Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-01-30
RICH MEMS WOES.
How Those Who Have Plenty to Give
Are Bothered by Those Who
Have Plenty to Get,

Have Ilenty to Get.
Before Jay Gould started south on
his yachting trip he told friend that
that was asked of him by beggars he
would not have cent left within two
years. So it is with Vanderbilt, who,
though in possession of an income of
per cent. upon a fortune of $203, 000,-
900, is constantly besieged by begging
letter-writers. Nine-tenths of his mail
is made up of these missives. TO the
fugitive criminal every bush is an Off
Ger; so to the Cl9sus of New York ev-
cry new caller is q beggar. Gould and
Vanderbilt, being immensely rich, are,
therefore, big targets for the impecu-
NOUS. But there is another man who,
while not quite so rich, is VIGOROUSLY
free with his gifts, and consequently
receives more begging letters than any
rich man in America. Reference is
made to Mr.. George W. Cnilds, of the
Philadelphia Ledger. His income from
the Ledger is said 10 be over $1,000 a
day. 1t is a private mint that ranks
next TO the New York Herald, and he
has other sources of income as we'll.
Nearly all of this goes out in charity.
Mr.. Childs has no children save his
newspaper boys, for whom he provides
with lavish hand. He recently pension
ed off his financial editor. Though
worth $4,000 this gentleman was re-
ieved from active work, but was con-
tinued on the salary roll just as if he
had been an impecunious reporter.
Rppn1n Mr
terday morning at the corner of Sixth
and Chestnut streets, jnst rs the pub
Usher had finished II five mile walk
with Banker Dcexel. These two friends
are like Damon and Pythias. Mr..
Childs walks out over the Schuylkill
every morning to meet Mr.. Drexel,
and together they ramble down Chest
nut street to their offices. The banker
goes on to his contingencies, where
he handles more capital than the
thirty-three national banks of Philadel-
phia would have if they pooled all their
dollars into one pot. Mr.. Childs turns
in at Sixth street to look over his morn
ing mail and to dispose of his callers.
There were five women and two cleri-
cal cut men waiting to see him on this
particular morning. SIX of the seven
wanted money, and the lads who tend
the door had sized them up, every one
of them. These youngsters are trained
up to a study OF visitors, and they can
scent a begGar at distance of ten
yards.
Mr.. Childs' private secretary says
that as many us Two hundred begging
letters are received in one day, and
that the total OF the applications for
money made to the LED lcr publisher by
letter often averages $50, 900 a day.
One afternoon, while Il friend waited
outside TO get an interview with him, a
woman. perfect stranger, went in to
ask If Mr.. Chi!ds wouldn't pay off her
debts, amounting to $4,000. Folks will
come from a distance OF five hundred
miles to beg small loan. Some want
to he educated ut his expense. Quite q
number OF young women have been
sent to Europe through him to study
music, but none of them have ever
reached public distinction. Not few
of the beggars say they are ambitious,
and want Mr. CnniS TO pay for courses
of study that will enable them to enter
the ministry or other profession.
A young lady in Indiana, who saws
she has heard much of Mr. Childs' gen.
crosby, writes an introduction of her.
self to him and adds:
Il come i'll the simplii of a little child to
ask you 10 pf aSe make me II present of Il
Scotch colly shepherd pup of the male sex.
l reside in Indiana, and highly appreciate
anything that comes from dear PennsyIv
MIA, especially present. l would be greatly
Obliged to you lnGecd for your Kindness.
Should you grant my petition l will name il
after ycu. Very respcc fully yours,
Another applicant writes:
u wish TO ask a co slider, bic favor. 1t is
thesoan OF 800 TO he p me with my educa.
ton. | am an orpha a!d have no brothers
nor sisters"
One weakness Mr.. C.ids has is a
fondness for clocks. He has thirteen
in his private Office; some valuable for
their historic associations, some be-
cause OF their exquisite workmanship,
and some because of the rare value of
their cases-one, in particular, made
Of lapis lazuli, being worth its weight
in gold. Altogether, in his three resi-
dences and at his private office, he has
fifty clocks, worth $50, 600 1t is not
strange, therefore, that he shou d get
appeals from all over the world to buy
cd clocks A few days since woman
called on him to induce him to buy a
clock for $25 900. She did not know
what he could do with it, but thought
he ought to present it TO the govern
ment
A man in England wrote a note ask
ing for money to send his three sons 10
school. Appeals fer money 10 pay of
the mortgage on the fam are daily
occurrence. Here is q spec men brick:
"Pocomokc, April l, 1884 My d ,ar Mr..
Cilds: Iter" l. II rlgH.e IF 50 Geo on our
1arm. IL is held hy cruel IN Ii " no is op-
pressing rs and tnr Il ems 10 SOIL our farm
oyer our heads We don't pay the in!ersst.
~ LLLa 49, l. -.