St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-15
FOSTERS FORTUNE.

Secretary Fosters first large money
making occurred in 1879, while he was
canvaSSing Ohio for governor for the
first term. | had the story from his own
lips recently. The Ohio Central road
was projected about this time, and the
principal promoter of it was Senator
elect Calvin S. Brice. 1t was not Brice'S
first railroad venture. but was his first
big stroke at making fortune. Brice
had invited Foster to take share in the
venture on tire ground floor, with SGT, 900
cash, and Foster had responded. Brice
came OH to New York, and Foster, hav-
ing been nominated for governor, ne
gan his campaign. 1t was a notable
fight. Opposed to him was Gen. Thomas
Ewing, now of this city. whose eloquent
tongue drew thousands of persons to
hear him. Ewing was a Greenbacker
and GreenbackeriSm had been strong in
Ohio up to this time.
Foster had insisted on a sound money
plank in the Republican platform. and
denounced imitation at every meeting.
1t was great speaking campaign, for
Foster, hitherto business man, plain
and simple, developed talent for max
ing direct, homely and forcible appeals
to the people that matched EWing'S elo-
quence. There are lightweight coun-
ties in the state. Ewing visited and
spoke in over siXty-five of them. Foster
visited and spoke in every one. He had
with him in the speaking canvass Gen.
w. ii. Gibson bill" Gibson-one of
the most eloquent and powerful stump
speakers ever known in Ohio. He was
in the habit of holding meeting of the
township committee of each county at
II O'Clock i'll the morning of the day he
was to speak in the county seat, and he
was i'll the midst OF one of these meetings
in county in Eastern Ohio when note
was handed him. 1t had been brought
by personal friend from New York,
was signed by Brice, stated that he
could get 100000 for his Ohio Central
interest, and that Brice would be at No.
10 Pine street until ) O'Clock that day to
receive his answer if he wanted to sell.
-
Gen. Robinson, chairman of The state
committee, was with Foster, and had
been explaining earlier the Strengthened
condition of his fund and the need of
money to spend i'll the legislative con-
test, which involved 4 senatorShip,
Judge Thurman's Succession iFoster
had heretofore made money only by
selling dry goods and groceries, and by
minor land investments. Fifty thou
sand dollars was big sum to make in
three or four months anC he wrote a
dispatch saying Sell" which he handed
to some one about him 10 send off. AT
| 10 o'clock that night the telegraph mes
seEger of the town came to his room to
say that his dispatch had come back, be
| cause mo such person as Gen. W. Fl.
Gibson could be found at No. 10 Pine
street, New York" He had uncon-
SciOusly misdirected his dispatch. Mean
while, however, he had given Gen. Rob-
inSon authority to draw on him for
$4,000 for the legislative contest, and
he was pretty blue, until three days
later he got dispatches from New York
that he could sell out for s127,500 and
this time the sale was made His mis-
take had made him S27 800. The interest
he sold was resold within six months
for over 100000. but he never regretted
having dropped it for the second offer.