The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-14

Woerishoffer, who probably now wishes he had
taken the experiences OF others as warning
and let wheat alone.
The success of the recent strike on the horse
railroads of this city. and the tremendous power
for good or evil which the Knights of Labor now
unquestionably possess, has awakened some ap-
prehension among capitalists in various branches
of industry, the more especially as it has been
limited that this new power in modern civiliza-
ton will make itself felt in May, in a movement
for an adjustment of wages and hours of labor,
in wide field of trade in this country; that the
two giants. labor and capital, will join in her.
culean wrestle that practically amounts to CON
test for the supremacy on the broad stage of the
American continent. 1t is idle to disguise the
fact that capital awaits this conflict with anx
Iety begotten OF respect for the power or
the new social force. New undertakings are
postponed in many cases, and long contracts
are avoided. Manufacturers in many instances
take the ground that reduction in the daily
labor to eight hours and advance of half a
dollar in daily wages would absorb the larger
part of the profits, and railroad companies are
strongly inclined to take the same ground. The
strike on the Gould system of railroads inspires
dread of the same upheaval on other roads
sooner or later. We are perhaps on the eve of
one of the most determined well as one of the
most interesting struggles in history, and it need
excite no wonder that capital scans the CONNER
clal horizon with anxious eyes. The era OF
autocratic commercial and corporate power is
drawing to close, as he who reads the signs of
the times may see, just as autocratic political
power is gradually disappearing before the on
ward tread of civilization.
ID. 0. Mills says he is not interested in stocks
at this moment. but that he believes they will in
crease in value. This gentleman, by the way, is
one of the notable figures in Wall street He
owns the magnificent Mills Building in Broad
street, which is worth SO, 600, 900; it is even
finer than the building erected on Broadway
by the Countess Boreel, and which pays the in
yester 9 per cent year. Mr. Mills's returns
from his commercial palace amount to $2OO.00
year His fortune amounts to fifteen millions,
largely acquired In California in mines. real es-
tate and banking enterprises in San Francisco.
He was in the Bank of California with the
lamented and princely Ralston, who drowned
himself after having been coldy bowed out of
the luxurious parlors of the bank and deposed by
the investigating directors In the midst of its dis
asters. Mr.. Mills is dark compexioned man,
under the medium height but we'll built His
daughter married Whitelaw Reid. He is plain,
good -natured, practical, self-reliant and rather
blunt
In 1s47 he and his brother kept tavern in a
small town on the Hudson river, just below AL
bauy. ID. 0. Mills drove to the depot daily to
bring patrons to his house or to take them to
their homes When the gold fever broke out in
California he and his brother, having in the
meantime accumulated little money chartered
sailing vessel, loaded it with commodities
likely to be in demand, and went around Cape
Horn to the Golden Gate, which they reached
in safety after narrowly escaping shipwreck.
The brothers sold the goods to the eager miners
at fabulous prices and were soon on the high
road to fortune. When D. o. Mills returned
to the East, some years ago. he was the
possessor Of large fortune, which he soon in
creased by some So, 600, 900 through lucky spec
ulation in Lake Shore stock. Mr. Mills is with
out pretension; he is not ashamed of his humble
beginning and early struggles. A story is told
that on one occasion member OF that large class
who are always ready to fawn upon wealth, and
who happened in this instance to belong to one
Of New York's oldest families. said in making
Mr. Millss acquaintance:
II am proud to meet man who has been so
successful" effusively pressing the hand of the
millionaire.
This is not the first time we have met" an
swered Mr.. Mills, with his usual directness of
speech. DO you remember me9 / remember
you very well. When / was running livery I
used to drive you from the depot to your house
very often" OSCAR WILLOUGHBY RIGGS.
Nym Crinkles Amusement FeuilIeton.
There's kind of fog of bad music resting on
our city. There's mill up town that sends out
a continual stream of it. They call it the Ca
sine. The mist rests on everything The sing
ers blow fog horns, but they wear short dresses
Solomon, WHO has nice little talent and nice
little wife-the latter carved on the roll of fame
as Lillian Russell, is setting up another mill at
the Union-square. A bellicose person named
McCaull is waiting, with his scantly draped CO.
horts to get possession of Wallack's. native
snarl Of dtties called 'The Little Tycoon" is to
drift on its own gauge and glamour into the Com
edy Theater. You can buy 'Mkados" in Ger
man or English for fifty cents bunch. But as
costumer said to me, the other day, il it wasn't
for comic opera, what would society do with its
unemployed girls7 give it up. But there is a
worse coDundrum with comic opera. What does
society do without them? Comic opera is a
gurgling excuse for the exhibition of cookbook
ing women. If somebody would put some new
tunes into it, I'd forgive it's existence.
There are about two hundred girls waiting to
be made prime dome by the American Opera
Company I talked with one of them the other
day. She told me to look at Patti. Didn't she
commence young and struggle. There were
twenty-five of these girls in Mr.. Locke's ante
room patiently waiting there for laurels and
things They hadn't had an appearance" yet
Some of them were white-faced and hungry look
ing But they were all resolute and all thinking Of
Patti, except one or two, who were thinking of
Emma Abbott.
By the way, what combination Emma Alb
bolt and Mrs. Thurber would make. It's singu-
lar that we can't get the two necessary factors
together in the great schemes. Thurber would
furnish the ideas, and Abbott the audiences.
Did you ever know Abbott to be without an
audience. One is trying it; the other is doing it.
That's the difference in the two opera schemes.
There is something in the air here about The
odore Thomas that will make a stir presently.
That gentleman, I am told, in carrying out his
Wagner ideas to the bitter end has set himself
against the Jews. There has been one or two
little bitches already in the orchestra and in the
Philharmonic on this account. 1t is such a sui
cidal piece Of nonsense that l hope the stories
are exaggerated. From all that have seen of
Mrs Thurber believe her to be actuated by the
noblest of impulses and the most liberal spirit
But cannot say that Mr.. Thomas has shown
this same spirit In mis- work He is curiously
narrow in some respects.
If the American opera project succeeds as it
WAS originally MANNED In the head of Mrs