Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-14
Armour,. colored ProreRe.

old trees, thoroughfares and mansions.
Armour's Colored Protege.
Because believe there is as great pro-
portion of rich men as of poor men who are
endlessly doing good for goods sake, and
absolutely without other motive, it was a
genuine enjoyment the other day TO sit
alongside General Forrest" the colored
smoking car porter on the Congressional
limited train between New York and
Washington, and hear his radiant story
how the richest man of Chicago, P. D.
Armour, had taken him out of the bondage
of inexpressible ignorance and made an
educated, hopeful, happy man of him.
General Forrest is probably the best
known and best liked railway car porter in
the world; and his life has been almost q
romantic one. He was a picaninny slave,
bought in New Orleans with his
mother, Ann Burr (and if black old
Ann Burr is living, this little story may
give her yet bit Of earthly heaven),
, few years before the war by the after
ward famous Confederate cavalry leader,
General n. B. Forrest. for his Coahoma
county, Miss, plantation. Though but a
mite OF lad Forrest was fond of him, and
kept him at his side as a sort of diminutive
valet until the Generals surrender at
Gainesville, in 1866. For a good many
years General Forrest, +" who thus honestly
came by his sobriquet, Knocked about like
all the rest OF the freemen fotsam and jet
sam of the war, finally securing in 1872
position as smoking car porter on the
through New York and Chicago trains of
the Pennsylvania Railroad. In IS years he
never was discharged, and never left the
eompqny's service but once. P. D. Armour
was responsible for that
He had been to Washington and was on
his way West. He had been enioving a
cigar in the smoker, and on nearing AL
toona wrote a telegram, which he directed
the General to be very particular about
with the operator, at Altoona, as one word
was not very clear. The General filed
the message; returned to the car; and began
his usual avocation, when not waiting on
passengers, of studying his primer Ar
mour saw this with some alarm for the fate
of his message; questioned him sharply;
found that he could not read, but that his
wits and memory served him in such exi-
gencies; and on leaving the car turned to
the porter with,
General have you got sand enough to
60 to school and be q man if somebody
would send you?"
''GOlly!" responded the General" '.jess
let somebody try!''
"All right Go to school,"
With this Armour left the car. Some two
months later, on his way to New York he
found the smiling General" attending to
his duties as usual. Regarding him with
severity Armour brusquely asked:
Flows this. 'General?' 1 thought told
you to go to school"
$50 you did, for sure, Mr.. Armour. But
I-ITwell, 1 jess thought you was a-fun-
min me-"
''NO, don't fun anybody. L tell you
to 90 to school"
"All right, I'll go sure this time, if you
say So"
''well, say so' Go to school, at once,
anywhere you like"
Not another word was exchanged on the
subject. But the General left the road;
first located at Hamilton College, Virginia;
changed from this to Wilberforce College,
near Xenis, o., where he remained six
years, lesving the same a well-educated
man, and, as he SAYS, with no airs to be
1883, and at once secured car on the "Con-
gressional limited" between New York
and Washington. During all those six
years, aud to this day, Mr.. Armour's tre-
mendous interests have never interfered
with his writing this black man, at least
once g month, letters contsining expressions
of friendship, encouragement. approval and
drafts ranging from $40 to $50. He has ex-
pended fully s., 900 on General Forests edu-
cation and support; has made an educated
and sensible man Of him; keeps his picture
on his desk in his Office; both be and his
son who, the General" says, is as "plain
as q shoe" treat him with the greatest
friendship and esteem, and have neither
ever asked so much of the General" as to
brush their clothing or clean their boots.
Every story should have a happy ending.
This one will be SO provided on the 18th of
june. On that dav General" Forrest will
we'd one of the colored bellies of Wilber-
force. Their bridal trip will be to Chicago
for their beuefactor's blessing; and would
like to be one to see them ascend the great
marble stairs which lead to the millionaire's
La Sale street Office, and witness the hand
some reception when General" Forrest and
bride are announced within.