Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-02-15
AMIzIxHPRnnIGLLTTY-

MeiggS, the American Spendthrift-
Railway COntrOetS By the Ten Mil
lion Dollars.
IAN American Peace Maker" ap-
peared in the Pitts. Commercial, re-
lating to the success of one Harry
Meiggs, of California, as q railroad
builder in Chill. Futher facts Of inter.
est aboutthis truly extraordinary man
are given by the Milwaukee Sentinel,
on the authority, Of private letters from
q nephew of Hon. Levi Hubbell, of
milwaukee. From these it appears
that Mr.. Meiggs has transferred the
theatre of his gigantic Operations
from Chilli to Peru. From the same
source we obtain some knowledge Of
the grand scale upon which he con-
ducts his beneficent enterprises. HE
gives away" says the letter writer,
"and spends a vast amount of money,
and entertains forty or fifty every
day to dinner, am told. In the con-
tract for these railroads he agrees to
take in payment Peruvian bonds at
seventy per cent, and not long since
received SEQ. .0O0, 900 from the govern
ment in bonds, which, when paid in
European market, sold at eighty-two
per cent, clearing for him over seven
million dollars. He at once notified
the Peruvian government that he was
willing to divide the profit, and that
it might have all the bonds brought
over seventy-nine per cent. Still he
makes over five millions, and increas-
es his great popularity by giving away
about two millions"
Speaking Of the decoration Of the
the houses in Lima on the Goth Of
July, the Peruvian Independence
Day, Mr.. Hubbel says: Henry
Meiggs lives in the largest house in
Lima, and it was literally covered
with flags. While stood looking at
his house In the evening and admir-
ing the manner in which the gas
lights were placed, (fOr the outside Of
the house was covered with them,
grouped and arranged in every con-
ceivable device), the man who put up
the pipes and globes accOsted me and
said Meiggs gave him 81, 900 for put
ting up the lights, not counting the
gas itself" On the opening Of one OF
I his roads Meiggs paid an artist SIS, 900
/ for taking three large Photographic
views Of the excursion train, at differ
ent points on the road.
In a letter from Callao, dated De
cember Is, Mr.. Hubbell says: On
New Years Day one Of Mr.. Meiggs'
railroads, from the coast to Arequips
! (the second city in Peru and some dis
| tapee south Of herel is to be opened,
it being now completed. Mr.. Meiggs
has invited several hundred friends to
/ 20 down with him, and the trip will
cost him at least fifty thousand dol
lars. He pays twelve thousand dol
lars for a steamer to carry down the
party, besides furnishing everything
This mornings paper announces that
q contract for new railroad, amount
ing to five millions, has been awarded
to him, and ! know he is about to gel
another for forty millions. He doe
an immense amount Of good with his
money, for besides giving employ
ment to so many thousand people, h'
is developing this coast Of South
America, which but for him woulC
probably not have made such ad
vancement in many years to come a
! it promises to do now. He gives AVA
in charity q fortune every month, 70
no American ever goes to him desti
tute without being relieved, and b
places under wages many men whom
he has no use for, but whom he think
need assistance.