The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-29


kind to him, and every Christmas has
added to his stock of beautiful
house furnishings. His silver and
table ware would be the delight of every
proud housekeeper. He has some very
valuable pictures in his collection, but the
one which he seems to enjoy the most is
very well executed painting of himself in
white driving coat, spinning through
Central park behind pair of magnificent
trotters-one of them tie famous Kenil-
worth, who astonished the Eastern coun-
try before the days of Maud S. and Sunol.
The mayor still retains his love for the
swift equine. He has six horses in his
stable at the present time, and there is no
man in this country who would 60 farther
than himself to see a good exhibit. either
in the trotting or running line.
There is a youthfuiness and buoyancy
about Mayor Grant which, all things con-
sidered, is rather surprising. There is
serious and matter-of-fact business side to
him, but to his friends he is still the same
warm-hearted. impuIsive, good-natured
boy that he was fifteen years ago. He is
exceedingly tired of politics. Of late he
has taken no active part in the manipula-
ton of city politics beyond what is abso-
lutely forced out of him by his connection
with Tammanv Hall. Any one watching his
published interviews of late will see how in
different he has become to general politics.
When he first entered the mayors office
he was on tap to the reporters and was
good for a certain amount of space every
day in the newspapers. He subsequently
discovered that being interviewed by
dozen reporters every day meant great
loss of time from his official duties, and
now the accepted formula is something
like this:
mayor Grant being seen by the reporter
in reference to the sermon of DR.. Park
hurst said that he had not read it and did
not care to say anything on the subject"
At the same time, the mayor is always
affable and always accessible to reporters.
He has been criticized a good deal for some
of his official acts. especially in the matter
of appointments. But it must be under
stood that in many instances he has not
been permitted to have his own way by
any means While the mayor of New
York city, he is also Tammany Halls
mayor and Tammany Hall has ser
vitors who must be taken care of
at any price. I am inclined to
care for the second term of the mayoralty,
but was rather forced into it by the at
tacks made upon him by the legislative
investigating committee. His friends in
sisted upon his vindication, and having
secured it he is now ready to end his Off
cial life next January. As l have already
said, the mayor is generous feeder, and
his table attracts some of the best known
epicures in the city.
No man in the country knows more
about duck than Mayor Grant. and his
taste for terrapin is simply sybaritlc. His
cook has special formula for preparing
this much-vaunted dish. and notwith-
standing the very high price and scarcity
of this reptile, no formal dinner at the
mayors house is considered complete
without it. His wine cellar is q gem in
its way. He makes his own selections,
and, recollecting some have dozen dinners
with him, | cannot call an occasion when
he did not introduce a new and rare vint-
age of some kind. He told me the other
evening that one of his reasons for wish
ing to be relieved Of Office and political
cares was based upon his desire to be un.
trammeled in a business way.
The mayor is very shrewd man of af-
fairs, and has always been a money!
maker. Hampered as he is i'll the MAYORS
office, he does not feel at liberty to seize
upon the business opportunities which
come under his observation from time TO
time. He has, believe, already made ar
engagements TO take the presidency of
very important corporation as soon as he
leaves his office, and we shall hear much
of him hereafter in the world of affairs.
His experience in the mayors office
has been valuable one, and | can see
great growth in him since the day that he
evoluted from the sheritfs office. He is
still young enough to have q roseate future
but not political one. | fancy that he
never cared much for politics. eycert as a
youthful pastime, and that he was forced
into office by his associations rather than
by selt-seeking. He is GOOD fellow all
round, and SO Tar as the actual business of
the city Is concerned ne has been a great
improvement on Abram 5. Hewitt. whose
Feasibility, loquacity and general verbal
responsibility made him q conspicuous,
but not very useful fixture around city
hall.