The record-union., 1891-09-25
Some Peculiar Phases of His Re-
markable Character.
His Broad-Gauge Methods of Railroad
Management-Some Illustrations of
the Softer Side of His Nature-How
He Manages His Charitable Work.
[Los Angeles Times. Sept. goth

=
known as an expert letter writer, and
long ago it was developed that even his
most confidential letters were written for
the public; in other words, he was al
ways speaking to the galleries. Little as
1t has been known, Mr. Huntington is
man who does not believe that there
are any secrets. Not that he blazons his
business before the public, but that all Of
his actions are governed by the idea that
sooner or later they will be known to the
world. But when he makes an argument
II favor OF any project, he deals with the
subject just as he talks in making trade
presents all the good points on the side
for which he is contending, leaving the
oad ones to be discovered by his oppo-
nentS. He seldom tells too much on the
side he tavors, and when he finds talk a
necessity, always has a story with which
to embelllsh his idea, leaving his hearers
to make the application.
| Viewed from every possible point of
observation. it can be said of Mr.. Hunt
ington that he is the most remarkable
! character that the last half OF this CEN
tury has produced in this country The
| old adage that 1.-The rich despise those
| that fiatter too much and hate those that
do not tiatter at at al" does not apply
|
once arouses his suspicion, and he asks
| himself, what does this person want?"
! lie IS purely q practical man Of business,
and no man gains favor with him by
merely indorsing his ideas, or by telling
| MIN what great man he is. And it is
remarkable how quickly he can abandon
! his own ideas for those which appeal to
| his experience as being better than those
| which he had advocated. In this respect
| he IS like unto a sponge. When he comes
| IN contact with a man whose abilities he
respects, he has the faculty of provoking
an argument, and in short time he has
the best thoughts OF his adversary.
His greatest weakness seemsto be his de-
sire 10 be known only as a successful man
! OF business. And this weakness hides from
/ the public all of the softer and better
| qualities Of his nature. He seems to
want TO be known as an unswerving,
persistent and unrelenting character no
matter what may be the subject in hand,
and yet he is-as all men are who have a
enthusiastically the opposite.
AS builder OF railroads he seems al
ways TO have been governed by the one
practical idea: ''How much debt can this
property carry and live?" He does not
| build railways with the sole object of
wrecking them by overcharges in con-
structiOn, as is the general rule, but is
content with the largest profit consistent
with the future life of the property, be-
cause he knows that if a living margin is
! left between the debts of construction and
the revenues of the property, in time the
! stock Will have value five or six times
! greater than any wrecking profit in the
| building would give him. He has not
always found the happy medium in this
! direction, but the percentage of his mis-
| takes has been so small that his judgment
can be regarded as wonderful indeed.
And this principle is the one he applies
| in the operation of his properties. He
charges all that the traffic will bear. But
in doing this he certainly causes the ex-
ercise OF very fine discrimination, for it
must be admitted by all candid observers
that his properties on the Pacific Coast
have built up-though slowly-almost
every substantial industry by which the
public are benefited. Competition and
/ the consequent reduction in rates have,
with his properties, kept pace with the
increase of business. In ten years the
increase of business has been enormous,
! but the decrease in rates has kept the net
revenues at about the same figure, until
now the danger point seems to have been
/ passed, and hereafter an investment of 75
cents will earn an interest upon 81.
But the business side of Mr.. Hunting
! toms character is not the one of which
would write. prefer the softer side of
| his nature, which he tries to hide under
| the mistaken belief that no successful
! general in war or commerce should be
| known as having any gentle qualities.
Over a year ago went into his Office in
! New York and found him busy with
mail, which had accumulated during an
! absence OF two weeks. Before him was
| a batch of letters marked personal, which
he seemed to be reading with great care
As soon as l was seated he said:
u wish | could get first-class man to
take charge of what little charity business
I nc hot
most unsatisfactory work. l mean un-
satisfactory, because am never quite GER
tain that what | do is just what should
be done. l find myself influenced by inn
pulse rather than Judgment"
II think l could fill such an office sat-
isfactorily," | said, 'if the salary is not
too small"
Very well. let me give you trial.
| What would you do in that case?" and
he handed me letter.
read the letter, which, as nearly as I
can remember, was as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., June 13, 1890.
! NJ Dear Huntingdon When l saw Won
here the other day l told you that would
need $500 at once and you asked me to write
you at New York. comply with your request.
and hope you will send me draft at once.
! Yours, etc,
But l know nothing of the facts in
this case" I said.
81 will tell them to you. The writer is
| nearly so years of age; was member of
Congress, United States Senator and for
eign Minister before the war, and Sena-
tor in the Confederacy, and also Cen
eral, think, III the Southern armv. For
some years / have been allowing him
$500 per month, but at times he gets ex-
travagant and spends his allowance before
it is due. Lately he has been doing this
frequently, and / am troubled about find
ing some way of holding him in check. -
why not send him the $500 and notify
him that you will not again pay him out
if he gets behind" / suggested.
THAT would do no good. | will send
him only $3.50 with no explanation ex-
cept that il is in answer to his letter. He
does not know the difference between
one dollar and two, and the $3.50 will 90
as far as the $500 would''
The next letter was dated at New Or
leans, and was written by widow, who
informed Mr.. Huntington that her hus-
band had been his friend in carly davs.
and that she was left with one daughter.
who was an invalid. The mother had
sought the mild climate of the South.
hoping 10 restore the daughter to health.
had spent all that she had and the daugh-
ter had gained nothing. She closed with
the request that Mr.. Huntington send
her $3.50 with which she could paw some
outstanding bills and take her daughter
back to their former home in Connecti-
cut. AS Mr.. Huntington had read the
letter, | asked him ii the statements were
true.
Il do not doubt them, though never
saw the woman, but l feel certain that
my friend would not have married and
| lived with woman who would lie to get
a little money"