, 1881-06-19
THE LATE ELI BATES :
4 Practical Joker, on Whom the Ro,,
Once Played 1t. -:

| 4 Practical Joker, on Whom the Ro,,
| Once Played 1t. y:
The death OF Ell Bates, of the great lumbern.
firm OF Mears. Bates & Co., Of this CITY. ~.
| deeply mourued by the old settlers Of HIlx,o.
| kee, TO whom Str: Bates WIS we'll known xhs,
he was the ll2hthousekeeper Of that then an.
bilious village. The Milwaukee Sentinel rertv..
| the following funny incident In Mr. Bates 1ita
! from '' Bucks Pioneer History: :
| "The lighthouse ut the head Of Wlsoon,,,
street has famous history. II was kent n1
Eli Bates. as previously stated. known as ~ Il,
mischievous man. He was originally schoi. s
/ teacher. but, upon the erection OF the Iahe.
! OF keeper, with II salary Of sao in gold, md ns
place was a great resort for the boys. Re M
commonly called Cork Leg on account Of h.s
having one of that material. Many Of the oM
settlers now living have probably not foEputfea
the practical jokes to which they were often
subjected By the fun-lortng Eli. But Iks
everything else IN this vain world. Els pians
sometimes worked the wrong way, and
He BECAME THE VICTIM,
as the following laughahle inctdent will illus.
trate: His place, as above stated. was q qre1t
resort for the boys, not only on account a. ~
mischief plotted there, out Ell also keot wine
cakes. pies. tobacco. smal! beer and cixars'
which helped to replen!sh his not too plefhnrtr
purse. For these luxuries the boys, when shoff
of change, would play :. old sledge," or "seTeo
up." game which Ell was noe only rery food
to pass one dav. after drawing his quartef's saE
arr OF $75. that. feeling in m unusual generoos
mood. he gave an Invitation to some few Of tas
sogsnH boy n W;iam = 5nIoa F. u; az =,
TO come up that nigh and have game. Nov.
Elt's den could only be reached at that time hy
climbing -
A F1FTY-FOOr LADDER, -.
on account Of the grade of Wisconsin street us
whole. btuff being then in PROCESS Of H.
moyal; but it Was 5000 reached, and the
fun commenced. lasting until midnight,
and resulting in the boys not only win..
ate, drank, and smoked his entire stock o.
cakes, pies. wine. beer, and cigars, leaving M$-
place as bare and empty Of anything useful u
about time to seek their virtuous couohes. .h,y
started for the ladder with light heads and MI.
certain steps. and. feeling wholly fncompeteas
to make the descent to the street. In The datk,
come out In the wet, it raining hard At he tina,
did. :.
WITH GREAT DISGUST, ..
standing until all had landed Ia safety. But
when rnld that all was right, In that half incohs-
rent manner common TO those whose tongues
are thickened with whisky. his pent-up wrath:
found vent In the following classic expressions.
% yes. Its ALL r-i-g-n-t, you id black:,
legs. You come up here and win all my money!
drink all thy wine, eat all my cakes. smoke ~
my cigars. ask me to come out In the rlin and
AokA LIS I!Hol "Al't yUu ReL 3out "uEshF .thuue4
carcasseS In safety to the ground, and then tel
me It's alt right. Eli. You may go to h-l!' Il
was Il long time after thar before Ell recovered
bis accustomed equnnimlry or was able to ,gtt
his revenge out OF the boys" -
The turn In the tide OF affairs which led NJ,
Bates sn to fortune was the result af an No..
quaintanca with Mr.. Charles Nears- That gen
tleinan observed rare business qualities In shs.
llght-keeper. and engaged him as bookkeepee.
He subsequently persuaded Mr.. Bates TO 90 to
Chicago with him and establish q business thera.
The change proved Il fortunate one for the poor
liKht-keeper. For years pasr he ranked as oas
Of the mtllloaatres OF the Garden City.