The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-14
OLD SALT or SYRACUSE.
A Free Hand sketch of Mr.. speaker Aivord.

| NNufIhutt NIItNINutts MS uUuUuE ENlb NHu
STOPPING shoulders and long white hair and
flowing gray beard are all in keeping with the
character OF patriarch. Moreover. no is fond
OF "reminiscences He begins a story Thrty-
five years ago. when was in tho Legislature"
and those members who wero not on earth at
that time cazo upon him with increasing as
constituent. and proceed 10 class him with the
roles OF ancient history But he WIS only GO
last month, and he comes Of long-l race.
| II IL quite among tho possibilities that he will
| live TO usher in the twentieth century. or wit
ness the completion of the now Capitol Methu-
sclah and Gen. Dix may not always stand as
| the most striking examples Of longevity.
Mr.. Alvord is native Of Onondagn. He was
born in that county. and in a town Of the same
name, in December, 1910. At Is no completed
his academic and collegiate education. and was
graduated at Yale with high honors. That was
| IN 1923. tho year Of JacksOn's FIRST election to
! tho Presidency, and the young student even
| then had developed taste for politics. and was
n stanch supporter Of Old Hickory. For moro
| than half "a century, therefore. Mr.. Alvord has
boon politician.
He read law for tmo up Mt Keosevillo. in
| Essex County. aud went thence 10 Utica, where
| he finished his studies in tho office Of Charles
T. Kirkland and William J. Bacon. Mr.. Kirk
| land subsequently made his fame in New York
ivy UNI uAlt i9N'Nll ~ Itef-
| man from tho Oneida district while their
| shrowd pupil has Just entered on u new lease
Of public life.
Mr. Alvord practised his profession for ten
years at Salina. which was then suburb ~
| Syracuse aud Is now part Of the city. In lsl3
| he abandoned the law from which he had failed
| to gain much distinction or money. and went
| into business MS u lumbcrmnn and salt manu-
| mcturcr. Perhaps his change Of occupation
| led his immediate constituents 90 call him Oil
Salt before he was christencd with that preserv-
| ing title in the Legislature.
| He made his first public appearance in
| Albany in January. 1874. IA member Of the
Assembly from the First District Of Onon-
dnra County. The election Of November. 1913.
was MS fruitful Of successes TO the Democrats as
last years contest was Of disasters. They ear
ried three-quartcrs OF the Senate districts and
elected nincty-two Assomblymcn. Mr.. Alyord's
Democracy at that time was Of the strictcst and
straightest sort. lie was pronounced Hunker.
| and. as the Hunkcrs carried the caucus and
elected Mr. Litchneld OF OnondaGa Speaker.
| the now member was we'll cared for in tho max
| ing up OF tho committees. Before the session
was over he had made his influence felt. and
/ had justified his title by increasing the power
| OF the salt monopoly at Syracuse He was not
reelected. \ shifting Of parties and Of mon.
| with perpetual struggle between the Hunkcrs
| and Barnburnors. forced him into unwilling
retirement. He vegotat"i In the shades Of pr-
| vatc life Tor fourteen years. during which time
his beard heightened and took ON the hue Of the
salt in whi,h ne dealt. while his knowledge OF
the world grew aua-c.
He retained bis relations with the Hunkers.
and once rendered them a seryi,a which called
for tho fun exercise Of his most conspicuous
MISUNDERSTANDING assurance. Tho oc-
casion was Democratic State Convention. at
| Syracuse. whore the llards and Soits were
| closely divided. but with tho Sgits In small
| minority. They had fixed on John striker Of
| Rome 20 preside over the gathering. He was
| q mild hammered man. and 1t WINS hoped that
| his presence would aliay the rising passions ~
| the opposing crowds. But when his name was
| proposed aud before the vote could be taken, "a
| Hard delegate rose up and nominated Mr.
| Thomas G.. AlVori. Will" the Slfis were voting
On the namo of striker, the Harris. IN discord-
ant chorus, voted for Alyori Sirytrr was de-
hnMNrr lNtI 0i 10, nav, came we ringing VOICE
of Fernando Wood. declaring that Alvord WIS
elected. Botn men came forward II claim Nc
scat, and sccne eusued which Will never be
forgotten 10y those who participated in H.. Mr.
stryker recognized" one dec.ntc and Mr..
| Ayorl another. and both rcsp0nd,i Wh.n me
decision oi the Chair was Demanded. While
this work was going ON largo. tall. mus'ula
man stnpued upon the platform with the deter
mined look of one commissioned to undertake
am important task. He stood not on the order
NJ his going hut went az once ~ whore Mr..
striker WIS standing, and, stiting That dlgni-
nrl srntrWgn Dos the nNpn 90 the neck and the
slack IT the trousers ho hurled him heat'ong
from the-tage 20 the door belov. twas thought
90 first taat Mr; stryN.r's neck WIS hr9.cn hul
ttnru'l outto he his trousers. The 1issu,trl
So.'s retired from The Convention with thor
| bruised loader. and nominNt"d 70 ticket 81 hnlr
own, while tine VICTORIOUS Harde went on WIN
their mnotlug. AMI Mr. Mo.d. who was credited
with putting up the loh. took ih" platform
l-nce - This WAS in 1850 With such pleas ~
episodes rs Those Mr.. Alyord wAilcl away Tie
...NH HHH 800 H 81 ] 81
At tho election Of 1857 bya majority which
could br counted on the ringers oi one hhHd
| thpSoe0nd ID strict OF OnondOgH County. HewH'
! "Old Tom AVlri % then. though he had Jus
, entered nj, iorty-eighth year when hetook hi.
/, sa9t How he anne 10 be chosen SPEAKER alte
a long an hitfor fight, need not be- told here. a.
| he has rrpened the story himself MI often dur
| Ing the past wcolS and u mas i9uni ~ way lnt'
: | thD newspapers. He enjoyed tho distinction
greatly NJ tho Time and made many friends il
all three Of the Houses. The next year he wa
In again To- enjoy tho sweets OF retirement
His grip on power has been tenacious. hut NO
A., | contInuous Ha has been in tho Assemh
i oftcn.r than any other living politician. but h
. has been compelled % watch and wait az well q
Is to serve. He found that in 1858 the Republican
# party had grown SO strong III Oaondaga Count
.. that his prospects Of future prefermer
IS whllo he remained IN inc ~, Demo ran
81 him u longcd-lor chance Ia change his potir
n, Iis would have turned sooner. perhaps. H. h
could hayo found dec,nt preteNt. But ne ma
boon such noisy bunker that he would on
have raised a laugh il he Ind come out for LII
coin in 1860. lie sezed the occasion grecdi
when 10 came A the first war meeting held !
" Syracuse nltor the firing on Fort sumter \
MP made stirring speech, in which he declare
W that he would gladly die in defence Of his coul
try Bu, on maturcr reflection he dHci led
m remain At home and accept tho Union Repu
NJ lican nomination for tho Assembly in the Sc
r. Ond District Of Ouondaga, Tho country was
~ excited at that time and Mr.. Alvord wls such
~ noisy patriot that sundry jobs which nc cnrri'
ID. through the Legislature escaped detection. Il
he wits not rctlt ted.
In Novomhcr. 1853 he WAS returned 90 Il
Assembly for 'ne fourth ume In tho cnu'
that followed "a large number OF new nembc
~ appeared, ard as they were greatly Impress
ms with Mr.. Ayord's superior knowledge To ~
ry nothing Of mis- sunerior nudarityi they nam
o., | him for Sr'akcr This was az tho beginning
~ lsGi In the fall Of that year he was rhos
'N licutcuuft- Governor on the tl'krtwi ltruh
"a T.. Frntoa. As presiding officer Of the Scni
~ he made u record which, II written up m IN
.h would bn interesting reading. But his usu
,ts fate attended him. He was not reelected.
les For somo years he indulged the hope that
Of would los tho choice of the kepuhll an party
me- Governor OF the state. and he held aloOi tr'
~ | minor places that ho might bee roady whom ca
,n ed. But when he found himself crowded %
as first by Griswod and then hy little Woodto
Me- his desire returned 10 20 back 10 tho Assent
cls He accordingly secured nomination AMI
elected in 1869. lie was there through
Tweed regime. and rendered services VIII
tho Boss lwho was not ungratefll me-