The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-08
POSTMASTER-GEN. BIssELL
He Is Popular In Buffalo and Was Well
Liked by Eale College Students.
TSuecEe5 (Jorresuondence


[Specsg, Correspondence
BUFFALO, April 1.-The resignation
of W. S. Bissell, which. when it takes
effect, will add the prefix tex' to the
title of postmaster general, has set lot
of his Buffalo acquaintance to telling
stories of his younger days Although
he was born in Oneida county, his par
ents moved here when he was or 6
years old, and much of his boyhood wGs
therefore passed in this city.
His middle name being Shannon, he
was always called Shan by his school
mates, with whom he was very popular.
and he is remem bered by many middle
aged men here who knew him then as
being tall and stout for his age, with
face in which the red glow of health
was always prominent. His best friend
was Ben Lander. Lander sat next him
at school, and the homes of the two
boys were adjoining. With a third,
Horace Parmelee, they built fiat bot
toned boat, from which they used to
fish for hours in the waters of Niagara
river.
In their fondness for fishing these
boys were like most others, but Shan
and Ben had one other amusement, not
unique, it is true, but still not adopted
by many. It was keeping menagerie.
This menagerie was located back of the
Lander home. 1t consisted of snakes
and turtles, woodchuck, flying squir-
rel and quite an extensive collection of
white and field mice. These mammals
and reptiles were kept in lot of old
barrels and boxes, and their care occupied
a good deal of time on the part of both
boys. Sometimes Shan used to take
baby snakes with him to school in his
pockets, but whether he was ever
thrashed for doing this is not of record.
In the summer time the boys were won't
to make long expeditions to the woods
near Buffalo for the purpose of hunting
up specimens to add to their collection.
After leaving the ward school at the
age of 10 young Bissell was prepared
for college at the Hopkins Grammar
school in New Haven. He entered Yale
at the age of Is. He was then feet 0
inches tall, and in letter to Horace
Parmelee which is still preserved he
mentioned the fact that every one told
him he was growing and announced his
height in an underscored paragraph. In
college he was very popular, being made
a member Of the spoons committee
of his class and of the Skull and Bones
secret society. The Importance of this
latter, from the students standpoint,
will be understood by the non Yale man
when explain that but three members
of each class are allowed to Join the So
ciety.
In spite of the fact that most people
associate cigarette smoking with slen-
der wasted men Of the dude type, Mr..
Bissell smokes the paper rolls, or did SO
recently, with much enjoyment He be-
gan their use in 1882 during Grover
C1eveland's campaign for governor.
Bissell was then Mr.. Cleveland's part
ner, and when the TO be president first
saw a cigarette between the lips of his
legal coworker and political supporter
there were words of expostulation.
"Bissell,' said Mr. Cleveland. 81
wish you would stop smoking those pa
per things. I would rather buy your
cigars myself than to see cigarettes in
your mouth.
Bisse1 said never word, but Mr..
Cleveland bought him lot of cigars all
the same and shortly afterward an
nounced that if elected governor that
fall he would be delighted to sign a bill
for the suppression of cigarette smok-
ing. Such bill was passed during
| Cleveland's gubernatorial term and
signed by him, but it prohibited the
sale of cigarettes to boys only and is
| quite as much dead letter in this state
as it would be in any other.
JEROME WARD.