Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-06

y ackSon Railroad, tnen anu now Tue LuoSs
important railway entering the city, discoV'
cred the wonderful organizing talent OF the
young man, and he was sought as the gen.
eral freight agent of the line. In this posi-
lion he had room to develop his marked
ability as an organizer and commander, and
becoming at the same time popular MEM
Der of the favorite company of the volun-
teer fire department, always the source OF
great political power in this city, he soon
became known to the community as man
of cool judgment, of marked ability and
unfailing courage.
A RISE IN THE WORLD.
In the year 1872, less than three years
after he had spent night on a bench
in public park because he was utterly
penniless, Burke was made the regular
Democratic nominee for Administrator OF
Improvements of the city of New Orleans.
The nomination of an independent candi-
date divided the conservative vote, and
James Lewis, a negro and Republican, was
elected. But in 1874 Burke was again nom-
mated for the same position and elected by
an overwhelming majority. He thus be-
came the dispenser of greater
amount of political patronage than
any man in the State, not even except
that friends and enemies alike commend the
thorough efficiency and economy of his ad-
ministration of the Office, in which he made
a record never equaled before or since. The
city OF New Orleans was clean for two years
at least and Burke made it SO.
In the days of the struggle between John
McEnery and Kellogg Tor the Governorship,
Burke took prominent part in behalf of
the Democracy. 1t was the time when
troops had been ordered to the State, bv the
National Government, and things looked
squally. The 14th of September, 1874, had
brought pitched battle between the metro
politan police supporting Kellogg and
body of citizens supporting McEnery.
On this day and at all times Burke was, if
not the master spirit, at least not far from
the leadership. 1t was by his well-devised
and cleverly executed plot that the troops
ordered from Holly Springs, Miss, on the
day of the now historic battle were DELAYED
long enough to give the citizens the victory,
which, although not immediately effective,
was the beginning of the end of the Kellogg
government. During the hotly contested
of 1876, Major Burke served as
chairman of a committee appointed to act as
a check upon the Republican Returning
Board, and upon his figures and data was
based the claim of Tilden to the vote of the
State as cast.
AN ASTUTE DIPLOMAT.
After the election and during the period
of the electoral commission, he went as the
of the Democratic State Gov
ernment to Washington, where his astute
won from the incoming admins
tratlon an informal agreement that the
government should be left to
stand or tall as it could, unaided by mill
tary support This settled the long struggle |
in favor of the Democrats, and Packard, the |
claimant for the Governorship, |
threw up the sponge.
In 1877 Major Burke, now on the topmost |
wave of political influence and financial |
received the appointment of |
State tax collector of the richest district in |
New Orleans-an Office worth from $50, 900 |
to $50, 900 year. This he relinquished the
following year to become State Treasurer,
to which position he was elected in 1878. |
This office he held for ten consecutive years,
being defeated for denomination in 1883. |
after a bitter faetional campaign, in which |
be espoused the cause of the McEnery party, |
which was overthrown by the Nichols fac |
lon at the Democratic primaries through
0ut the State.
Major Burke's reputation as a political |
leader is not confined to Louisiana. At the
Cincinnati Convention which nominated
Hancock be led the delegation from this
State, and at Chicago be not only controlled
his own delegation, which was, from first to
ast, almost unanimous for Cleveland, but
look an active and influential part in the
discussion Of all the issues that came before
that body, being one of the three appointed
to draft the important tariff resolutions 1t
was but natural that man of Burke's
power and influence should seek to enter
journalism. In 1879 he bought the New
Orleans Democrat, and later, in 1881, the
iailY Times, and consolidated them under
,he name of the Times Democrat, now one
If the leading journals OF the Southwest. if
lot of the Union.