The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-11-13
mans and the varied history of their in

ty-5lX OF the nlneIy-SlA SHARES COliPilS-
ing the estate were handed down to
William Coleman, who died in 1862,
and his heirs. His son and daughter,
Robert H. and Annie, inherited his
twenty-five ninety sixth interest. Robt.
Coleman is the chief parsonage in all
the Lebanon valley to-day. Mr.. Free
man, of the Coleman-Alven Freeman
family, man of remarkable foresight,
seeks to divide to popularity with
Robert. But this young scion OF pow
erful ancestry unites to himself the shares
of his sister and controls the estate. He
is a genius, full of enterprise and makes
things hum in and around the city OF
Lebanon. Before his majority the es
tate was in the control of a manager.
Artemus Wilhelm was poor brick
layer in the employ of Roberts father.
By the surface hints of character ne
awakened interest in his millionaire
master and he advanced him and at
death made him manager of all his et-
fects. When he in turn retired he had
laid aside $6oo,o 900 as his reward OF
stewardship. But the young Robert
chafed under his administration aid OBJ
jected to running things on the old ira
ditional lines. Robert and his cousin,
Mr. Freeman, came to age at nearly the
same time and after many disagreements
they agreed to divide.
When Robert had reached his major
ity Samuel Small, of York, his guardian,
handed him 81, 200, 900 as the earnings
of his estate. His income now is re
puted to be $4,000 week. His share
of profits for ore sold to outside parties
alone in $3.50, 1000. Right in the start
of his career he gave $4,000 to the
York Collegiate Institute, so munificent-
ly endowed by the Smalls. Later he
gave $40, 900 to Trinity College OF
Hartford, Conn.,, where already he had
erected a magnificent building for the
use of his fraternity.
THE RIVAL INTERESTS.
The spirit of enterprise has called out
lavish expenditure of money at home
He built the celebrated Colebrook fur
naces, which have been the admiration
of all iron men. Because of the feeling
existing between the FreemanS and the
Colemans Robert was necessitated to
build a rival road 10 the Old Cornwall,
the best stock paying road in the coun
try. When his father built this twenty
one-mile road he only was able to com
mand the money by giving personal Sc
curity to the extent of his estate. Robert
built his Cornwall and Lebanon Rail
road almost hands breadth from the
Freeman Road and placed his stock al
par. The bitter rivalry extends even
down to the employees in every branch
of industry. The trains speed side BY
side as if inspired with the spirit OF their
masters. The number of trains and the
time are placed into envious calculation.
The merchants must be careful to equal
ize the patronage OF their freight at the
risk of displeasure throughout the sePa-
rate domains. Robert from a chlld
took great pride in mechanical inven,
tions. He had constructed for his use
toy engines large enough for him to
mount, and upon tracks IN special
rouse he often ran trains into each Other
to see the bearings of smash-up. He
even now has a house for his experl
mems. Quite frequently he is seen witt
hand upon the throttle of regular en-
CINE and flying at lightning speed over
the road. His engines are Furnished
and reprinted with much pride. He Is
projecting new road to New Holland
He also owns and is president of rail
road in Florida centering in Jackson
Vile. He has large villa there, where
he spends his winter from February tc
May.
ROBERT CoLEMAN's ROMANCE.
When Robert was at college he fel
| in love with preachers daughter. Hl'
reply to all opposition was, 4 marry
for love and not for money. His bride
was sickly, and, despairing of her lite
he accompanied her to Europe. Wills
absent from his country he was building
what was contemplated to be one of the
most luxuriant palaces known as sur
prise to his wife on their return. 1t L
said of his unprincipled contractors tina
they sought the centre of the earth will
their foundation and abused the conf
dence of their employer in shameful
way. Mistrusting the outrageous bill
he demanded photographs of the wor'
in progress. 1t is said that stones wer
piled up in the cellar construction pur
posely to deceive in every such picture
His wife died at Paris. When he cam
home the dependency and imposition
caused him to tear away the wall ant
pillow the spot into the grave of forget
fitness. He then erected in Lebano
an Episcopal church as memorial t
his wife at cost of S2oo,oo II
serves in his turn as deacon here, gath
ering the penny from the poor man.
He married a second time--a lad
from Baltimore, to whom Robert
mother had been godmother. She spen
much of her life with the Colemans
When an heir was born there was q
much excitement in Lebanon and Corr
wall as if a prince had been ushered int
the world.
The home-life of Mr.. Coleman is
once domestic and pure. He reside
in the paternal mansion at Cornwall
princely style. The music hall in tn
, home is commodious and specially d.
voted to the pleasures of his humo
employees. 1t also contains museum
with Napoleon's furniture, and rell'
from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Chris
mas is celebrated with an illuminate
, tree, from which all the peasant chi
, dren receive gifts. The schools of II
, estate are the best in the country-tf
: poor are nowhere wanting, and IL
| army of laborers were never provoke
| to strikes. The stables of Robert Col
' man alone are worth visit. The bull
y ing is of brownstone, and most cor
! plete in architectural design and arrang
| ment. The inside apartments are line
t with the finest yellow pine, the mango
f and stalls have brass braiding and
the door of every horse lies mat wi