The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-05-28

for the voters in northers Ohio, who
elected him to Congress on q Democrat
ic ticket in a strong Republican district.
During the last winter Mr.. Johnson,
with his brother Albert, organized the
Lehigh Valley Traction company, and
placed in operation in Allentown, Pa,
thirty-five miles of electric railway.
Then the company extended its lines to
Easton, Pa, and now boasts that the
people of that part of the keystone
state can ride twenty miles by electric
power for five cents. Today the old
Pennsylvania Dutch town of Allentown
is possessed of one of the most elabor-
ate systems Of transportation with cleo
tricity as the agent, of any town triple
its size in the United States.
The Johnsons recently secured fran
Ichise for trolley system in Brooklyn,
and work has already commenced up
on a gigantic street car line which will
extend 10 suburban towns on Long Is
land, and like Allentown, Brooklyn will
be possessed of an electric system
which will enable its residents to ride
twenty miles for five cents. The Mas
sau Electric railroad, which is the name
|of the Brooklyn company, promises to
have its lines completed and cars run
ming within the current year.
Having thus formed d street car
monopoly in Indianapolis, Cleveland
Allentown and Brooklyn, Tom" John
sen is looking for other municipal
worlds 10 conquer, and has practically
completed a purchase of the street car
lines of Detroit. and is after similar
property in Boston, Chicago and New
York. He stands today the street car
king of the United States.
Within the last sixty days Johnson
and his business associates have pur-
chased large tract of land at Lorain
twenty-five miles from Cleveland, Ohio
and are erecting there a S2,000,0OO plant
TO be known as the Johnson Steel
Works. and which will give employ
ment to several thousand men. The
general office of the company will be
located in Cleveland. The wonderful
Tom is also contemplating the build
ing of an electric line from Cleveland
to Lorain, and is also considering a
plan 10 construct a breakwater mod6
of waste from his iron and steel mills,
extending all the distance from Lorain
to Cleveland, thus forming a continu-
Gus harbor between the two cities.
tom" Johnson. as Congressman
labors for the workingmen, and as their
friend and champion. AS a street cal
king he Is a monopolist, an employer
of over 10000 laboring men and one OF
the great barons of monopoly His
fortune is estimated at 600 and is
multiplying at an astonishing rate MI
Johnson spends a considerable portion
of his time in New York, and makes
his home in Gotham at the ST. James
hotel. near Madison Square. where he
occupies gorgeous suite of rooms
which he rents by the year.
There is something very humorous in
the manner in which tom" Johnson
runs over to New York from Washing
ton After dining in the st. James cafe
on fried chicken and champagne he
sends his silk hat and English over
coat up to his apartments, dons a
SLOUGH travelling hat and wanders aim
lessly over to Third avenue, or some
neighboring street. and talks to- the
Single tax people or the socialists fol
an hour in stuffy little hall on the de.
plorable condition of the American
workingman.
But he is indeed an Interesting per.
sonality. Ponder upon his career. AZ
inventor at IS, a railroad manager a
%. a millionaire at 80, and now at the
age of 10 a congressman, a single tax
advocate. a free trader and monopo
list. There is only one tom" Johnson
ANDREW WILLARD.