Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-23
TOLD IN THE CORRIDORS.

newspaper man. reached I'll Paso he was
welcomed by Gov. Web Flanagan, then col
lector Of port. The two had had a iesul-
tory sort of acquaintance here, formed dur
Ing Flanagan's visit here during President
Harrison's administration to secure the
collectorship. The Texan took a great hk-
ing for Tom and made things pleasant
Tor him at the outset of his stay at the
City of the Pass as he could Gov. Flana-
gan gained a national reputation in the re-
publican convention at Chicago in 1854
when he paralyzed the contingent of civil
service reformers by the searching inquiry:
What are we here for. IL not for the
offices?'
Web is a son of the late United States
Senator Flanagan of Texas, who electrified
the Senate one day when the salary grab
was under discussion by declaring thai he
had voted for the increase, drawn the
money and was going to keep 1t, suitiEg
the action to the word by pulling i huge
wad of greenbacKs from als pocket ana
waving ii in the air. 1t made the con-
Science-Stricken Senators who were cover
ing their share of the grab back into the
treasury feel tired.
Web is a chip of the old block. He is a
man of affairs as well as q politician. IN
lSJS he was a member of the con stititioial
convention of Texas. His father was also
member. The old gentleman's blood had
cooled off and he was a member OF the
church. Web wasn't The wee sma'
hours ayant the twar' sometimes caught
him lingering over the wine cup with a
party of hail fellows. One morning as tine
elder Flanagan was on his Way To tie
state capitol to attend the convention Web
and several other roysterers emerged from
restaurant. They had been 1T il all night
and looked ii. Web would have avoided
his father, but 1t was too late; 80 he de-
termined to brave II out.
GOOD morning fhiCt, Gather, Did YOU
rest (hic) well last night?''
Much better than you did, SIR was the
stern reply. You ought 10 be ashamed
OF yourself. sir, stayin' out all night carous-
IN, and appearin' on the street in broad
day in your condition. and you a member of
the constitutional convention. I'm asbam-
ed or you, sir, and your district will be
ashamed of you when it learns Of this dis
graceful conduct"
That's all right (hic). father, I've got
better right to speak for the (hic) district
than you have (hic), cause l got a Cl.c)
bigger majority n you did
II was home thrust. Webs majority
mad been larger than his fathers, both
running in the same district and on the
same ticket, and this fact was a sore
point with the elder Flanagan. lie made
no reply, simply continuing his walk to
the capitol.
AT the first election under the new con-
stitution Web was chosen a state senator.
his father being elected lieutenant gov
ernor. After his father was chosen United
States Senator and resigned the lieutenant
goVernorship to take that Office, Web MAS
elected president pro tempore of the senate
and SO became acting lieutenant governor
Hence the handle of governor to his name.
WEB Is rich man in his own country He
Is small of stature, florid faced, blue eyed
ana light haired. His manner is frank ard
engaging. He is good talker AMI a fyrci-
bic stump speaker of the speIl-bnder ORDER
he rellshes humor, especially of the dry
KIND, which will account in a large meas
ure for his taking to Tom Hannum on
sight.
Ex-senator Palmer of Michigan, who was
minister to Spain for time. says they have
bright postal clerks in the land of he dous
as well as in this country. In proof of the
assertion he tells of a curiously addressed
letter which passed through the post Office
at Madrid while he was in that capital
according TO the ex-senator and ex-minis-
ter, the address was perfect rebus. At
the left-hand side was the figure of a lady
This made ii clear to which sex the one TO
whom the letter was addressed belonged
over the lady's head was rising sun.
winch was interpreted as indicating that
her name was Aurora. For her surname
there was hill with a castle at its foot
or in Spanish, Monies Castillo" For
the town, there was the plan of a city
drawn. in which the Alhambra appeared
Or course that meant Granada, especially
as pomegranate was drawn beside the
plan o. the city. The address was complei-
ed by number in one of the streets of the
three
days to study this curiosity said ex-senator
Palmer. and then delivered IL in triumph
to Senorita Aurora Monies Castillo
Azacayas No %. Granada" So proud Were
the postal authorities of this feat that they
had the envelope photographed and p-inted
In the Madrid papers proof of the acu-
men OF the department. IAN the foreigners
IN Madrid We're very much amused by the
affair." said Mr.. Palmer.
John b. Swain of Jack county. Tex. enc
OF the pioneers of that section, was talking
the other night with a party of old md
new friends at the National.
When L went to Jack county at the close
of the war;" said he. "a man was In dam
ger who went q mile or two away from the
court house at Jacksboro' in a westerly di
rection. He was liable to leave his scaIn
with some rowing band of sayages You
see." continued Mr.. Swain when The war
began the Texan frontier was depri yad of
the protection of the United States troors
which it had enjoyed for many years, ME
confede -acy was unable to spare enough
soldiers to replace the United States troons
The result was that the frontier was raw
aged time and again by the Comanche and
kiowa Indians. The scattered settlements
We're helpless before these hordes of painted
and unpaintc1 savages. for they made their
raids both plain and in colors. The troops
the confederacy could spare for the rrotec-
ton of the frontier were under the cam
mand of Major-Gen Sam Bell Maxey. since
the war a United States Senator from
IeAaS Ior TWO terms. They were too few
for the duty, however. and the close of ,he
war found the frontier driven back for
miles.
THE scene was one of desolation, per-
haps never before witnessed in n lew
country. The whole line of the frontier
was for many miles dotted with deserted
houses. Fertile valleys that had begun 10
blossom as the rose were made .!asolate
The Fences were fallen about the neglected
fields. The country was filled with wild
horses. Over the plains roamed great herds
of abandoned cattle. while in the woods
thousands of wild hogs hunted for mast.
The people who had attempted to make
homes in this section had gone most of
them never to return. Such is a faint mic
ture of the Texan frontier at the close of
the war. 1t gradually improved until row
that country is covered with farms VILLAGES
and towns. 1t is indeed a wonderful trans
formation that 1 have seen come about"
concluded the old pioneer.
Lafe Pence of Colorado has a high. pene-
trating voice but it isn't a circumstance to
that of one of his predecessors George O.
Syr -es, who died recently. Symes was an
Ohioan by birth. served through the war in
wisconsin regiment, and lived most of his
life In the Rocky mountain region, where he
was a lawyer and an orator noted for his
great vote. Compared with il the roar of
the bull OF BaShan was a gentle murmur
1t was deep. heavy bass. proceeding seem
ingly from cavernous depths. Explaining
the reputation his voice had given him he
said one day:
We'll. IN tell you about it," and the