The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-30

BE- visionary and die in temple half finished
than grow moss backed in cabin. He built
for the future. He built strong and we'll as
though he had faith in the town. Many Of
his fellows came merely to make a fortune
in the course Of few months or years, and
built as unsubstantial az the mushroom
growth Of moving fair Cushman is dead,
but what he did remains as monument to
his enterprise. Some Of those who looked
upon him as a Spectator and dreamer, un.
fortuna, ely are still with us--and the monu
ments to their enterprise are implanted and
decayed buildings; an occasional shingle
tackled on lesky roof; bundle Of rags
stuck through some unfortunate window
long since ignorant Of glass. You can see
them to day standing around on the corners
making sport Of q few leading men who are
trying TO save the town from dry rot, or
with owl like wisdom blinking in some
wreck OF building and talking Of the lack
Of interest in the town.
When Cushman entered Chaffee's bank it
was not long after until his dominant spirit
organised the illstarred First National
Chaffee and Cushman were much alike.
Each was pushing, strong and mastery in
all their undertakings and each died dis
appointed man. the Little Pittsburgh shelved
Chaffee in his dearest hopes of political pre-
ferment and the failure Of the First National
wrecked Cushmans we'll laid foundations
When the turn came, the very stars in
their courses seemed to fight against him.
His father failed about the same time and he
undertook TO carry him through; the Hukill
sale was not effected and he felt that fate
had only raj Q h m high to make the fall
the greater.
Under the pressure Of necessity he did
what all men do--tried to save some of his
property by placing it in the hands Of his
friends, and they have saved it so eiiectually
that ever since they have enjoyed the fruits
of it.
Cushman always felt that eventually he
would recover himself, and had some strong,
true hearted men stand near him, he to day
would be among US and our town rich in the
possession Of master commercial spirit.
But friends, at such times, as Cushmaa found
are ropes of sand. With sadness that can
only be felt by man, who in the prime of
his life sees all his chances of home, fortune
and success failing him, he turned away a
broken hearted and broken spirited man.
II is not strange that these great griefs cut
him untimely from the earth.
We don't purpose to canonize CushRan
ban krupts are not the timber out of which
earth makes its saints but we do say that
Cushman has done more for our town than
any man that ever honored it with his pres.
ence and his efforts.
He was generous, open hearted and free.
He vas not over cautious aud dealt with men
Is he believed they would deal with him.
He did no more, but less than others would
have done had they been subjected to the
same bitterness and defeat. We think in
that time when sll things are adjusted upon
the bases Of the intentions that gave them
birth. poor Will Cushman will be shown to
have been q brave, honest, earnest, man
whose only fault was that be did not succeed
according to the measure of success as it is
set up in this world.