Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-14

mack, ana Baron NooriShoUer, WV
probably now wishes he had taken the
experiences Of others as o warning and
let wheat alone.
THE RECENT RAILWAY STRIKE.
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 un.
qucstionsbly possess has awakened
some apprehension among capitalists IN
various branches of industry, the more
especially as II has been limited that this
new power in modern civilization will
make itself felt in May iii a movement
for an adjustment Of wages and hours
Of labor in a wide field Of trade in this
country that the two giants, Labor and
CAPITAL. will Join in herculean wreStle
that practically amounts to contest
for the supremacy on the broad stage
Of the American continent. 1t IS idle
to disguise the fact that capital awaits
this conflict with an anxiety begotten
Of respect for the power Of the new
social force. New undertakings are
postponed in many cases and long con-
tracts are avoided. Manufacturers in
many instances take the ground that a
reduction in the daily labor to eight
hours and an advance of half dollar
in daily wages would absorb the larger
part Of the profits, and railroad compa-
MES 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
as well as one Of the most interesting
struggles in history, and it need excite
no wonder that capital scans the COM
mercial horizon with anxious eyes.
The era Of autocratic commercial and
corporate power is drawing to a close,
as he who reads The signs Of the times
may see, just as autocratic political
power is gradually disappearing before
the onward tread Of civilization.
A WALLSTREET MILLIONAIRE.
ID. 0. Mills says he is not interested
in stocks at this moment, but that ne
believes they will increase in value.
This gentleman, by the way, is one of
the notable figures in Wall street. lie
owns the magnificent Mills building in
Broad street, which is worth 50 000,-
coo; it is even finer than the building
erected on Broadway by the Countess
Boreel, and which pays the in
weston 9 per cent. year. Mr..
Mills's returns from his CONNER
cial palace amounts to 100000
year. His fortune amounts to fifteen
millions, largely acquired in California
in mines, real estate, and banking en-
teIprises in San Francisco. lie was in
the Bank Of California with the lamented
and princely Ralston, who drowned
himself after having been cOldly bowed
out of the luxurious parlOrs of the bank
ard deposed by the investigating direc-
tors in the midst Of its disasters. Mr..
Mills is a dark-complexiOned man, un-
der the medium height, but well built.
Ills daughter married Whtelaw Reid.
lie is plain, eood-natured, practical,
selfreiiant, and rather blunt.
In lS47 be and his brother kept a
tavern in a small town on the Hudson
river just below Albany. d. o. Mills
drove to the depot daily to bring pa
irons to his house or to take them to
their homes. When the gold-ieyer
broke out in California he and his
brother, having in the mean time accU-
little money, chartered a
sailing vessel, loaded it with commodi-
ties likely to be in demand, and went
around Cape Horn to the Golden Gate,
which they reached in safety after mar
rowly escaping shipwreck. The brothers
sold the goods to the eager miners
at fabulous prices, and were soon on
the high-road to fortune. When ID. o.
Mills returned to the East some years
ago he was the pOssessor of large for
tune, which be soon increased by some
50 900, 900 through lucky speculation
in Lake Shore stock. Mr.. Mills is with
out pretensiOn; he is not ashamed Of
his humble beginning and early strug-
giles. A story is told that on one &C.
casion a 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 Oldest
families, said in making Mr.. Mills's
II am proud to meet man who has
been so successful" etfusively pressing
the hand Of the millionaire.
This is not the first time we have
met" answered Mr.. Mills with his
usual directness of speech. do you
remember me: l remember you very
well. When | was running a livery |
used to drive you from the depot to
your house very often"
FoG-HORN SINGERS.
There's a kind Of fog Of bad music
resting on our city. There's a mill up
town that sends out continual stream
OF it. They call it the Casino. The
mist rests on everything. The singers
blow fog-horns, but they wear short
dresses. Solomon, who has a nice lit
tie talent and nice little wife-the lat
ter carved on the roll Of fame as Lii
liam Russell--is setting up another mill
at the Union Square. A belicose
person named McCaull is waiting
with his scantily-draped cohorts to get
possession Of Wallack's. A native
snarl Of ditties, called /" The Little Ty-
COON" is to drift on its own gauze and
glamor into the Comedy Theatre. You
can buy Mikados in German or English
for fifty cents bunch. But, as CO.'S
tuner said to me the other day, if it
was rot for comic opera what would
society do with its unemployed girls !:
give it up. But there is worse conun-
drum: With cemic opera, what does
society do with them?
Comic opera is gurgling excuse for
the exhibition Of good-looking women.
If somebody would put some new tunes
into it, I'd forgive its existence.
There are about two hundred girls
waiting to be made prima donnas by