The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-24

fall came. Even the Staten Island land wa
accumulated for the purpose Of dispos.ng Of
il in lots to men of small means. in orlcr that
they might have homes of their own and q
half acre of soil TO which they held the title.
Visionary as the scheme may have been. itwa-
conceived with The best Of objects in view. and
Of late 1t took equal prominence in Wiman
mind with his plan for improving the fluau-
cial aud commercial prospects Of Canada.
The financial downfall of Frastus Wiman
was caused by this irdomtable enthusiasm
for humanity. Lc; credit be given where
credit is due. It will be fashionable. ror
awhile, at least, to decry what Wiman did
and tried to do II he should be convicted.
mud will he thrown over the numerous en-
tarprises he originated and pushed. Il he is
acquitted this little story will spread and he
retold in his praise Again the statement Is
repeated, that Mr. Wimln became financial
wreck, temporarily at least, because OF his
constant desire to accomplish something
practical for his fellow men. That he wanted
to amass wealth tn this attompt is not Ga-
MED. He always said he was in search ol
gold But he wanted &, make money IRON
one project in order 10 spend it in another.
His history proves this. Five years ago. cr
possibly six, he muet have been worth in
quick assets, at least half HilIion dollars.
Staten Island real estate mot included IN
the inventory He could have stopped med
ding with schemes lived handsomely on his
hcomeu as managing partner in the firm Of
i. c, Dun u Co., and allowed the halls million
10 double ITSELF But he didn't do e. lie
poured out ,he thousands in new directions
gave his Varners the impression that he was
wild specuIator and wasn't attending to
business, end then came the crash.
Naturally, his ambition to make name for
himself in new fields and at the same time
permit the public TO share in his discoveries.
made Niman a lair target for the crank. He
was the friend OF the crank. Theman with
scheme in the West who was told Of Wiman
brought his pet pro'o,, to New York and al
most always got an audience The hall-craay
inventor who worried Nall street and got no
hearing, finally learned of Wmm, and met
with a cordial reception. twas an odd sight
tose7 the congregation Of cranks that assem-
blcd in front oil the big room, covering an on
tire floor, from day to day at 3l4 Broadway.
where Wimans ofiice was, On a slight plat
form, with a railing to separate it from the
rest of the apartment, was Wiman's desk,
Everybody could see him when the door was
opened, There sat the man that handled one
Of the largest and most complicated branches
Of business. He knew more, and Knows
more to-day, about the details of commercial
trade than any man in the nation. He fol-
lowed the arteries Of trade and felt the mer-
camille pulse Of the world. His wonderful.
memory enabled him to give on the instant
the standing and credit OF thousands Of bus
mess houses, His keen knowledge of the
subject and his close observation permitted
him to write those weekly trade letters that
for years were regarded not onlyas prophetic
but as absolutely reliable.
There at large desk in the centre of the