Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-27
Many of Them Achieve Marked Sue,
cess in Spite of Their Great
Misfortune.
A Merchant Who Conducts a Lare e
Business Without Clerical Assis-
tanee.
Our Fastest Steam Yachts Designed
by a Man Who is Without Eye
sight.

Was Slanulng In the LOBBY OF the South
ern hotel In st. Louis one day in Novem-
Der last. The Silver mems convention
was then In session in St. Louis, and the
parlors and lounging rooms of the hotel
were crowded with delegates and s;ran-
gers. A tall, gray haired man, of digni-
fed and stately bearing, came in, leaning
on the arm of a youthful companion. and at
once became the center of an animated
group who crowded about to shake his hand
and exchange greetings with him. Only the
closest observer would have OWNED from
the Hcomer's movement that he was
blind. His face was striking one, strong
and clean-cut and carved with deep lines
OF thought. | recognized it at glance,
though | had seen it on but one previous
occasion. That occasion was the stormy
and tumultuous republican national con-
vention held at Chicago in the month of
June, 1884. The owner of the striking
face had then, under conditions that put
to the fullest test an orator powers, for
half an hour swayed great audience of
ten thousand people at his will, as in
speech memorable for its eloquence and
dignity he placed James G. Blaine in
nomination for the presidency. He was
Judge William II. West. the blind
orator, who, by reason of Affections, his
exalted character and superb mental
endowments, has long been one of the
most picturesque and attractive figures in
Ohio politics and at the Ohio bar. Though
blind from birth Judge West is a ripe
scholar, his abilities as a lawyer are of the
highest order, and his powers of oratory
recall the best traditions OF the American
forum. A republican convention in Ohio
withoutJudge West presiding as chairman
or present as delegate would be consider
ed sadly Incomplete. He has held num-
Der of public positions and served on the
bench with distinction and honor. No
one is better known than he to the peo-
pie of his state, and his services as a cam
paign speaker are always In demand. He
resides at Bellefontaine, where, though
now well advanced in years, he IS still
actively engaged in the practice of his
profession, possessing large and lucrative
clientage. He has beautiful home at
Bellefontaine, and an interesting family
whom he has never seen and never will. In
private, Judge West is one of the most
genial and companionable of men, APP
pa1ently content with his hard lot.
His life is a striking refutation of the
popular belief that blindness debars a man
from life of usefulness and honor.
Another remarkable blind man is Will
liam E. Cramer, who forforty-two years
has been the editor and proprietor of the
Evening WISCONSIN, daily paper publish
ed in Milwaukee. A coasting accident,
land, rendered him both blind and deaf,
him from carving out brilliant and re-
MO r1-o loI,, c,,ooacof,1 ooroar To &c opo Of
the best equipped newspaper men in the
country He began editorial work in AL
bany in 1S43, where he was the intimate
and trusted friend of Thurlow Weed,
Horace Greeley and Henry J. Raymond.
He went to Milwaukee in 1947, and by his
own efforts has built the journal over
which he 1resides from humble beginnings
to one of the best paying newspaper prop
critics in the northwest. Cramer is a
man O. splendid attainments. He gradu
ated from Union college, and studied law
before he went into newspaper work. He
owns one of the finest libraries in Milwau-
kee, and he is acquainted with the contents
of every volume which it contains. In
| the discharge of his editorial duties,
| though now seventy-three he was born
at Waterford, n. Y, In 1SO7-he is as
enthusiastic and untiring as man of
thirty. He daily dictates several columns
of editorial matter to stenographer, and
| has done so for many years. By the aid
of an oudipEone all the leading journals of
| the country are read to him every day,
and in this way he keeps abreast with the
progress of public opinion and events in
all parts of the world. Mr. Cramer has
been a great traveller. With his wife,
his constant companion, he has visited all
portions of the United States and Canada;
journeyed to Mexico and Central America,
and made several trips to Europe. He
was in Paris during the Franco-Prussian
war, and was Que of the foreigners who,
locked up in the beleagured city, was COM
PEELED 10 subsist for weeks upon mule meat.
1t is probable the blind editor knows more
about the lands he has visited than half
the men who can see and who have been
over the same ground. Like Chris Buck
ley, Mr.. Cramer dresses neatly and eie-
gantly. He goes about Milwaukee unat-
tended making his way with ease to all
parts of the city, and there is no figure
more familiar to the people of the town
than that of 'Uncle Billy Cramer. He
boarded at the Newhall House in Milwau-
kee from the time it opened until it burn
ed, six years ago. On the night it burned
ne was one of the last to leave the famous
hosiery, sustaining injuries which it was
feared for time would prove fatal. But
ne has since fully recovered, and is now
vigorous in mind and body, bidding fair to
live for many years to come.
Every visitor to Middetown, n. Y, has
Alfred M. Horton pointed out to him as
one of the wonders of the place. Mr..
Horton is now sixty years of age, and has
been totally blind since he was boy of
fourteen. Born poor, he made fortune
as farmer and contractor, and for the
last seven years has been wholesale grain
| and feed dealer, supplying the retail trade
in Orange and Sullivan counties, New
York. He does all his own buying. and
by the sense of feeling can instantly detect
whether consignment of grain or feed
differs in the slightest particular from
what the invoice calls for. He also buys
and sells horses and cattle in the same
manner. and the most skillful finds
it bootless task to attempt to impose up
on him. Mr. Horton keeps only mental
record of his business transactions, and
acts as his own collector, determining the
| denomination of bills and the value of
coins by touch. He is an extensive owner
of real estate, and Is expert enough in the
use of tools to perform all needed repairs
upon his buildings without assistance.
Mr.. Horton never has need of guide in
his goings and comings in and about Mid
dletown. and frequently goes to New York
city alone, making his way across the
| ferry and to his brothers office on Sixth
avenue unattended.
The principal coal dealer of SeWicklev a