Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-10-28
Some Charges Against Mr.. Lndington.

respect as he wishes that he was.
1t is true that be has acquired a
competency, but it is true that he
owes it all to industry, prudence, bus
mess sagacity and reputation for
strict uprightness which no one has
dared to assail When be came to Mil
YANKEE, thirty seven years ago, his
worldly possessions consisted of
some household furniture worth not
to exceed s10U. He commenced bu-
siness with Lewis Ludington and
Harvey Burchard, giving his note for
q third of the capital stock. Tie
firm kept small store on the corner
OF East Water and Wisconsin streets,
and subsequently added lumber
yard to their business.
In 1851, Mr.. Ludiugtou retired
from this firm and purchased fourth
interest in some SAW mills in the Vi
entity Of Green Bay, and from that
time to this he has been maDutac-
turer and dealer in lumber. In 1857
be and his partners had just COM
pleted the first large saw mill built
on Green Bay, and were largely In
debt for it, when the panic struck
them. Instead Of doing what many
others did, they mortgsged al their
property, including their homesteads,
and paid their laborers and all their
creditors every cent that was due
them. Subsequently the investment
proved to be profitable one, and by
discreet management the firm has
prospered 10 busin ess, though it has
suffered, in common with all lumber
men, during the past three years.
Again. Mr.. Ludington is accused
of specializing in State lands, and it
is specifically charged that be de-
frauded and oppressed honest settlers
in Buffalo county. The tact is that
be never had in interest, directly Or
indirectly, in an acre of land in that
county. The only State or schoollands
that he ever owned is a tract of pine
land in Oconto county, which belongs
to the firm of which he is a member
n this connection there is an inter-
estlng fact that may be mentioned.
A prominent Democrat who owes a
fat position to Gov. Taylor was
ins tructed TO lock over the records
and expose the land speculatiOns of
Mr. Ludington to the gaze of an in
dignant people. He obeyed orders
and made dlligent search, but was
compelled TO report MS the result CT
his investigations that Mr. Ludington
bad not been engaged 10 any land
specuIations. But of course the
Democratic papers will not permit
little disappointment of this kind to
prevent them from repeating the
fslsehood.
Finally, Mr.. Ludirgton is charged
with being railroad stock holder
and monopolist. Perhaps this is
the most impudent fabrication of the
lot. Mr. Ludington has long and
consistent hostility, not to railroads
but TO frauds in their construction,
and to extortions and discrimina
tons in their management. At the
time when the Milwaukee and Mis-
sssippi railroad was commenced, he
subscribed all that he coull afford
and subsequently, came into posses.
sion of about $4,000 of stock
While holding this be found reason to
suspect that some of the directors
living in this city were using their
position for private ends. AT the
next election be eraced the name Of
every one of these from his ticket,
and voted only for the county d.
rectors. He afterwards became so
dissatisfied with the management OF
the road that be sold his stock at q
sacrifice.
Mr.. Ludngton always discouraged
farmers from giving mortgages on
their property to aid in construction
of railroads, and many of them living
in this vicinity will remember what
losses they would have avoided if
they had needed his advice. He was
foremost in denouncing the Lake
Superior and Green Bay railroad as
great swindle, and, as our citizens
now pay their taxes to liquidate the
bonds issued by the city to that
fraudulent corporation, they should
be reminded what they would have
been spared if his counsel had pre-
vailed, In 1861 be was elected
alderman, and in that capacity his
stubborn opposition to one of these
railroad steals was effectual in bring
inc about compromise that saved
the people of the Fourth Ward over
$50, 900. In 1862 he was candidate
for re. election, and the railroads put
forth every effort to defeat him.
The result was that he had a ms
iority of eleven in q vote of 800
This was looked upon as great
victory over the railroads, and was
perhaps, the first reverse that they
ever encountered in this city. And
while Mr.. Ludington bias contributed
out of his private means toward The
building of railroads, he is to-day the
owner of only single share of rail
road stock.
Mr.. Ludington is self-made mar
ia the best sense of that term. Be
ginning life with no other capita
than his talents and energies, be il
the head of large numbering firm
which disburses $1,000 a day, EN-.
ploys 400 men, and consumes every
year $50 tons of hsy and at leas
10000 bushels of grain. He ha,
achieved this measure of saccesl
wholly by industry, frugality, inleg
rity and keen foresight, and these ar,
needed in the Governor of Wlscon
sin. = Milcdukee Sentinel.
nag To the ertent that Congress ha
conferred potoer upon me to prevent il
neither Ku-Klur KlanS, Whtt
Leagues, nor any other associate,
using arms and rioience to erecute thei
unld1ptul purposes, can be permitted ii
| That ,s1v {o 1a,.er,a 0N31 5au~f IF }bs