Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-01-06
A Card.

MEssRs. EDITORS: / see from your paper OF
| yesterday that Jno. s. Van Glider has enjoyed
himselfwith another one of his hired serenades,
and, on tho Joyous occasion, he has delivered
himself of what he probably esteems as very
brilliant speech-which speech is reported In
your paper, and contains some defamatory re-
marks concerning me. l, therefore, claim,
through the same channel, the right to answer
his scurrllouS attack.
He charges that L was concerned in making a
certain contract for n steam fire engine some
four years SINCE and insinuates that | swindled
the corporation out of 81, 900 in the trade. Now,
sir, wish to say that the author of that asser-
ton asserts an unmitlgated falsehOod-aBd he
klOlcS it as 7ceU as do.
The contract alluded to was made, entirely,
| by the agent of Mr.. Silsby himself, and the
Board Of Mayor and Aldermen, in council as
sembled. | had nothing to do with making the
contract. Ny only connection with the affair
! is this l was requested to borrow the money
| from the citizens of Knoxville to pay for it. l
undertook and accomplished that arduous task.
The money was collected by me and erery cent
of it paid over to the proper parties, as stand
ready to prove before a jury of my cOuntrymen
What did, was done from sense of duty to
the citizens of this city. / never charged re-
ceived cent for my services, neither was | ca
pable of co nceiving or thinking of such thing.
Had have possessed the scheming proclivities
of Van Glider, probably would have acted
differently, :, and pocketed handsome sum by the
operation.
Just here let me remark that the penurious-
ness of Jno. S. Van Glider, on that occasion,
came near proving fatal 10 the undertaking.
When started out to borrow the money to buy
the engine, determined to put my best foot
foremost. and got the most generous and public
spirited parties to head the list. Consequently,
l called upon Messrs. Cowan, McClung & Co.,
and they subscribed S1000 and Barry & Nc
Dannel invested $500: next l wended my way
to Jno. s. Van Glider counting room, expect
cipal insurance companies of lhe United
States to invest at least $500 or $1,000
He invited me to take a seat, and in his
cold, unfeeling way, began his usual remarks
l was in hurry and pressed the question: and
he signed John S. Van Glider, $780," | was
mortified. I felt that would have freely given
500 to have had his name OF the list, as it was
setting a precedent for others to follow, which,
had they have done it, would almost have de-
feated me in procuring funds. | was truly hap
py, however, to find that those l called upon,
cast sneer upon the little mite, of Jno. 5. and
took pattern after more generous signers, and
subscribed larger sums.
The consequence is we now have one of the
prettiest and best little steamers that was ever
built; and | am truly proud of it. And al
though worn down by age. | run with that
machine as an humble fireman; and when the
dread fire-bell sounds alarm at midnight, l leap
from my bed and hasten to my neghbors as
sistance. / do not wait to learn where the fire
is, or whose whose house is being consumed. 1t
| matters not whether it be one of the stately
structures of Jno. s. Van Glider, or whether it
be an humble cabin belonging to an "Irishman
| or Negro" it is all the same to me. go
where duty, calls and join in with the boys"
to fight FIRE with all my might; and i have the
proud satisfaction of knowing that the COM
pany to which 1 belong have done some good
| service with our little engine. Noble little
| steamerl Thou art my pride and joy, and your
| noble namesake, JAMES g. tLUTTRELL, is the
pride and JOY of all that kn6w him best. May
! the work of this day be an addition of one more
laurel to to the, brow of our tine-honored
friend. Van elders hirelings cannot scathe
him, their l0hisky and their money will avail
| them nothing, for public justice is certain"
/ will close by reiterating that the man that
accuses me, or anybody else, with having
swindled the corporation in the trade for our
steamer, is al unprincipled slanderer:
''-N' n l. II. BARRY