The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-08
Shaving Notes and Sinking
the Proceeds.
Politics and Stock Farms Prove
Very Expensive.
Huston as a Figure in Politics
in the Future.
More Trouble to Harrison Than Any
body Else.

Look! There goes the treasurer Of the
United States" exclaimed the bus driver
of Connersville as he pointed his whip
toward the retreating figure OF a tall,
slim. well-dressed man who walked with
an "I-carry-the-government-on-my-shou
ders" air.
1t was L. s. Treasurer J. y. Huston,
known to the boys of Indianapolis dur
ing the campaign of 1888 as "Nels" Hus-
ton, chairman of the republican state
committee.
To the people of Connersville he is
known as the 'big man of the town."
Ishe not the treasurer OF s., 100000 peo-
pie. and does not that OF itself make him
a big man OF the nation p - the average
republican of Fayette county will reply
when any one questions "Nels" Huston's
right to the place Of "big man OF the
| town."
The patriotic bus driver, anxious to
treat his passenger with a front view of
the treasurer of the United States" gave
his horses an extra touch, and presently
the big man of the town was overtaken
| Just as he turned the corner on Central
ave-, within half a square of the Huston
note shaving establishment VIII ere he soon
concealed himself from the gaze Of the
common people on the streets. When
Mr.. Huston wrote that his scheme to col
onlZe Indiana with negroes was prompted
by his humane love for the transplanted
Africans, he was no doubt in earnest.
In Connersville there are many ne
groes. When the weather is favorable
how 10. % r,,,l
corner to talk politics and religion. When
Huston passed this favored dark corner
! every son of Africa uncovered his woolly
head as a mark of extreme respect for the
| friend OF 4 down-trodden race. Remem-
| boring that he was still treasurer of the
| United States, Alr. Huston maintained
| the dignity due to the position which Mr.
| Harrison bestowed upon him. He did
not stop to shake the proifered dusky
/ hands, but hurried!y reached his private
bank where he found his faithful cashier
! engaged in his usual occupation of shaw
] ing the notes OF the prosperous" pro-
terted farmers of Fayette county.
did Huston make his money shaving
notes." l asked of an "old settler"
NO" he replied, "but his father did.
! Nels Huston inherited from his father
! and from two bachelor uncles about half
a million dollars. That is considered an
immense fortune in city of 5000 people.
| That Won d give every man and child,
| white and black of the town $50 each il
| distributed. Through his private bank
! Mr.. Huston has kept on shaving notes,
/ but this income has not equaled the drains
on the Huston fortune that his stock farm
and politics have made"
Yes" said an ex-county officer, poll
tics and that stock farm have reduced the
Huston fortune nearly onc-half. Nels
| Huston is worth not much over quarter
of million dollars now. l knew his
father we'll and have known Nels from
| bOyhOod His father was a hard working
man who deprived himself of all comforts
to accumulate fortune. You see that
brick block across the alley from the
bank opposite the court house? We'll,
old man Huston carried every brick and
all the mortar that holds them together
| on his back when he was sixty-fve years
old and worth 100000. He hired brick
layers by the day ard served as bod car
rier TO them to save expenses.
Did Nels carry bricks, too? Oh. no.
Nels, while under the parental roof did
not do anything bat have a good time.
This worried the elder Huston consider
ably. Finally he gave the young man
$4,000 and sent him out West in Kansas
|
! OF a year or 80 the West had outgrown
young Huston and he returned home with
nothing but experience. He married and
settled down to business with his father.
and from that time TO this day he never
INDUCED in good time"
Part of the estate left him consisted of
| over 800 acres adjoining the city on the
south, extending from the White Water
river back to and including the high bluffs
overlooking the famous White Water val
ley. Midway between the bluffs and
the river bottom. on one of
the foot hills covered with naples
supplied with all modern conveniences,
including electric lights and natural gas.
\ telephone line connects the house with
the central office in the city, the distance
being but one mile. The old White Water
canal which runs along the bluffs through
Connersville is about thirty feet higher
than the river. This canal separates the
bottom lands of the Huston stock farm
from the foot hills reserved for residences,
stables, yards and parks On the bound
airy between the city corporation and the
Huston stock farm there is dam across
the canal which affords good hydraulic
power. A pipe froma point above the dam
to the Illusion Caste" as it is sometimes
! supplies the HOUSE anu sldDleS
with water and also feeds an artificial
lake which is well stocked with fish from
the U. S. fish commissioner at Washing
ton. In the lake, as well az in the garden
and PARK, are fountains spouting water
several feet high. Leading TO the town
from the Castle" there is private foot
walk and a macadamized road shaded
with elm and maple trees. Across the
canal from the Castle" is half mile race
track where the horses of the Huston
stables are trained.
Mr. Huston is not a specialist in stock
breeding. He breeds high priced horses,
mules, cattle, hogs and poultry. He en-
ploys on an average twenty men, white
and black. to attend to the stock. Some
OF the farmers OF the county who are OPP
posed to ''book farming" tell amusing
stories about Gentleman Farmer" Hus-
ton.
"a few years ago." said an old haysecd,
"Mr. Huston bought two carloads OF old
Arkansas mules for one-year-old Missouri
mules. The next year he was imposed
upon with two car-loadsof Texas ponies
for breeding purposes.
That's nothing" remarked q police.
man who overheard the conversation
Two weeks ago the superintendent of the
Huston stock farm bought high-priced
&. mare at the Cambridge City annual horse
sale and he did not discover that the horse