Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-13
ALEXANDER R. SHEPHERD.
The Ex-Governor Talks at Length to a
Star Man.
INTERVIEWED ON The WING.
His Own Account Of His Mining
Ventures in Mexico --r--s.-
RECoLLECT|ONs OF WASHINGTON.
Stories of the Exciting Days Of the Capitals
RenaSCenCe
HIS VIEWS ON CURRENT POLITICS

man of the Citizens Reform Association he
began the work of municipal revolution
which resulted in establishing, in 1871, the
territorial form of government. First as
vice president of the board of public works,
then as governor of the District, the story
of the life of Alex. r. Shepherd for three
years Is practically the history Of the city
during an eventful period, when more was
accomplished for the city than during all
the rest of it's century of existence. Wash
ington was saved. but the work was not
accomplished without strife or friction.
Few men ever stood such storm of
abuse as that endured by Gov. Shepherd.
But that is past. Already have the words
of Senator Simon Cameron, uttered then in
the Senate, been more than realized. The
Senator said, speaking of the men who had
regenerated Washington: Thirty years
hence some of these men. and among them
the much-abused Gov. Shepherd, will be al
most eanonized in this city. He is yet a
young man. and will probably live to over
years he will be pointed at as the master
spirit who had courage, intelligence and
vlsor enough to combine the intellect Of
this town in favor of Its prosperity"
characteristics of Bristol.
1t was at Bristol, Tenn, 430 miles from
Washington, that I met him. For two
hours and more I waited there for the
train bearing Mr.. Shepherd to come in
from the south, and I sauntered around
and looked over the town. 1t is in two
states, Virginia and Tennessee, and the
Virginia portion is "wet' and the other
dry" Consequently all the bar rooms
and saloons front upon the east side of the
street forming the boundary, and Virginia
invites Tennessee thirsts to cross the dust
line with steady persistence. They accept
it with alacrity, too, whenever the oppor-
tunity offers.
Another characteristic of which Bristol
Is proud is the fact that time changes there,
and when it is II o'clock on one side of
the street it is 1 on the other. 1t is the
height of a Bristol dudes ambition, there
fore, to wear two watches, his habit being
to wear eastern time in the right and CEN
trail time in the left pocket. The possible
alliance of two scions of leading families
here was ruthlessly smashed up by this
complicated time arrangement not long
ago. The young woman lived on the Vir-
ginia side of Bristol and the swain in
Tennessee. He made an engagement to
take her mother and her aunt and her two
cousins from Knoxville and, of course,
herself to party down the country. He
was to call with a double team at o'clock
In the mad exhilaration of the moment
and the excitement of changing his
o'clock for his o'clock clothes he got his
watches mixed and put the central time in
his right pocket instead of his left. He
thought time dragged, but it was a cloudy
evening, and he waited patiently. He pull
ed out what he thought was his central
time watch and started by 1t at quarter
to Z. When he reached the Virginia home
of his hearts delight the parlor clock kept
religiously according to eastern rules, mark
ed four minutes to g. The whole party
had gotten mad and gone off in their own
team with their colored man, and the
match was broken off. Now the young
man wears only a single watch that he
sets automatically so that it is a half hour
fast when he is in Tennessee and half
hour slow when he steps over to Virginia
to Stake his grief. 1 waited in the depot
previous to the arrival of the train, and 1
noticed Station Agent Wright saved him
self from possible trouble by keeping the
hands of the clock there at twelve minutes
of Z all the time.
Meeting the Governor.
When the governors train rolled In 1
found him where I'm grinding now, in the
smoking compartment of the Tacitus, the
rear Pullman. He greeted me cordially,
and I congratulated him on his sturdy
appearance and the little change that had
taken place in his appearance.
Il have aged 4 good deal-I show 1t in
my face" returned the governor. 81 was
sixty years old on the Both of January last
you know, SO PYl getting along. 1 haven't
been feeling as dell lately as usual, either
I've suffered a good deal from vertigo, but
I'm better low, and I'm going to take a
sea trip, which 1 expect to do me lots of
good. 1 guess the long confinement at
Batopilas and the unrelaxed attention to
my business there has something to do