Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-09-22
COL, CYRUS NIiEIADE! 3RsWNg.
THE GREAT POLITICIAN AND
INVENTOR.

aftAN VI q -iRAN ANONilN
ing is known Ofhis origin or early life.
lie is one of those crratic geniuscs
that suddenly appear like some brill
liant meteor that falls from out of
space and flashes athwart the horizon.
II Is folly TO attempt 10 solve the
mysteries of the early life of Col.
Cyrus Miltiades Browne. The tradi-
tiOus Of the past, together with all
records pertaining TO his career, were
destroyed in the last Presidential
election. when everything was swept
away by the Democratic tidal wave.
Col. Browne suddenly appeared con-
temporamously with the l7-year
locusts about the year 1868. The gates
of The city of llopkinsville on the
north side were carclessly left open
aud strong wind came up during
the night aud blew him in. lie was
found the next morning wandering
about the streets IN the guise of a
temperance lecturer After running
at large for about year the attention
of the city council was called to him
and stringent efforts were made to
suppress him. A rigorous quarantine
was established against him and with
such success that he was run out of
the city. lie emigrated to Croi,on
and no sooner had he reached that
place than ii become necessary to
extend the corporate limits Of the
town, which was found TO he too
small TO hold him. lie began 10
amass a fortune by literary work and
became regular contributor TO the
waste baskets of several newspapers
and periodicals. 1t was not long be-
fore he succeeded in getting all ofthc
glory that was lying round loose
waiting to be picked up by newspa-
per correspondents, and he next ul-
dertook to teach Young ideas how to
shoot. lie taught school for some
time, but was finally run out of the
community for trying TO be a dude.
About this time the people began
to find out what kind of hair-pin he
was aud at the next August election
he was found guilty of being Re-
publican Office seeker and sentenced
to four years confinement in the Of
flee of County Sheriff. lie served
out his sentence and was once more
turned loose upon the community,
about year ago. Col. Browne pat
riotically volunteered his erviccs as
a guard for the court house and for
twelve months Inc has been stationed
in front of Christian county's temple
of justice to keep II from being dem
olished by avaricious persons after
the jar of gold which was deposited
under the corner stone. His enemies
charge that he is attracted TO the
court house door by the bottle OF
whisky which is also under the cor
ner stone, but this is a base Sian der
as Col. Browne is a prohibitionist in
the strictest sense of the word. lie
is fabulously rich and probably en-
joys life more than any other man,
lie is very reckless with his money
and has a habit of buying everything
he sees that strikes his fancy, lie
devotes a great deal of his time Ia
study and scientific Investigation. lie
has invented a number of very use.
ful articles for which he will ever be
held in grateful remembrance. One
of his first stinventions was the wooden
tooth. pick, which has since come into
general use. lie also invented the
wheel-barrow and the step-ladder
The idea of inventing the latter
article occurred to him while he was
stopping in the same hotel with q
dizzy blonde burlesque operate COM
pany. Col. Brownies room wa!
separated from the one adjoining by
a barred door with glass transom
and this circumstance suggested The
necessity of such a contrivance al
the step-ladder in solving the my
steries liable to be encountered by a
man with an inguisitive and investi
eating turn of mind. This invention
was subsequently, found of great ser
vice during recent senatorial cleo
ton in the State of New York Col
Browne also invented the simple lit
tie contrivance known as the "score,
which is used by bachelors in lieu o
buttons on their pants. lie has real
| lied handsome returns from his
scientific researches and useful in
ventions and Is now very rich man
Indeed he has made money out o.
politics and everything else he hai
turned his attention to. In his Ions
and varied experience as lecturer
politician, pedagogue, inventor ant
author he has exhibited his capacity
under all circumstances to look after
the interest of number one, and to
day he enjoys the reward of his in
dustry, frugality and sagacity.
Col. Browne himself has no idea o
the extent of his fortune, but not
withstanding the fact that he is grow
ing richer and richer every year ht
spends large sums in making presents
to his friends, seeming to take a de-
light in giving away his money. Hi
generosity and liberallty are truly
remarkable. Only last week he visit
| cd the Mammoth Cave and was 50
well pleased with it that he offered
the owner million dollars for tn,
cave if he would have it moved t
Crofton in Christian county. Ill,
wanted to present ii to the candidate
| for jailer, so they could run the rae,
for that office into the ground. Som,
years ago Col. Browne also made al
effort to have the Niagara Falls movet
to Tradewater, in north Christian
but the Canadian government OBJ
iected and the project fell through
Within the last few years he ha
magnificently endowed MANY charit
nlla ;netitut;ona ond onntrihnfa,