Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-08
GOSSIP FROM THE CAPITAL.
Fred Douglass Wealth-Colo ID Men Who
Own Large Blocks of yaluahse Real Es-
tate-The New Marshal of the ANsfriet-
Phelps and His Friends.

rfeu DOugtasS Weuttn-C0io ~ Hheh w no
Own Large Blocks of yaluahse Real Es-
tate-The New Marshal of the Nsfrict-
Phelps and His Friends.
rcoRREsPoNDENcE OF THE DISPATCH.
WASHINGTON. July 6-Fred Douglass, TO
recently appointed Minister to Hayti, Is not
only the most famous, but he is one OF the
wealthiest colored men in the United STATES.
His wealth is estimated at $4,000. There are
great many wealthy colored men in W ashng-
ton. Most of them made their money in real
estate speculation. They used the wages which
they received to buy land in the northwest sec
tion of the city. which a few years ago was re-
garded as the least desirable residence sectlon
of the city. When the tide of immigration ses
in toward the northwest section these coiored
people were sensible enough to hold on to what
they had and wait for the rise in Price. In TINS
way many colnred men gathered togetner
l0.O00 and SIS coo and even $4,000 One OF the the
messengers on Newspaper Row is worth SzOOoo
the result of investing his little earnings in real
estate.
A great many colored people own property
which leads out from the White House and
Lafayette square to the Boundary. 1t IS des-
tined TO be the most popular and fashlonapie
of the residence streets of the city. Now, how
ever, it is disfgured by a great many
small houses, almost novels, which stand pc
side the tall and graceful structures recenty
erected and detract greatly from their desira-
bility as residences. Little stores and even sa.
looms mar the beauty of the street. All OF
these are the property of colored people, VINO
are holding them tor higher prices. They Will
Of these houses on the street lessons the value
OF other property.
The WhirligIg of Time.
Mr.. Douglass owns a residence opposite
Washington. There is history surrounding
it. 1t was once owned by man who hated the
colored race SO thoroughly that he would not
sell anything to a colored man. Mr. Douglass
did not make his money in real estate: he
made most of it in the Office of the Recorder OF
Deeds of the District of Columbia over which
he presided for many years. Mr.. Douglass had
a great many Of his relatives in that office, and
when President Cleveland came in the Dong, %
lass family was exceedingly well to do. Inc
other negroes appointed to office by TINS al
ministration are comparatively wealthy. Rod
ert Smalls, the ex Congressman, now Conector
of Customs at Beaufort, 8. C., is considered
wealthy man among the people of his race.
John r. Lynch, the Fourth Auditor OF the
Treasury, who was temporary chairman OF the
owns fine plantation in Mississippi another
wealthy colored man is Geo. W. Williams,
who IS the author of a history of the colored
race. He is said to be worth $4,000 John M.
Langston, who was Mr.. Douglass predecessor
at Havti, under former Republican administra-
tions, is thought to be worth $4,000;
Of wealthy negroes elsewhere, DR.: GlosteI
John x. Lewis. a Boston tailor, does business
every year which is reckoned up in the hun
dred thousands. Robert Gordon, OF Cincin-
natl, who died not many years ago, was the
proprietor Of a great deal of improved real
estate. The list could be enlarged almost In
definitely. There are more than iOO colored
men in the District of Columbia alone whose
wealth is rated above S25,OOO.
Harrison Remembered His Friend.
Daniel N. Ransdell, the new Marshal Of the
District of Columbia, is a warm personal friend
of the President, with whom he has been
associated socially and politically for many
years. A friend OF Mr.. Ransdell told me the
other night that he thought that General Har-
rison owed his election to the Presidency as
much to Dan Ransdell as he did to any man.
Ransdell organized the Republicans Of Indiana,
and particularly of indianapolis and Marion
county, as much as II years ago. and through
his individual effort, more than any other in
iuence, the organization was maintained, and
grew stronger and stronger each year. The
President is not unappreciative of personal
favors, and he has shown his appreciation OF
Dan Ransdell by giving him one of the pleas.
antest positions within his gift. The Marshal
of the District has many duties of a social
nature to perform. Before the time of Presl-
trict who made the presentations at the White
House receptions. He had general charge of
these receptions and acted as a sort OF groom
of the second floor front.
Under President Cleveland the presentations
at the receptions were made by Colonel VIII
son, the Superintendent of Public Grounds.
Colonel Wilson will probably go to West Point
to succeed the officer in charge. He will be
much missed from social and army circles in
Washington. His place will be hard to I'LL.
Not that Colonel Wilson made himself invalu-
able by phenomenal recollection of the names
of those presented at the public receptions. 1t
is the invariably experience OF those who pre-
side at these affairs that they forget the names
of their most intimate friends in the mo9otony
of
strangers.
Phelps and Blaine.
There were not many people surprised at the
appointment of Mr.. Phelps to be Minister to
Germany, because it had been predicted for
some time before it was made. To those who
were at the Chicago convention year ago it
emphasized vividly the changes that have taken
place within year. One year ago the friends
of Mr. Blaine were engaged in violently exc
Grating MIR. Phelps and satisfying their desire
for revenge by defeating him in the race for
the Vice Presidential nomination, for which he
was strong candidate. Senator Ingalls,
famous letter about ''some fellow like Phelps
had injured the chances OF the man
from New Jersey but he. ne signed his his
Convention when he cabled to Mr.. Blaine
to prevent the consummation of the plan which
had been formed for the nomination of the
Maine statesman. I sat just in front of the
rlson was nominated, and the air was tlled
with cheers for the successful candidate. Two
or three of Mr. Blaine's best friends stood near
me- asked one of them who would be the candi-
date for the Vice Presidency. He replied that
it would be Mr.. Morton. L asked him il Mr.
Phelps was not dangerous man.
"Phelpsr' he replied, with several profane
calculations to emphasize his remarks NO;
confound him. He prevented Blalne's nomina-
ton. We would have nominated Blaine If it
had not been for those two cable messages
which Boutelle read to the convention. And If
1t had not been for Mr.. Phelps cabling Mr..
Blaine and calling on him not to allow his
.honor' to be sacrificed by his friends in the
convention, those messages would never have
been sent. Phelps has nothing to expect from
any Blaine man in this convention"
And yet the present preferment OF Mr.
Phelps is attributed to the good offices of Mr.
Blaine and not to the President. Perhaps Mr..
Phelps knew better than the friends of Mr..
Blaine what the man from Maine wanted.
John C. New Was n Fighter.
CAPTAIN William M Meredith. the new Chief
of the Bureau Of Engraving and Printing, was
a member of the old volunteer fire companies
in Indianapolis before the war.
"John G. New, our Consul General at Lon
don, was a member OF the old company" said
the Captain. "In those DAYS the proudest
honor of the fireman was to be the first man at
the engine house after the alarm. The first
man there had the privilege of running to the
fire at the head OF his company. and of holding
the nozzle of the hose at the fire. We always
had fight with some rival company at the
fire. John G. New was one of the best lighters
we had". O'BRIEN Balm
Gossip of Courts.
Queen Christina OF Spain, we are told, at the
time of her marriage was an angular, hard