The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-11-28
LAIER.
From the same. 17th.l
The Rich Men of Congress,

Ihe W aShlngtOn correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial thus sketches
some OF the monied men of Congress
There are from half dozen to dozen
men of great wealth in the present Con
gress. Some times riches represent great
and sterling qualities in the possessors-
oftencr they are the result of acquired or
inherited good luck. In outlining for
your readers few Of the millionaires Of
Congress, it is not with view Of exalting
any man because of his wealth, but to
CRAFTY reasonable and almost universal
curiosity to know the personality OF con-
splcuous or successful men.
Hon. Cakes Anes, ef Massachusetts,
came into Congress in 1862, being then,
as now, the head of one of the heaviest
and wealthiest manufacturing firms OF
New England. EVERYBODY who knows
anything about the hardware trade land
who does not?) is familiar with the tact
that "Ames spades and shovels'' are a
leading staple of the business, without a
stock of which 10 up-country store or
or oss-roads grocery III all the States and
Territories Of America is considered com
plete. Having early got "a reputation for
making good article, the firm have
made the most of it, and the stamp Of
"Ames, on spade is guarantee of
excellence so universally trusted, that
from Cape Sable to Rio Janeiro you will
find them in universal use The head
quarters Of this manufacture are at Eas-
ton. a little obscure town in Eastern Mas
sachusetts, and the profits of the enor-
nous manufacture are so large that Cakes
Ames returned an income of Sl41 900 in
1866, and about as much more in 1867.
At the same time, three other members
of the Ames family netted an income of
1925 5000, or a quarter of million be-
tween them.
With all this good fortune, Cakes Ames
is not one Of your puffed-up or purse
proud aristocrats, but homely, hearty
man of business, whose wife and family
dress as plainly as possible The Con
gresham himself is Radical of the Rad
icals believes not only in negroes rights,
but women rights, and though he never
made a speech, mot being given to that
particular ''vanity") is always found vo-
ting with the vanguard of the Republi-
cans. He is sixty-three years old, and a
bluff. heavy built, good humored, off
hand man, who has just taken the biggest
contract at railroad building, to ease off
his superfuous capital, that was ever I'M
dertaken in the world. 1t is the construc-
ton of the Rocky Mountain section of
the Pacific railroad, and involves over
thirty millions of dollars.
1t would, doubtless, surprise some very
knowing persons in the political world to
be told that Fernando Wood is million
aire. Yet the worldly possessions of the
ci-derant Mayor of New York and present
member of Congress from that imperial
city, were reckoned at 50, 900, 900 in 1868.
Here is au instance of that rapid growth
of fortune of which New York has wit
messed so many. In 1880 Fernando
Wood was a poor cigl- manufacturers
Tor manufacturer of poor cigars, which
ever the reader chooses), In one of the
lower wards of New York city. A few
years later he pushed himself into the
rroprietorship of one of the most lucra-
tive corner groceries in Washington
as West street does now. He sold ship
stores, chandlery, and last, not least,
liquor. The latter commodity being
then, as now, in prime demand among
boatmen and stevedores, and Mr.. Wood
having made advantageous arrangements
for selling to these thirsty customers on
credit, and taking it out of their week S
wages every Saturday night, he dispensed
more liquor than any other shop, and
the profits were, of course, upward Of
considerable. From this beginning,
Wood branched out into the business of
general merchant and ship-owner, and,
being gifted with great shrewdness, he
soon got command of very considerable
means. In 1871 he ran for Congress, and