The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-25
WITH SENATOR BRICE
TIE RAILROAD FUTURE OF THE
COUNTRY.

TIE RAILROAD FUTURE OF THE
COUNTRY
The Great Northwest-BridGing the $500 T"
-siiver and Goid-Thc Democratic Silver
Plank - Mr.. Rrice's Opinion OF Gould
His Home in Nr. Corcornn's Old House
How re Has Altered the House.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Dec 23-The tranrfor-
nations effected by wealth and career are
being revealed as we approach the close OF the
century. About ten years ago l was invited
to deliver q lecture In Lima. Ohio. little city
which seemed to have passed It's destiny until
one OF its sons. n boy who had boon In tho war
carrying musket. suddenly appeared rs a
topograrher. They told me that he had been
over tho paths of the abandoned canals and
seen In them graded lines for railways. I was
taken to tho Office OF this person. generally
called Gal Brice." and found him to he n shy
man with great shock Of dark red hair and n
noso which mono OF tho American Indians
could excel for its extent and expression. Men
with well-produccd noses possess tho next
thing to superior brain. This nose was n
snow plough, and tho owner OF 1t could find
paths wherethe Indians lost their trails.
In old times the Ohio canal system followed
the dip OF Lake Eric and tho river Maumec.
which carried them on to the Wabash and
down to the Big Miami ut Cincinnati In that
earlier day Sandusky was tho expected city
which Toledo and Detroit have since bocomo
Tho New York. New England. Jersey. and
Pennsylvania settlers OF Ohio generally. went
out by tho Eric Canal and down the lake to
Sandusky. and thence travelled to kentucky.
Indiana. and elsewhere. Young Brice. Lima
lawyer. saw q present availability in those
long canal paths. With q town pride he
pointed the fret road toward Lima. his home.
He Joined himself with Gen. Samuel Thomas
the ono Democrat and tho other n Rerub-
lican-wth Charles Foster. now Sccretark
OF tho Treasury. and with Cummings and
Seney. the bankers. and the first thing tho
Eastern public knew OF this combination they
had actually paralleled the Lake Shore Nail-
road from Chicago to Buffalo. q distance OF
523 miles: and 1t has retained the name
Brice gave 1t in sport. and is 80 put down In the
guides and manuals. "the Nickel Plate"
Conservative opinion in New York was
shock ed that these Western Adventures could
compel the Tanderbilts and their following to
buy this superllnous. yet dangerous. parasite.
But conservatism declared in favor Of tho pur-
chase and the West Shore Railroad had also
to be acquired, which had been built by Pull
man and his young men. Tho Nickel Plate
Railroad is justified. both rs a purchase and
ut tho Price paid for it. That desolnte region
called 1.-THE Black Swamp" south Of Toledo,
which was the latest homo OF the bear and the
puma. turns out to he full of mineral oil and
natural gas. and is one OF the primo supplies
Of heavy !reights. both East and West. Lima
shot up to be a city. Tho townspeople looked
upon Brice as their Messiah. Having come
from Maryland family. whore two blades
OF politics grow on the SPOT whore one had
hoo ynhh afa nr,n
when the townstolk said. why. we have had
nobody to represent us in public life." IIo
appeared at tho st. Louis Convention whero
Cleveland was nominated. as the Chairman OF
tho Ohio delegation. In a little while he was
announced as the Chairman OF tho National
Committee. Though Cleveland was defeated.
Mr.. Brice soon came to the United States
Senate. He is but ~ years old. but prccocious
in everything Ho already has a largo and Nne
fami!y-the boys of at tho universities. tho
daughters about to enter upon Washington
society. Mrs. Brice was Miss Meiley. an I'M
usually handsome woman much beset by
beaux. but Brice. with his usual luck. Won her.
While his combination have bufHt extensive
railroads in the South. their inclinutions have
always been toward tho extension OF tho rail-
way experiments which brought them into
notice. They have been instrumental in par
tanoo:a to Florida and In bringing about the
meeting Of the Carolina lines with those OF
Fast Tennessee. but they have kept moro out
OF notice their extensions along tho south
shore OF Lake superior from the Straits OF st.
Marys River, OF the 500. to Duluth. In this
way they are Joined in with Hill and his Great
Northern line to the Pacific. and with tho
Canadian Pacific which carries them out to
Boston. The conversation which follows bo-
low will make some OF these things plain.
Mr.. Brice has followed in tho path of Vice
President Morton and Mr.. Whitney. lilo has
kept house in fine style in New York and at
Newport, but in Washington City no has OK
cc!!cd prcccdants. and has taken Banker Cor
coran's hi. house. hitherto supposed to DO
a sacred reservation for the heirs of Corcoran
and Of his daughter Mrs. George Eusts. This
house was elaborated By Renwick. the architect
"A Washington boy. whose mother Is said to
have kept boarders. He was good Gothic
architect. as some OF tho Now York churches
show. and MS the architect Of the Smithsonian
1nstitute-a fine piece OF abbey architecture
he pleased the soul OF Corcoran. who had him
elaborate a dinin. room noar the middle Of
this large house. tho memory OF which should
remain in the minds Of guests.
lthas crotcheted spires OF frctwork running
all around. is high. and might DO Queen Vic
toria's break room. Mrs. Brcc. who has trav-
elled much abroad and purchased in tho limos OF
nrt. has had the entire house rehabilitated. the
walls tapestried. dull gold placed In the cell
ings. and nne stuirs bought in various coun-
tries made into po-tieres They havo bricked
up Mr.. Corcorans door. and mado a new portal
under a porte-cochere. which opens into long.
closed vcranda, like students walk or
Abenrd's cloister. all furnished in rod.
fhn late all nrrtI los 10 thN
dining room aforesaid. with its white Gothic
work relieved against the figured crimson in
the frleze: at tho end OF the hall Is a rocoss
containin. great teak sidebohrd. and in this
recess is the main stairway running TO tho top
Of the house. Tho doors have been takon Off
and porti1res put in, 30 that vistas open from
many points.
Mr.. Brice's Office is square room in the rear
OF the stairway in which he has opened Inc
bay wind ow to give more light and show tho
fine yard outside. with its graveled walks ana
boxed plants tho whole being enclosed by II
hlgh wall. which makes quito park IN the
middle 81 the city Mr. CVrcoran died In this
room. This park reaches around IN tho roar
OF Banker Riggs house. and has recently
"A n t vintn, hr lurU ~ IA,