The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1885-07-10

Learns the Difficulty of Pacifying a Body of
Determined strikers. Twice Congress
man. and Thrice q Mayor, His Reinarka-
bic Career.
Few men, for the past decade, have received |
a greater share Of public notice than Carter IL
Harrison, the official head of the municipal
government of Chicago. Mr. Harrison, thrice
elected to the mayoralty, has had sufficient op-
portunity to prove his ability to govern. But,
during his official cumbency, there has not
arisen an event of equal gravity and serious
ness as the present street.car strike in the city
over which he presides.
Carter H Harrison was born in Fsyette coun'
ty,Ky, Feb %, 1925. His earliest ancestors are
traceable to Richard HARRISON Cromwells
lieutenant general, who led Charles l to the
block. The name was prominent in Virginia
during the colonial period, and that OF his
great grandfather, Carter H Harrison and his
brother Benjamin Harrison, the signer OF the
Declaration of Independence, and father OF
President William Henry Harrison. The fam
lily early inter-married with the Randolphs and
Carters-two large Virginia families; through
the former Thomas Jefferson and John Ran
dolph were of near kin. Robert Carter Harri-
son, the grandfather of this subject moved to
| Kentucky in 1872 His father died eight
months after Carter's birth. At Is he was sen.
| to school to DR. Lewis Marshall, brother of the
chief Justice, and father OF the celebrated Ken
tucky orator, Thomas Marshall. He WIS
| with him two years, and then went to Yale col
lege, and graduated in 1915. After graduating
he returned home and studied law, but did not
/ l. far, ciX ryiipS
from Lexington. Having fair competence, he
went to Europe in 1851, returning in 1858.
To complete his law studies, he entered the
Trarsylvania Law school, at Lexington, and
flashed the course in 1855. In the same year
eseeinr lis future possibilities, decided to sets
tie there and invested all he was worth lie
began the practice of Law, but becoming imbued
with the spirit of real estate, Speculation then
pervading the city) he gave good deal OF at
tention to it. and finally relinquished law, his
real estate business having assumed such pro.
portions as to force him to this step.
In 1871 he was brought out by friends as
candidate for county commissioner and elected.
| In 1872 he was nominated for congress on the
Democratic ticket but was defeated. In 1874
he was again placed in the field and elected by
majority Of eight votes. The spring and sum
mer of 1874 he spent travelling with his family in
Germany, Austria the Tyrol and Switzerland.
! lie left bis family ana returned nome, anu III
the summer Of 1873, he rejoned them, travelling
| in Northern Europe, an ending at Paris. His
family returned to Germany and he to Chicago.
In 1875 he was suddenly called back, aud
reached Germany to find that his wife had
died. During his absence he was nominated
and reelected to congress. In 1873 he declined
denomination, and on his return home in
March l679 his name was suggested for the
may orally. In April he was elected to that
position by majority of over 5000, although
the city had gone Republican the fall preceding
by a majority of 1000. In 1871 he was again
put up for may or, and was reelected by ma
jority of 5000, in the face of Il strong press OPP
position, although the city went Republican in
the November preceding by 1000 majority His
election the third time to his present officeship
will be remembered as one of the most exciting
events in the history of Chicago's municipal
elections. During the late senatorial contest at
Springfield, Ill, Mr. Harrison aspired to sue
coed John A Logan in the United States senate;
but as one of the 'dark horses In that memo
rable and prolonged battle his popularity was
| not sufficient to harmonize the bitter factions OF
his party. That Carter II Harrison is power
| in the Democratic party of his state is recog-
| nized fact and his official conduct in the pres
ent difficulties in Chicago will result in either
| increasing his popularity with the voting popu-
lace or in relegating him to the shades OF private
| life