Nebraska Newspapers

    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. "