The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-02-21
GOTHAM CHAT.
Abont Hen and Things.
swANToH. 0.
New YORK, Feb. 10.

An0hb men slia
NEW York, Feb. 10.
Some days ago one of these manifold letter
writers for the country press sent out sensa-
tional story about the health of General Grant.
He boldly pronounced the case incurable and
predicted that General Grant would never be
out of his house again, and probably never leave
his room, because of the effects of his terrible
fall on the pavement some time ago. Having
been informed by General Grants old friend,
General Beale of Washington, few days be-
fore, that it was only question Of time when
the invalid would be out, naturally put down
the story as q fraud. 1t would not down, how
ever, and it seemed as though almost every
exchange | opened had an extract from this
mendacious space writer. Thinking that the
readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE would
like to know exactly the truth about the
health of their old commander l called upon
his eldest son. Colonel F. d. Grant, yesterday
to make inquiry. 1t was as l expected. The
widely circulated story was fraud. This
journalist ~ had called at General Grants
house and asked to see him. The invalid con-
scented to name an hour next day when he
would see the gentleman He accordingly
the generals room, and to repay the frankness
OF the man, went away and concoeted mean
sensation for mercenary purposes.
learned that General Grant suffered ter
rible injury, and, to add to his discomfort, was
attacked with pleurisy and rheumatism. He
is steadily gaining however, and expects to be
out in the early spring.
as
The opening of through communication by
rail between this country and the City of
Mexico viii be celebrated on the 5th Of May,
the anniversary of the defeat of the French at
Puebla by the patriot forces of General Porfrio
Diaz. General Grant expects to accompany
the party of distinguished Americans who will
go to Mexico to participate in this important
event.
@*s
By the way, some of the wise editors who
used to write hippant paragraphs about the
young colonel on General Sheridans staff, will
presumably be surprised to learn that E. ID.
Grant IS now private banker, doing busi-
ness of million dollars month. He is
careful and sagacious business Iaan respected
Tor his Judgment and integrity by very large
circle of acquaintance, among whom are the
solid men in this great financial center He
issc siiC QSllUSIdSS iudUUtF aDu quiet ADDRESS Oh
his distinguished father He had the good
sense to see that he was liable to rust, as sol
der III time of peace, and the courage to throw
up his commission and start out on his own re-
sponsibility. The event has proved the wisdom
of his Judgment.
Just now one of the most interesting enter
prises that is being pushed in this busy me-
tropolis is the fruit of the invention of Wash
m tr Mvro r.. Do WI hrof xr
the well-known chief medical puryeyor of the
army. 1t is the long.distance telephone which
is being operated by The Overland Telephone
Company DIR. Baxter worked for years in
Washington very quietly upon the develop
ment Of a principle which he was confident
would make the transmission of audible speech
by wire practically independent of the element
of distance. He at last reduced his theory to
practice, got his patent, and the first the pub
lie knew about ii, last March he and Charley
Hayes and Prof. G. E. Buell., Of Washington were
talking about the weather with perfect ease
from Cleveland to New fork over the wires of
tue Postal Telegraph Company, kindly loaned
them for the experiment. The secret of the
device lies in the immense increase in the in
tensity Of the making and breaking of the cur
rent over the wire. practically eliminating the
consideration OF the length of the circuit.
80
It has been grand success, and DR.. Baxter's
name will be blessed among the generations to
comedy the ardent lover, who will be able to
distinguish the bashful tones of his Dulcinea
over the telephone from Chicago to San Fran
cisco from those of any other girl.
The president of the new telephone company
IS r. q. Dun, the head of the well-known COM
mefcal agency, but the practical direction of
the business falls upon the general manager
Mr. r. p. Buchanan, his nephew, a brisk young
I
kind.
The money kings who gather nightly at the
| Windsor Hotel 20 discuss railroad stocks are
| beginning to have politics forced upon them to
| some extent, and now vary the talk of trunk
| lines and railroad wars with predictions as
| to who the different political parties will nom
| mate for President. Fspent last evening with
| them and find the wisdom of these millionaire
/ princes about as various as that of their poorer
| brethren.
One Of the most thrifty looking newspapers
/ published here is the Graphic, the only daily
/ illustrated paper in the country This is in
! spite of the damaging runors circulated some
time ago very ingeniously through the press
associations by the Goodsells, who, it seems,
manipulated the company for their private
ends when in, and tried to get revenge, after
/ being voted ont of the management by the
stockholders by starting yexatious lawsuits
and having damaging reports circulated
50
The managing director under the new ar
/ rangement is James NJ. Hinckley, whose work
already shows Itself in the improvement in the
| paper. He has made IL independent IN politics.
and by this means can give full sweep to the
cartoons, many of which now rival the famous
| weekly Pick. The artistic work upon the
paper has been immeaSurably improved also.
| Mr. Hinckley believing that if a person buys a
picture he prefers a good Que to daub, no
matter what the subject.
General" Jack Haverly, the Snowman, is
| looking up again financially, and 10 douot will
be rich again in a year or so. He thinks a
Presidential year bad for business in this coun-
| try so, having disposed of all his theaters, he
| is organizing the most pretentous and numer-
| Gus minstrel company ever brought together
for tour in England. They will be called
| Hayerley's Afastodons. Mr.. Robert Filkns,
one of the most accomplished showmen in the
| country, will go as manager OF the troupe.
IS
By the way, Filkins did duty for many
months in rebel prisons during the war and
| has wonderful stock of experience to tell OF
rebel cruelty. He can refer to the hanging of
Wfrz without the least compassion, for, once
when he ventnred to expostulate with this
ficnd against the wanton shooting of Wis
consin boy by guard, Wirz simply ran a
bayenet through his mouth from one cheek to
the other the scar from which he will bear to