The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-11
Huntinztou-s 1900 Year old Joke.

Whenever Coils p. Huntington visits
san Francisco. says the Chicago Tribune
inere 4s q general ''slake-up' m the Cen
tral Pacific offices. annual pass lists are
cut and orders given % reduce the pass
list 20 the narr0W-gauge system he Is
very easily approached, and his cgnVersa-
uon ls as vigorous ds his celebrated
Cotton Letters" which Afforded such eX-
ceilent reading in congressional inVes-
ugdllOn- he is very wealthy, estimating
mat ne VIII leave sl,eU.ytv Tor every year
that he has lived which is more than 90.
Yet he Is not "a prodfeal
Recently De visited New Orleans 10 COM
plete the purchase Of a small branch road
that the southern Pacific needed in its
business. ] called upon him and asked
MN III u was TRUE that the company had
purchased the road, stating that I was
correspondent for a certain newspaper
m san Francisco. re CuiCklN sait: Yes:
that's BANKED blackmaIiins Sheet
replied that my only connection with
the paper was as correspondent 20 send
wei. merely met. oE,e1 that 20 q ia The
maenate by way OF explanation and with
a sad look as ~ recounting the large sums
That rum0r SAYS We're annually paid for
the papers Withholding certain matters.
But said the maglata, his face as
sumed quizzical expression. Il bought
the road three months ago: / paid StO00.-
to1 down. and there are now some details
10 wind M. You are not going 10 send
tnat out % the coast as news
! replied that / had intended doing so
but as il was an old sto~y 7 should not
After asking further details rose to leave
and then stated the real object of my
calling. which was TO set pass TO san
Francisco.
The president sat back in his chair. took
on MS black skullcao. and seriously looked
me In the face. say ing:
We'll. the road is not making much
money now, and as I an only a repre-
sentative OF The stockholders / guess you
ers out a. litter
The clerks looked around at me and
frowred.
Wen. Mr. Huntington. it so happens
that ! ana rot ina q position TO help the
stockholGers.' replied.
And you had just heard of the purchase
Of that load2' he asked, by way Of switch
ing me off the main track and in some lit
news.
Yes, sir. I have been in the city only
two weeks" ] said.
wen. that reminds me OF the story OF
the lrishUan and The Jew" he said laugh
ing. "Did YOU ever hear it,"
OF course ] had not.
He then related the story of the Irish
man who. having heard of the cruci6XiOn
knocked down the first jew thPt he met.
and was astonished on being told that the
crucihxiol occurred 500 years ago.
The clerks in duty bound laughed, and.
of course, ] laughed heartily and IS long
as the narrator Of the ancient Joke did
After the broad-eauge Daughter had end
TO go?"
On. IN 2 rev DAVIS. l replied, as II 10
were a matter OF Indifference
Make ort pass from New Orleans
20 san Francisco" said the original Joker
to one Of his clerks
81 am not quite so late as the Trirhman,
am ], Mr. Huntinrtono' % I remarked, i'm
order o. bring the 1No0-year-old Joke for
ward for another laugh. especially as it
had been instrumental in my getting the
pass.
At this there was another laugh all
around. which the millionaire enjoyed
hugely and he laughed the loudest at his
own joke, 500 years old.