Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-10-10
JAMES M. TURNER
A DIsGRACEFUL POLICY
A Sketch of James M. Turner's. Career
of Enterprise.

VI huGolpIlSo'
In the mud-slinging contest, origi-
mated by the dastardly leaders of the
Democratic party, all order-loving cit
liens of either party will be pleased to
learn that the Honorable James NJ.
| Turner has emerged clean and unsulli-
ed. Tie cOwardly McElroy, who origi-
mated the charges, did it primarily out
of malice subject to Democratic Doodle.
In Mr. Turner's responsible has clearly
shown that he is innocent by ailidavits
from the very persons whom McElroy
names as witnesses Mr.. Turner plain
ly demonstrates that he was never in
terested in any contracts in connection
with the building of the school for the
blind; and that he never misappr0pri-
ated the Institutions money, but on the
contrary that he aided the treasury ofthe
institution from his own accounts The
only charge which is proven against
him is that he signed liquor bond for
certain Mrs. Hudson, proprietor of
the Hudson House in Lansing, after
Mr.. Hudson's death. They had been
old friends of his family; and he seems
to have done it out of mere philanthro-
Ply. He, moreover. proves that McEl-
roy is noted liar and falsifer, and far
from being an honest man. His sec
ond article, published in the Free Press
of Friday is but the feint of a man
driven from his point of attack. 1t, of
Itself. proves nothing; and only demon
strates the falsity of his first statement
from the fact that ne has to take en-
tirely new grounds of accusation. u
timately, however, that he should have
been the chosen victim for such calum-
ny, will act as % boomerang. The bet
ter class of voters will not support
party that countenances such methods
of campaigning. The following is a
sketch of Mr.. Turner's career of enter
prise:
James II. Turner was born in Lans-
ing in 1850 and brought up amid the
pioneer surroundings of lngham coun-
ty. lie was educated iii the common
schools of Lansing and finished his ru-
dimentary education with course in
the united conference academy, at CaZ-
enovia. Showing early an aptitude for
business he found employment when 16.
years old in country store at Lansing.
He remained there two years, and
then entered the land Office of the Jack
son, Lansing and Saginaw railroad, now
the Saginaw division of the Michigan
Central, which his progressive father
had built. He was given charge of sur
veys and the examinations of lands,
and in this work laid the foundation
for his subsequent large operations.
From the land office he went into the
general land business. and spent sever
al years of rough and ready life as a
land locker in the forests of the upper
and lower peninsulas. These expert
ences brought Mr.. Turner, through the
information required, into close touch
with progressive men of the time, and
he soon found play for his magnificent
business ability. He was made presi-
dent and general superintendent Of the
Chicago and Northwestern railroad.
now the middle division Of the Chicago
and Grand Trunk. and occupied the
position from 1876 to 1879. I'm 1876 he
was elected to the State Legislature,
where he served one term with signal
ability. He was the first paymaster of
the Ionia q Lansing, now the Detroit,
Lansing and Northern, of which his
father was the original promoter. In
1889 when the state agricultural society
was tottering on the verge of distruct-
ion, discouraged with years of failure
in its state fairs, he was elected presi-
dent. lie threw himself into the work
with vigor and placed the enterprise on
permanent and paying footing with
the state fair grounds located at Lans-
ing. He was also made president of
the Iron Star Co., which operates the
Great Western mine at Crystal Falls in
Iron county, Upper Peninsula, and still
holds that position. He is president
also of the Michigan State CO., in Bar
aga county; and is largely interested In
enterprises in Marquette, Ontonagon
and Gogebic counties in the Upper
Peninsula; is president of the Michi-
gan Condensed Milk Co., of Lansing.
which uses over 10000 pounds of milk
daily.
He has just taken the contract to
build, the Iron Range q Huron Bay rail
road, from Champion TO Huron Bay on
Lake Superior, where extensive ore
docks will be built He is president
and principal owner of the Riverside
Brick q Tile Co.. which has extensive
yards in Lansing. And in addition to
these concerns, enough In themselves to
make Samson round-shouldered he
gives his personal attention to the sup
ervision of his Springdale farm of 1000
acres, located near Lansing and devot-
ed to the breeding of Clydesdale and
Standard bred horses, Short-horn and
Hereford cattle,etc.
Mr. Turner was married in 1876 to
Miss Sophie Porter Scott. They have
t,vo hovc Iopoac op6 Sooft onoI 10 ond