Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-09

ry of the first discovery Of Chicago
and of its occupation by white men
The first event took place some time
about the close Of August, 1878, 2Oi
years ago last month The fou
mont hs' residence took place in the win
ter Of 1674-5."
Some "reminiscences of siDetcctivt
Pinkerton are contributed to Harper
by General r. B: Marcy, in the cours,
OF which he tells an interesting story
OF railway experience. On certain
railway the officers thought the conduc
tors were pocketing- knocking down
too large share Of the receipts from
passenger fares. Detectives were EN-
ployed, who demonstrated the fact tc
a certainty. The Vice President, there
fore summoned one of them before
him when the following dialogue en-
sued
"Mr.---, how long have been en-
ployed as conductor on our road -
about seven years, sir"
"What pay have you received during
that time p
"Eight hundred dollars a year.
''Do you own the house No. -
upon --- street %
Il do, sir
"Have you other property in this
city?''
Il have"
"What is its talue?''
Well, sir, can t tell precisely, but
it is considerable.
"What estimate do you place upon
your entire assets %
''Something like $4,000"
"W ere you the owner of any portion
of this property when you entered our
service %
"Not a dollars worth, SIR
"You have family to support, [
understand p
Il have wife and three children. ,
"Will you do me the favor to inform
me how you have been able in seven
years to support your family and accu-
mulate a fortune of $40, 900 upon a
salary Of SSOO?''
Il have not the slightest objection
to answer your question, Colonel s.,
provided you VIII suffer ME first to pro-
pound few pertinent interrogatories
to you"
'Very well, sir, I've no objections
What are they =
"Will you, then, be so kind as to in
form me how long you have been CON
nected with the - Railway?
"Something like ten years"
"What, allow me to ask, has been
your salary during that time -
Il suppose it may have averaged
about $4,000 year.
"You have family to support, if |
am not mistaken!
"les, sir, | have a family
elf it is not an improper question,
Colonel $; wilt you suffer me to ask
what is the amount Of your fortune p
"Well, sir, [ don't t know precisely,
but it is something handsome
"Would you estimate it at half a
million dollars, Colonel %
eyes, | dare say it is
THAT being the fact, sir, if you viii
do HE the favor to disclose to me the
secret of TIE process by which you
In ten years, have been able to trans
mute $4,000 into ten times that
amount, without any visible means out
side your salary, [ will most cheerfully
tell you bow | have managed, by turn
ING an honest penny now and then, to
amass the comparatively insignificant
amount [ have named"
''That is all very wen,' replied the
imperturable Vice President. "but you
seem to have forgotten that there is a
slight difference between your status
and mine upon the = Railway, in that
you are responsible to me for stealing
the company's money, whereas [ am
not accountable to you for my transac
tions. In view of this fact, it now be-
comes my duty to inform you that your
services are no longer required upon
our road
The facetious conductor probably an
ticipated this result, and with his char
acteristic GOODNESS remarked : ''In that
event, sir, it may at some future time
become necessary for me to seek EN-
ployment upon another road. Would
it be asking too much for you to give
me letter sitting forth your estimate
of my ability to perform the duties Of
conductor!'
eff you desire it, [ certainly have
no objections to giving you testimo
NAL to the effect that [ look upon you
as the most unscfdpulous and unblush
ing knave that has ever disgraced the
catalogue of our employees, and that
any company having anything to do
with you will be morally certain to be
robbed"
Our Free Lunch.