed to thorn too much. The companies refused lo pay , nud wore at last accounts lighting the Imposition in the courts. The electrical commission , on In quiry , found that the United Stale * Electric UiiKht company , which h.id bnon nirnlshln the city of Washington with "M ! lamps , each nt f'Jl'.l par year , was contrlbutini ; as taxes to tno local treasury the muiilci.Mit ! sum of ? J'J.ri annually. Similar inquiries In other cltifcs would probably give similar results. The people of the country nro not K"ner- nlly a wuro of Iho extent and Inlliicnco of the electric llehtlni ; Interests , There is a na tional association In which political purposes are by no moans lou snht uf. Of lib methods nnd work It will bo but fair to lei Mr. A. It. Footp , the iirst chairman of its committee on legislation , speak lor himself in his own words : A year ao ; llbv.t ) at thu eoimmtlor , of the N.itloii'il ICiuctr.e l.l litlii } ; iissoc iitlon thu iincstlon nas dlscnsaud or iiiunlulpal ownur- ship of ulec'trlo lljlit plants. As ti icsnll of thu p.ipurx ruad ut thu iunu. a rosolutlun was udoptud croatilis wh'it no term tint iiiition.il commlltcu on lu Ulati of which I was inndo chairman. No Instructionero ulvmi totlrtt coiiiinlttui ) . I was aiuliorl/ed to appoint onu mum her from uuuii htnto In inuMinc up the na tional cominittuo. * * In ouler to unify thu uluulrlu Interests BO they could work for their state , wo Instliiitud u movement to or- Kunl/o btatu iissoulatloiib. Thu niumUcrshlp of tlieju state associations U conllnud oxciii- slvuly to opurulln comniinles/anU tliuy uru supputud to look after legislation In their own Ntalfs , buliit ; iis-sistoit In tliolr work throiiKh thonoikof the natlotiul eominlttee. * * Ho fur us clvliij ? Instrnotlont to the coiiinillluu Is conournen , I do nut think thu coniinitluu noeila any Instruutlons. The uonenil uiulur'tunill'iK Is that the commlttuu U to tuko iManUauuu of all questions that uf > fuel your lntci 9iM , whether that legislation be iiuinlulpul orHtate. * * * To provide for Ililiiiicosnii asieisnionl Is author ud to uo made which vurlen from > i to ' 4 of 1 per cnut of thucapltall/ution * * 'J his iibHussinunt Is subject to thu order of the uxouutlvu com mittee of thn association. Ko It elves them the me nis of raising n fund. If they have use ( or It , without w.ulln : lo cull u Hireling of thu association und without much delay. They can simply tiuvu a invutliij of the executive oommktuo , order an assessment nnd collect the funds. So fur us my observation has 150110 tnuro hus been no disposition at all to hold back In the imitterof finances. * * * In mr work 1 huvo lo spend innnuv and then got It appToprmtod afterwards , no they have n uretly good bold on mu. 1 always brine In a bill for what 1 spend. Mr. Footo U candid. Ilo calls for money nnd spends It ns the emergency demands. Whether any has DCBU spent for illogltitnato purposes is not a matter to bo touched upon hero. Hut it is evident that the machinery i and fund * nro always nt bund , nnd that when money is spent llrst and n warrant procured afterwards the border line between legitimate nnd illoKitlmalo lobbying1 , faint as It Is when large mtnrosis nro at stake , Is moro liable to bo overstepped la the dark ness. The roraniltteo was particularly actlvo In its worit acalnst the Massachusetts bill granting municipal corporations power to uiidurtalro their eloctrio llghtinir. It sue- cooded in bury lair the bill In the senate In 1890. but renewed agitation , together with the decision In Iho I'eabody case , aroused " the people and forced the l"aw through the 1S91 session. Tbo report of the couusol to the Massachusetts state association forlbuO shows what was accomplished by tnat agency in one year. It roads : Several companies have del 1 veil spoolnl nnd Individual advuutuxo" by reason of their membership In tlio uHsoolution. One nns saved from competition with n new company which sought a spuoial churtur with apodal privileges , and unothor from loss of all ad- vnntiges derived from the notion of gascom- iiilssloners upon ixn apnoal from the sqluct- inen , Onu or two other compimlns , tlinu : h not dlroclly Involviid In the contioversy , would iiavo been nlTiiutod In proclsolv iho sumo way if thu legislation bought hail not been dotoated. The oriauizod lobby has thus already spread from the council chamber to the legis lative halls. It will continue to grow and in- crcaso its activity so long as private corpora tions have valuabla franchises for which extensions and exemptions mny bo sought. Governmental ownershlpof thu monopolies ot service will remove iho cause and abolish such legislative interference. His unccossnry to recapitulate tbo various advantages of municipal ownership of elec tric lighting. Kfan Mr. Poolc , tuocorporato counsel whom 1 have quoted , seems to have porcelvud that thov nro actual and existent. Ho contends that no Just comparison of privnlo and public plants can bo made so Ion ? as the lattorliuvo undoubted advantages over the former ; that the two tyatoms can not bo wolvhod side by .slue until they are both placed upon thu Hume plane. And so ho demands for the private corporation " . per- patiinl. oxcluslya and untuxod franchise. " This is individualism run wild , Wo might ns well return to the feudal system of old as to begin again to grant exemptions from the oxorclso ot govern mental powers. Our commonwealth govern mnnts Imvo already boon Hufilclently hampered by the doctrine that ovury grant of corporate powers is a contract , the impair- merit of which is prohibited by the federal constitution. Ever since the Dartmouth college - logo cnso , both thu legislatures and the courts liayo bcon busily unirauod In rcstrlctlni ; and devising means to evade the possible effects of that farrouchini ; decision. To grant feudal powers and exemptions to any private corporation is , with us , entirely out of tbo question. As yet only a few have perceived that HID most economical and oDIcicnt opera tion of an electric lighting plant rusts upon "n perpetual , exclusive and untnxod fran chise , " When the muss of the pjoplo sou thu matter in this light , when they undur- hland that those are the conditions ncuossary for the host service , there will bo litllo hesi tation In deciding to whoso hands , public or private , such power should ba delegated. To confer n franchise of this character upon a private corporation would run counter to all our traditions , to all our republican institu tions. Municipal ownership of electric light- IQI ; Is tbo ouly logical solution , IN THIS IJOTTOMS. Work of Kodompllim hy tlm MrtlioilUt JCi- worth l.t'iiK'H'rs , Tut ! SfMur Biu : recently contained an ar- tlclo oy a reporter giving vlows afoot at and In the vicinity of the dump. While It was true as far us it went , the ground was not entirely covered either by tbo gentleman's article or feet , else the sign , . ' ' ' . * ! Viu'sf .Vil'iioYiuiYuii. El'Wuiriii lt\niK ! ! MIHSIO.V. : would nave mo. his gaze , ns did the conspic uous blo3inlnc of the morning glories in their fullness of beauty over an apolocy for u bouse , though nourished by what seemed unfertile soil. 1'erhaps U would have awakened llko thoughts aud have provoked Investigation as to whether aoods sown within those doors could take root in hearts and , amid ucu uufavorabU soil for religious growth , blossom In the form of beautiful characters. Such , I am glad to say , U tha ease. ease.Tho The First Methodist Episcopal ohuroh Epwurth league , composed of a local band ot workers eager to gra p nil opportunities for helping and elovatinir their unfortunate lot- low creatures , nnd knowing tbo- great noud of paoplo to bo In the possession of Christian graces which fortify when the ills of lifa would otherwise depress , held their llrst ser vice among thu IniinUitants of "thu bottom" In the form of a Sunday school last April , with sovcn toachuM aim about fifty dirty , ragged , bai\vfootod children who Imvo hearts no blacker , however , Hum some with a moro goodly outside. That gieat Interest was taken then and otter is evidenced by the fact that an addition lo tbo house was made necessary. Older ones joining the ranks , It wus deemed advisublo lo hold a weakly prayer meeting and Sunday sorvico. which are largely attended , and a not unfrcquont occurrence is It to see ono who came to scoff remain to pray. Itovivnl services , led by prominent minis ters from the chinches , have been hold with great success , many attendants embracing : Uhrlstlunity and showing conclusively that the work was thorough. Ono young man , who had londasintul life , n few days otter bis conversion was fatally Injured by falling under n dirt wagon. His last words were a beautiful testimony to a changed life. Calls are mudo and the sick provided with medical attendance nud spiultml cncourago- mont. Work is procured for them as far ns possible. In this connection I might glvo un account of now ouo offer of a job was re ceived. Living in what onu could cnll but a small , partly covered , passably kept pen , is a wom.in with a miraculously nnght child , considering the circumstances. A prominent down-lowu dentist , friendly to iho cause , Kindly oll'creil to use him ns an oftlco boy ut a neat little sbm per week. A committee was sent to inform the mother of thu glowing future dawning upon her buy ; but her parental bosom hcuvod with umotlou ns she sialed emphatically she could not part with him thus , not knowing with whom lie was associating , " nnd she didn't ' "propose to have her boy cut up for doctors' medicine , no , sir ! " Habits of cleanliness and tidiness nro being successfully Instilled. Onu youngster , for example , instead of coming to Sunday school with but onu suspender button , novvy has two. Another llttlo 7-year-old fellow's mental equilibrium was ouo day so disturbed as to invite Inquiry. Ho hud lost his neck tie. An old rag Doing dually brought to light and iduatlllad by him as the much- loved ncnktiu , his face was suffused with smiles , and it occasioned the thought that we , too , often withhold our hand when wo could impart to others much happiness with very little oxerUon nnd bo benulltod our selves. "All who Joy would win must fthaio It ; llappmuss wus born a twin. " Preparations uro about completed at this date for thu opening of a sewing ftchou ) , In which cirls will ba taught in ' 'if ' simplest manner the cutting , making and .opalriug of wearing apparel. Owing to the proximity of the distilleries , the product of which Is like u "vlcoscon too oft , " the people embrace all opportunities of having a supply on hand at their homos , not only to drown sorrow ut the loss of a loved one , but they consider an Invitation to par- tnuo of it an act of warmest courtesy. It be comes apparent then that iho work is neces sarily slow , but not discouruging. New Jlulds nre continually opening , Iho importance of which cannot bo overesti mated , and It can bo truly said "tho harvest , is great , but the laborers are few , " It u a grand Held und should bo warmly encour aged by all , ulthor In person or by generous contributions , that iho already fruitful work begun may progress , become moro extended in Its scope , nud that a solid foundation may bo laid for it permanent church homo , if not for their souls' sake , then for humanity's ' Baku. "In faith and hope Iho world will dlaaiiroo lint all mankind's conuorn Is charity. " A WniiKr.n. Thcro con bo nothing moro tempting or delicious to servo > our guests with thuu Cook's Extra Dry Obumpatrno. I'rof. Ij. n. niako of the University of Kansas , in an article on " .Safety from Electricity , " In the last Issue of the Elec trical World says i "For buildings in cltiei , except churches and other high structures , rods , I think , are unnecessary , Lightning strikes seldom In the cltlns compared with tbo country , onu reason being that the many oluctrlo wires , telephone nod telegraph und olectrio light , uro really safeguards , A building is safer with such wires over It than without. In the country , however , building tnuy need protection. "