National Republican., 1883-04-06
THE MAN ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Men and Measures

:" see that Judge Gresham is being des-
cribed very generally in the newspapers as
onc.legged soldier" said an army comrade of
the new postmaster general yesterday. He
is not one-legged man, although it would
probably have been better for him if he had
let his leg be amputated. He was wounded
in the left leg three or four inches below the
knee by a mimic ball, which, fractured the
tibia, and has given to the leg a decided bow
or curve. He walks with a cane to this day,
and although quite sprightly on his feet he
frequently suffers intensely from the old
fracture. For several years after the war he
was obliged sometimes to wear a Crutch.
81 was with him when he was shot July
20, 1864. Blairs corps the 18th, was feeling
its way around Atlanta to invest the city,
fighting tho enemy every foot Of the way.
General Gresham was in command of the
fourth brigade and was marching on
foot with his regiment, the 53d In
diana, through the woods when rebel
bullet struck him in the leg. There
was no regular engagement in progress at tho
time, but our forces were driving the enemy.
1t didn't seem to us like pitched battle, but
tho list of killed and wounded ran into tho
thousands.
The fighting that day was the develop
ment of the first stages of Joe Johnston's plan
to lay out the army of the Tennessee. Two
days later the confederatos hurled themselves
against our left, and then it was that Gen.
Mcpherson lost his life Joe Johnston had
been playing with the army of the Tennessee
for several weeks, making feints of fighting
only to cover his retreat until he could get the
union forces where he wanted them. Just
before he was ready to strike JEFF. Davis re-
leved him Of tho command of the army and
put Hood in his place Hood was dashing
fighter, but he could not hold a candle to
Johnston. The latter unfolded his plan to
Hood, and Hood tried his best to carry il out
and for a time it looked as though he might
succeed"
-
"The 18th corps" said tho Hon. w.
w. Curry, who was chaplain of the fifty
third Indiana, twas on tho extreme left.
The union forces were feeling their way
along to complete the line of investment and
find good place to throw up breastworks.
Suddenly the alarm was given that Hood was
advancing to attack our left. The right of
the 18th corps was about half mile
distant from the left of the 10th corps and
through this gap poured the forces of
the enemy, cutting Off the 18th corps, and
inclosing it between two lines of fire.
We had established hospital in this gap
between the corps, and having finished our
work were ready to move on. / was the last
man to leave tho place, and was debating
whether l should join my regiment or go
over to the 18th corps, which was considerably
nearer The roar Of battle grew louder, and
tho volleys increased in violence. Bullets
were flying about me like hail. At that
moment saw one of the surgeons gallop past
me and turn into bypath. l thought that was
my best route, and turning my horse galloped
after him. A minute or two certainly not
moro than two minutes-afterward Gen. Nc
Phcrson came up, and just at the point where
VIC had left the road he was shot down. We
could not have been moro than fairly out of
sight when he fell. / need scarcely tell you
did not see any more Of the 18th army corps
that night, and news reached us very soon that
it had been gobbled up by the enemy. This
proved to he untrue. The boys were in
ticklish place, however, and obliged to face
both ways and fight. They were fighting
first on one side of the breastworks and then
on the other, and the slaughter was terrible,
but they were not gobbled. The 10Th corps
came to their rescue and tho tide of battle
was changed. This was the celebrated battle
of Peach Tree creek"
s"e
The "circus" between the gas company
people and the district commissioners was the
topic of conversation in company of gentle
men last evening, and I asked local banker
to tell me something new about the gaseous
monopoly.
About the only thing know in the nature
of news or gossip" he replied, SIS that lot of
knowing fellows, who have loaded up with
gas stock at the highest figure it has ever
touched in its present watered shape--viz, 491
would like to find somebody to help them
hold on. They took on big load of
the stock under the belief that
the surplus which amounts to 100000, and
possibly a little more was to be divided up
this spring i now understand that this SUN
plus is not to be divided and that the man
agement will wait and see what the next
congress does before parting with its fighting
reserve power. Two companies are furnish
i my lhT DeblcT Bdo JHuh W. Scb W lno
of Baltimore at 81 thousand, and making
cords of money. Our people have to pay s.. 90
thousand (elastic meter measure) for prob
ably tho worst gas ever made. If good strong
company applies for n charter congress can
not have the face to refuseit. The people will
petition congress en- masse for better gas and
better rates. The management feel the storm
coming and hesitates to pay out its surplus.
| There is no telling what expenses it may be
called upon to meet next winter. There may
he such demand for stock that it will be
found necessary to expand the limit again.
The company started you know with capi-
tai of 100000. A very small assessment was
called for, yet in the course of a few
years the company put in mains and
works costing $5000o0 or 100000, and
paid such big dividends that it was deemed
wise to increase the capital stock to 81, 100000
On that basis 10 or 10 per cent was paid. The
next boost was to $l,50o,00o, on which or
per cent. dividends were returned. Then
another 100000 in stock was issued, and that
paid WELL In view of the impending fight
aud the necessity that exists for making heavy
repairs, the holders of shares who have been
buying in the expectation of sharing that
huge surplus arc liable to get left"
sss
Reports coming into the bureau of agricul