The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-01-18
IDAHO'S SENATORS.
How Shoup Fought Indians and
Mcdonnell Drove Mules.
TWENTY THOUSAND BLUFF BET.
How Mcdonnell Made a Fortune on Potatoes
and Cabbages Brown and
His Riches.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 1871 Special cor
respondence of The HERALD. IL called
last night on Mr.. Alexander Mcconnell, the
new Senator from Idaho. He is stocky,
broad-shouldered, full-chested man of about
forty five. He has hair and beard much
like those of Garfield, and there is a look
about his fair face that reminds me of the
martyred President He is blunt and
western in his manner and is apparently
good business man. Washington and his
new position have by no means over-awed
him, and l Judge that he has sufficient
amount of that assurance and push which
will make him a success here before the de-
partments. He was born in Michigan, and
had graduated at an academy there when
he decided to start west and seek his fort
une. This was in 1850. He left for Chicago
with a goodly sum Of money in his pocket,
the total of his possessions. During the
night he spent in Chicago, however, he was
robbed. He woke one morning to find his
pocketbook missing and just enough spare
change left to get him to Leavenworth,
Kansas, which then formed the starting
point for many Of the emigration trains
going westward. He stepped of the boat
at Leavenworth without cent in his
pocket, and as he walked up the street he
was accosted by Jew clothier who caught
hold of him aud asked him to come and buy
q suit of clothes. 81 don't need any
Clothes" replied Mcconnell, land besides
you don't know how to sell clothes anyhow.
1 can sell mora goods in a day than yeu can
in week, and if you will give me chance
l will show you" This rough address cap
tured the Jew who was good-natured fell
low and he continued the talk with Nc
Connel and finally, at the latter's PROPOSE
ton, offered him his board as long as he
stayed in Leavenworth if he would sell for
him. He made bed for him in the back
part of the store and allowed him to sell
some things on his own account, SO that
within a few days Mcconnell had earned
some money and felt ready to push on to-
wards the west. In looking about for q
chance to go he found MAN who wanted a
wagon train driven to Salt Lake city.
Mcdonnell told the man he was an accom-
plished mule-driver and though he had
never held the reins behind mule he got
the Job. The train consisted OF big canvas
covered wagon, to which were harnessed
six mules. Mcconnell drove these all the
way to Salt Lake city. 1t took ffty-two
days to make the trip and he got one dollar
day. This money made him feel quite
rich and when he arrived at Salt Lake he
was ready to push on to California and the
gold fields. He engaged in mining in Cali
fornia and was doing very well when g
washout and food swept away all his
prospects.
M'coNNEL's s22, 900 POTATO CROP.
In the meantime he had noticed that
every one who owned farm or garden in
the vicinity OF the California mines made
money out of it. 1t struck him that the
same thing might be done in Idaho, and he
put what money he had saved into farming
implements and seeds and started eastward
ito go into gardening. His articles had to
be carried on pack train and he walked
$50 miles and located his garden near Boise
City. His garden prospered and he was
soon selling cRbbages by the thousands al
forty i've cents head, and his potato crop
in one year netted him So, 009 He kept uI
his gardening for three years and made
money at it right along. His profits en-
abled him to go into other businesses and
he is now one of the well to do men of the
west. He has been an influential man il
idaho for years and like most of these
western Senators, he seems to think thai
the whole United States revclves around
his new state and that it will eventually bs
the greatest place agriculturally and other
wise in the union. He says it mas the big
gest mine in the world, and he carries
Autograph Of this NINE about with him II
prove to strangers he is telling the truth
1t is called the De Lamar mine, and it pro-
duces $50, 600 of gold and silver montl
with a prospect of its increasing its yielt
vastly in the future
SENATOR'S BIG WHEAT STORIES.
Senator Mcconnell says the panhandle O
Idaho is the finest agricultural region II
the United States and he tells stories abou
its wheat productions which if true, woult
almost enable the owners of the land to ge
mortgages at six per cent. instead of thu
rates of ten and twelve which are said t,
hold good in Kansas He says there ar
hundreds of acres of wheat in the panhandle
which turn out forty bushels per acre RICH
along and he relates an incident which oc
Cured in a sleeping car upon which he wa:
travelling through Idaho this fall. Said he
There were two skeptical eastern mel
in the berth opposite me and | overheard
one talking to the other. They were dis
cussing western men and western stories
and one OF them said, These westerner.
are the most accomplished liars OF the
world. They try to pretend that they hav,
lands OFT here that will produce sixty
bushels Of wheat to the acre Now yol
and know that that can't be, and still they
tell the story with as straight face as
though they were reciting Scripture or
sermon let the men go on for some tim,
in this strain and heard them traduce oul
people as liars and gamblers and laugl
more and more as they went along abou
the big wheat stories. AT last | coul(
stand it no longer and broke into the con
versation. Gentlemen said /, Il am ;
westerner and / suppose / am something O
liar and do not know but that NAV b,
something of a gambler. 1 know that an
liar enough TO say that we have right her
in this country that we are passing through
land that will not only produce sixty blu
one hundred bushels of wheat TO the acre.
Hereat both of the fasteners laughed in
credulously, and l went on: And what
more. gentleman, / am gambler enough I
bet any amount on that statement from on
dollar up to twenty thousand dollars, ant
the train will stop in moment at Missoul
where there is bank where we can ge
our checks certified and deposit the be
until the matter can be verified Thi
rather took the wind ont of the sails of M
fellow travellers. They wouldn't believ
me- but they weren't willing to bet. M
blum, however, shut up their mouth and
was not bothered about any further re
MARKS as to western liars during the re
mainder Of the day."
A LOOK AT SENATOR sHouP.
Senator Shoup, the other Senator fror
Idaho, is Of about the same age of McCon
mel. He is TALL straight, broad should
cred, blue-eyed man with big head sliphtl
bald at the top. He has fine face and b
is one OF the good looking men on the Re
publican side of the Chamber. He is
man with history and he has been befor