The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-09-14
f. 4. RURKE,s RECORD.
New Orleans Democrat.

nave entalleu upon QUIET hicu, i' h"'
raised up enemies and detractors
about him and made him the target
of a great many misrepresentation.
The class is not large one and the
Interpretations have not very
numerous or influential constituency,
but the situation fully justifies this
effort to place him fairly before the
public. He is now the regularly
nominated candidate for an office
under the State government, solicit
ing the suffrages of tue whole people
of the State. He has gone beyond
the local field in which he has moved
SO long, and in which an advocacy |
of his claims would, at this late day,
be unnecessary and of doubtful taste.
In this move, his friends feel that he
ought to be attended by a plain and
straightforward statement of his
personal and political record, not at
tempting to disguise the fact that it
comes from his friends and is made
distinctly in his interest, yet ADLER
ing 50 rigidly to authorities within
the reach of all that any and every
citizen will be enabled to detect the
smallest departure from the truth.
1t would not be becoming and it is not
the purpose of this article to say or
imply that the opposition tn Major
Burke is inspired solely By personal
enmity and prosecuted by malice.
No such idea is entertained. The
idea in view is simply what has been
lust described-to present truthful
synopsis of Major Burke's record, SO
that every voter in the State may
have the material for reaching AN in
dependent Judgment.
+. A. Burke was born September,
Is4l, in Louisville. NY. and comes
of fine Irish family, his ancestors,
for three or four generations. back,
having been officers in the British
army. His grandfather, however.
was engaged in the Irish rebellion
and escaped to this country. His IA
thei was. born in Bontelour county,
! Virginia, and his mother in Culpep-
per. After leaving school, Burke
became interested in the railroad
business; first around Louisville,
and afterward, by successive promo
tioms, down To Louisiana and finally,
lust before the breaking out of the
war, to Texas. Though only about
nineteen years of age, he at once
abandoned business in which his
talents and industry were rapidly
winning power and fortune and cast
his lot with the Confederate army
For his services in the neighbOrliood
of Galveston he was cOmplimentet
and promoted by Gen. Magruder
Subsequently he laid before Gen
\ Kirby Smith. commanding the Trans
, Mississippi department, the scheme
of that vast system of military work
shop which won the Generals admi
ration and which was just attainin,
complete development when the wa
closed. The time intervening be
tween that event and his advent II
New Orleans, was spent in bushes
ventures which are not important Il
this connection, but which, as Majo
Burke has already had occasion t
f show, were thoroughly creditable Z
his ability and good faith.
Burke's beginning in New Orlean
has long been a familiar bit OF his
tory with this community. Arritin
without money or friends, and ami
mated By single minded desire t
cam his living at whatever offere
first. Burke found himself applyiu
for work at well known marb'
ward. He obtained the employmer
he sought, and set manfully to worl
chipping stone alongside of a colore
brother. Doing that, as he doe
everything, with hearty good WI
IS and with an honest desire to exec
he soon attracted attention, secure
an increase of pay, and.fnally prt
x.l motion. From that time his fortune
began to mend, and the year Ii.
found him in charge of the frelgl
business of the jackson railwa.
where his administrative ability Ina
found a congenial field, and borne
rich harvest of success and popular
tx for the road. The merchants
this city will bear testimony to Il
correct and equitable system he Il
troduced for the adjustment of clall
and compensation of damages, al
~ to the expeditions and satisfaction
manner in which all the business n
der his control was transacted. tn
s period also found him taking an a
tive part in politics. 1t was in I'll
year that he received the regul
nomination for Administrator OF Ii
provements, although, owing to {
putting forward of an independe
~ candidate in the person Gen. Bea
~ regard, the Republican nominee W
elected. Major Burke, however, 7
ceived within 1900 votes OF his d
tinguished competitor of the tot
Conservative vote of 8,OOO. All
nd this. though still holding his SITUATE
in the jackson railroad company, a
discbarging his duties with undimi
'h' ished energy and effect. Maj