Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-02-02

liquor, and even went so far as to
produce a bill of goods from one of
our merchants, which, he insisted,
was temperance pledge, and with
tears urged his friend to sign it,
promising to stand by him through
"thick and thin," if he would do SO.
It is needless to say that the tem-
perance man didn't "sign."
Inoidents In the Life Of James
Fisk, Jr.
In the strange, eventfal history
Of the extraordinary man, who on
yesterday morning bade farewell to
life, its pomp and vanities, there
were many remarkable chapters
1t would be strange, indeed, we're it
not SO, for no man can rise in few
years from comparative insignifi-
cance to great wealth and wide ce-
lebrity without the performance of
acts bearing the stamp of genius.
The story of the elder Roths-
child's journey from Brussels to
London after he had been assured
of the overthrow Of Napoleon at
Waterloo, and of his immense and
successful speculations there in con-
sequence, is well known. But
James Fisk, Jr., conceived and exc
cutcd an equally brilliant stroke at
the close Of our war of the rebell-
ion, the particulars Of which, we
think, have never yet been publish
ed. With that sagacity which dis
tinguished him in all his career,
Fisk saw that when, on the Sd Of
April, 1865, General Lee was driv-
EN- from Petersburg, his surrender
could not be far distant.
He Immediately went to Boston,
consulted with some Of his financial
friends and made them partners in
his scheme. This was to get the
news of the surrender of Lee and
collapse Of the Confederacy for
use on Change in London in ad-
vance of the mail. 1t will be re.
membcred that the Atlantic cable
was not then laid. A small, swift
steamer, formerly a blockade run
ner, was purchased, fitted out and
sent to Halifax in ballast. Neither
the captain nor officers of the steam
er knew her destination. The Sc
cret of her mission was solely
confded to an agent Of Fisk, who
was the only passenger on board
Steam was kept up day and night,
and everything was in readiness
for start across the Atlantic. Days
went by, and still the steamer lay
quietly in the harbor at Halifax,
awaiting the expected message from
Fisk. At length it came. If James
Fisk, Jr., had tried his best he
could not have indited a shorter
dispatch. 1t was dated at Boston,
| signed Fisk, and contained but one
word
| scot"
The blocade runner started
for Queenstown Immediately, and
got there two days ahead of the
mail steamer. The agent spceded
across Ireland to London and com.
nenccd his operations. BefoN
twenty-four hours elapsed he sold
"short" (that is, sold what he had
not got) $5,OOO,OO0 in Confederate
bonds. He had orders from Fisk
to sell as long as he could find buy.
ers, but was restrained by one ol
the Boston men, who was cursed
with prudence. But the operation
was pretty successful; the "syndi.
cate' divided between $3,OOO,00O
and $4,OO0,OOO, the proceeds of the
Speculation" This was lift fol
James Fisk, Jr., which was very
welcome.
Another incident in his career il.
lustrates his fertility of resource
whencloscly cornercdby powerful
opponent. Vanderbilt had grown
jealous Of Fisk, and determined to
crush him. The readiest way to
do that, he thought, would be by
destroying the business of the Erie
railroad. With this end in view
be issued an order lowering the
rates on freight from Chicago and
asked Erie to do likewise. Fisk
asscnted, and cattle were conse.
quently brought from the west in
great numbers and at small COST
By special agreement the rates on
Vanderbilt's line and on Fisk's
were made uniform. After a few
weeks, however, Vanderbilt showed
his hand. Giving the Erie officers
short notice he broke faith with
Fisk, and announced that for 20
days the freight on the Central
Railroad for cattle from Chicago
would be $3.50 per head instead OF
81. He expected to crush Erie by
this move, but he reckoncd without
Fisk. The latter made no altera.
tion in the rate on the Erie road,
but quietly directed his agent in the
west to purchase 10000 head OF
cattle and send them by Wander.
bilt's route. The cattle were soon
purchased, and Fisk had the pleas.
ure Of seeing Vanderbilt carrying
freight for him for less than the
cost of running trains. Of course
the Commodore soon grew tired Of
fighting against such odds, and the
rates were again raised to those Of
the Erie. Fisk cleared 500, 900 by
this transaction direct from the Cen.
tral. But this was not the full ex-
tent of the damage done the Com
modore. When the Central was
blocked with Fisk's 10000 head OF
cattle, the Erie was open and trans
porting other freight at it's own
rates.-N Y. Herald.
"Spelling Down" Old Times Re-
From the Titusville Morning Herald.
We met sleigh.load Of boys and
girls the other night q few miles
out Of the city, on their way to a
spelling match" in the school
house Of a neighboring district,