The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-02
zACK CHANDELIERS HEROIsM.
How he saved the Life of his Little Dnssh-
ter, and what he suffered in Couse-


How he Saved the Life of his Little Dnsgh-
TER, md what he suffered In Couse-
auence.
Robert Creighton, personal friend
of Secretary Chandler, OF the United
States Interior department, gives, in a
letter to the Danbury NetOs, this inter
esting account OF an incident in the life
Of the latter which explains the sanguine
hue of his face:
Perhaps you would like to know some
thing of Zack Chandler. = You and
have heard and read great deal about
him, and it's time we knew something
of him. He is great big man, over six
feet eight, and about sixty years old.
He and Horace Greeley were born with
in a cat call of each other, and still no
single man did as much as Zach Chand-
ler to defeat the philosopher for the
Presidency. He has q numbering, heavy
walk, of certain stride and steady gait.
He carries an alternate white and red
face in front and high, cane in one
hand and bundle of piper in the other.
He never walks for pleasure. He is al
ways on business. He Spits every eight
minutes-always to the left, seldom
straight, and with the same regularity
that punctuates his every action. High
and in front, like the fgurehead on a
great ship, he carries his great, broad
head and variegated hce. On a cold
day his countenance beams almost like
the red glare of locomotive headlight.
Ninety nine men who pass him on a
frosty morning make ninety-nine re-
marks freighted with the information
that cold Zach has had his bitters. I"
But how this world is given to lying
This red face has history, this crooked
splitting has reason, and will give you
both.
1t is now seventeen years since Zach
ariah Chandler, being remarkably success
full in business, built for his family q
new and elegant housein Detroit. When
nearly finished he moved into it. On
the first evening, Immediately after the
gas was turned on and lit, the smell of
the escaping gas aroused the family and
servants, and search was made for the
leak. The daughter, now Mrs. Hale,
then child, with lighted candle, de-
tected it in closet off the back parlor.
The father knowing the danger of an ex-
plosion, hurried to the closet with SER
want, took the candle from the daugh-
er's hands and shielded her just in time
to receive the full blast himself, burning
his head, neck and hands almost to a
crisp. The nose, ears, eyes, lips, and
flesh of the face were SO completely
cooked that old Zach embraced the op-
portunity and murmured through his
blistered lips: I" Bring on your canni
balls. I'm cooked" A physician was
Immediately sent for, who after few
moments examination shook his head in
the most unhopeful manner. With a
fortitude which characterizes Mr.. Chand-
Ter to this day, he submitted to the ex-
animation, and at the close demanded to
know the worst. The physician, DR..
Clark, wisely endeavored to postpone
the giving of his opinion until the next
day, but Mr.. Chandler insisting, the
doctor reluctantly answered his ques
tions.
Well, doctor, my nose feels bad.
How about it ?"
Mr.. Chandler, you'll lose your
nose"
And my ears, 1 suppose, too2"
81 am sorry to say, yes; they are
completely cooked through"
my forehead-hov about that 2"
"Well, I don't see how the skin will
ever grow there again.
My lips ?"
:" The upper lip, Mr.. Chandler, 1
shall have to take almost completely
off"
"That's bad, for man to lose his
upper lip. Won't the under one do 2"
al am sorry to say, I shall have to
remove portion of that also."
"Eh Well, go on"
"There, that will do. I'll know bet
ter in the morning"
You can't leave me until know all.
Go on, doctor, anything else2"
The doctor hesitated.
Go on, doctor, my eyes :"
Your eyes2"
"Yes. Go on"
6" Mr.: Chandler, you will lose the
sight of both eyes,"
That's enough, doctor, you can go
now."
Nearly O year passed before Zachariah
Chandler was seen on the streets of De-
troit again. No one could recognize him
except by his voice and immense frame.
His face, once round, full and muscular,
was shriveled and muscleless. His
heavy jaw, indicative of frmness of
purpose, was almost without shred of
flesh. And as he said himself, he was
"the most thin-skinned man in the
whole Northwest
Such is the history and the reason of
his red face and crooked splitting.