The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-08

that il was only half true as he knew
nearly as many Republicans throughout
the state.
This indicates the bent of his mind. Men
were ever to him as Hamlet might have
said. "a pipe for Lamonts finger 10 sound
what stops he please" They always inter
eSted him, and he made il point 10 know
as many influential men as he could In
the intervals between the making of one
acquaintance after another he liked best
to read biographical literature and the
news and gossip about men that he found
in the daily newspapers
When the Cleveland speck first appeared
on the horizon of state politics few under
stood how or why the new figure was be-
ing intruded on the general vision. Apgar
knew more of the why and wherefore than
any other man, because he haH been 10
Buffalo and learned about the new mans
veto conflicts with the Buffalo aldermen.
but Apgar kept silent and in the shade,
pulling the strings and keeping his own
counsel Mr. Manning, who had succeeded
to the control of the state organization.
was divided between Mr.. Flower. whom
he knew and admired, and Cleveland.
whom he did not know. On the day of the
convention that was TO nominate some one
for governor. Mr.. Manning leaned toward
Flower, the western part of the state was
aroused for Cleveland and Kings county
was SOil0 LOT StoCUH WHO disc CON1iSl
upon a scattered soldier vote all over the
state Cleveland proved to have sixty-six
delegates solidly behind him. and they
never wavered. 1t happened that Slocum
beat Fowler, and then Mr.. Apgar jumped
in and made a telling speech for Cleve-
land, leaping upon a chair in front of
where John Kelly sat in order TO do So
Then Cleveland beat Slocum and carried
off the prize.
precisely as he had for the previous can
didates OF his party. and after the cleo
ton Mr.. Cleveland sent for him 10 go to
Buffalo. The two spent some days to-
gether talking of state affairs and poll
tics generally and arranging for the gath
ering of data at Albany by MIR. Lamont
for the new governors first message.
That was the first time Cleveland and
Lamont had ever met. Again. before Mr..
Cleveland's inauguration as governor, MIR.
Lamont visited him In Buffalo and the
post of military secretary on his staff
was offered to Lamont. That. place car
ried with il the title of colonel. which
Mr.. Lamont had not worn before. After
wards. in Washington City, having be-
come famous as Colonel Lamont he
got many letters from veterans who ad-
dressed him as dear conrade." and
begged him to aid them in securing pen
sions. These requests. he did not turn
iSlue uillIi ne ldu SdNlSiltu IiIISeIl IHdI
the applicants were not deserving.
But when Cleveland reached Albany
and was inaugurated as governor he
asked Lamont to dine with him. He then
said that he had not made up his mind
whom to choose for his private secretary.
and asked if Mr.. Lamont would not serve
in that capacity until a permanent secre-
tary was chosen. Lamont assented and
day or two later it was agreed that he
should keep the place.
He remained with Cleveland all the time
no was governor and in 1854 went with
him to Washington City, there TO continue
as his private secretary. He became very
popular in the national capital. and before
Mr.. Cleveland went out of Office law was
passed, largely at the instance OF Repub-
hcans. TO increase his salary to 5000 The
bill contained a retroactive clause covering
the preceding four years and setting apar.
the difference between the s., 200 year he
had received and the S5.0o that was to be
the future salary accompanying the office.
Mr.. Lamont had never approved of back
pay grabbing by others. and in this case
he wrote 10 Congressman Scott declining
10 accept the gift of more than $I010 thar
was offered him. and asserting that he en-
tered the service of the government with
a knowledge OF the sum he was to receive,
and that he preferred not TO be the bene-
hciary OF such legislation.
III toSS tltNtadftl TSklftQ 10 private
life, and went TO New York to practice
law. Mr. Lamont had many offers from
business men who thought him a forcef "
and many-sided man. but the offer that
suited him best was one that came from
William G. Whitney and Oliver III. Payne,
With whose surface railway projects in this
city he Joined his fortunes Having be-
come the associate of Messrs Whitney
and Payne and the others in the Metropol.-
tan Traction Company. he found that IL
was scarcely a reputable thing 10 be
connected with street railroad.
lie took up that connection close
upon the scandal over Jake Sharps
methods. and the people of the city had
long suffered a great deal of abuse from
street railways in addition TO the scan
dals and discomfort they bred. The rail-
way companies often disregarded public
and private rights and forfeited popular
respect The first thing that Mr.. Lamont
aimed at was TO have the company he
was connected with perform whatever II
agreed to- TO have the bothersome and
destruc tive T rails taken out and re-
placed with grooved rails In all these
changes and many others he knew he
could confidently count upon the warm
and active support OF Mr.. Whitney. The
cars were replaced by better ones. or
when good ones were retained they weres
cleaned and kept clean. More cars. run
on schedules that benefited the public.
distinguished the new service. and pass
engers were transferred from any one
road TO any other road IN the combination
for one fare
This i'm time changed the public senti-
ment regarding these corporations. and
the new regard that was developed for the
roads enabled the great new corporation
20 procure without opposition whatever
changes in legislation looked toward the
consolidation and extension OF properties
that were bought by the syndicate. The
improvements in the service the change
in the personnel OF the companies. and the
determination to keep abreast of pubic
sentiment and make common cause with
the people put the syndicate in such an
unexampled position that on the day fol-
lowing the application for the right 10
make the radical change OF cable for horse
power on Broadway. the principal street
OF the continent every New York news
paper. without "A single exception. gave
the project its warm support and in4orse-
ment.
Such sudden and great success Vas
produced by hard work. and that broke
him down, so thar In April. 1892 he was
ordered 20 rest, His liver had gone back
on him. He went 10 Europe and Travelled
for six months in France italy. Swttzer-
land. Germa ny, Belgium and Great Bri-
tain In Scotland he found relatives Of
his father stlli living on the same farms
which his grand parents left In 1877. This
discovery set the student OF men study
ing his own people for the first time and
ne became greatly interested IN the di-
version. He came home with a great hall
clock whose hands his grandfather had
watched while waiting 20 take ship for
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