New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-13
THE ROCHESTER, RING.
JARyIS LORD g. Son.

TERROR.
tFRou srAPP CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIDUsBI
ROCHESTER, April 12.-It needs a little exercise
Of imagination to mako Ring IN Rochester, mas
much as there arc hardly enough to go round.
Jarvis Lord and George ID. Lord-and there you
come to the end Of your circumference. But on tho
principle that an inch Of q miss is good a mile,
o little Ring is as powerful as great one, and has
the additional attribute of Capitalization.
The Rochester Ring is of humble origin as all tho
Canal Rings are. Not man Of the Syracuse Ring
but owes his wealth to his own exertions-and the
State and only ono of them is said to have been IN
comfortable circumstances in carly life. But the
beginnings of the Rochester dynasty were even
humber than these. Jarvis Lord, State Senator,
millionaire, and powerful politician began lie as
lock-tendcr and a captain of a repair scow on the
canal near Rochester. This is lowliness OF origin
Of which he has to be ashamed tho only
thing to be regretted il that he should have aDaI-
doned his subsequent calling Of farmer for the less
primitive of contractor. Even IN tins latter
field his beginnings modest, his first contract
being for building fence along tho canal 1t
was not until later that he reached the
canals themselves and probably not till long after
that he began to dream of his future greatness as
producer of profitable "breaks" and the most sue
cessful contractor of the State. little anecdote
told of him by of his early associates gives some
insight into his character and his methods at that
time. His friend pointed out TO him profitable
piece of work. and suggested that they should take
the contract together. "Jarve," as he has always
been called, said he would think of it, and he did
The first news that came to the ears of his friend
WAS that "Jaryen had the contract, and had begun
work alone. This discreet reserve has always been
family characteristic of tho Lords To interview"
the father has always undor the head OF rock
excavation" while the has earned the title OF
George the Mute-his taciturnity extending so Tar
rs To prevent him from offering a bill In tho
legislature where it is said he never opened his
mouth His usual plan was to hand the bill or reso-
luton privately to the Speaker who would announce
il and transfer it himself TO the Clerk. Neither has
ever been aspeechmaker but both have been adopts
in the silent work of legislation that shows itself in
the yeas and nays, but always postpones the roll
call when it can. These two men, possessed OF
limited educations, but gifted with great
natural shrewdness, have accumulated large
fortunes, which they take care not to display
in their equipages or homes or dress, have lnade
themselves n power in politics strong enough To pre-
sent Presidential candidates, simply by skillful
use of bungling and corrupt system of contracts,
and by manipulation Of Legislatures and Canal
Boards The father has served two terms in the AS
semby and is now serving his third III the Senate,
and the son has been twice member of the Assem-
bly. having been once defeated. They really com
pose the whole of the Rochester Ring. Frank n
Lord, a younger brother, is not credited with the
ability of which many assign greater proportion to
George the Mute than to his father: he Is merely
contract dummy. The only other atache OF the
Ring who has assumed any prominence Is William
Mudgett n former employee of the Lords who was
finally made a member of the firm. The other names
that have been associated with those Of the Lords in
contracts are generally those of foremen or other
i. 4 ,1,,1 thn1a
cases it was their habit to have tho contract imme
diatey assigned to of them as to retain con-
troll of the work. Some of these dummies werc
Edward w. Williams, James Bellows James NJ.
Wtsic Daniel McCiarry, William j. Rogers, Thomas
w. Arnsbury, John Leahey, John Riley, John V.
Lambert George Williams, &c. Their Albany
lobbyist and man-of-a work is William Crnnell.
The strength of the Rochester Ring is political,
while that Of the Syracuse Rig is social. In SYRIA
cuse it is claimed that the Canal Ring has never sub
United to test vote without suffering terrible re-
buke as in the defeat of Beden for Mayor and Nell
son Gero for Congress their power lies in the fact
that they have been good friends and neighbO have
gladly helped people out of difficulties, and have
gained the good will of that class society who think
that no should be punished for crime if he is
good natured The political and social strength of the
Lords is combined in tho class. They have
been "A long time in potics-the father made his
local debut before 1SJ0-and though they have
been selfish politicians, being chiefly active, after
the creed of the Canal Ring, in helping them
selves to whatever came along, they have been so
lavish with their money and so good natured"
that they have still behind them 4 faction which 10
disclosures ALLEVIATE, and that nothing but loss
of power can diminish. 1t is element that is not
to be frightened away by charges of fraud. Too
much of the money has gone through their hanus
TO allow that accusation to be either novel OF
damaging. The Lords have the reputation OF eX-
ceeding liberaliy not only at elections, when money
is to be had for the asking but in other ways and at
other periods. There many stories told of kind
nesses done and favors granted by them, that were
of a sort to bring q rich return of gratitude. This
popularity with the politicians and the lower classes
they will be long long time in losing Their friends
resent this agitation as personal assault q" How Is
the Senator !" said one of them to-day in sulky
way. "IIo's all right, if the newspapers
will only leave him alone" That's tho
way they feel about it-"a licentious press"
and all that sort of thing Then they have
adopted, besides, Speaker McGuire's enc, and de-
nounce Tilden as ambitious of the Presidency
direct method of answering charges OF fraud This
element will remain faithful to Jarvis Lord just AZ
long a. it is understood that he still controls patron
age at Albany Old politicians say that
soon as it becomes known, if it is to become
SO. that he is powerless in matters of appoint
ments his following will leave him. The fidelity of
smal-fry politicians IL "A minus quantity.
But this is said to be tho last Of Mr. Jarvis Lord.
Whatever strength he may have with his own PEN
sioners, he has hold upon tho respectable portion
of the community, and the recent disclosures are be-
lieved to have rendered his reelection impossible.
An old citizen said that it would cost 100000 to
return him to his place in tho Senate-at least four