The true northerner., 1896-10-28

to the world.
He was born at Denmark. Maine.
August 30, 1870 and is the son of JAS
per Pingree: his mothers maiden name
was Adaline Bryant.
The family records have been faith
fully kept, and show that the mayor OF
Detroit is of the eighth generation of
Pingrees born Oh American soil. The
first of the name here WAS Moses Pin
gree (spelled Pengry) who. with his
brother Aaron settled in Ipswich.
Mass. in 1lj40 Ii is believed they
came from England. No one who pos
esses what is called family dcspises
such distinction. and ii is interesting L
know that this sturdy champion of th'
rights of common humanity has lOnc
line of christian ancestry behind him:
men and women of character. standing
and influence. Puritanic ideas of hon
or and honesty. love of home and coun-
try. and "a readiness to defend these at
the hazard of life and fortune, have
ever distinguished them. 1t is inspir-
ing to be thus fore-fathered, it is alto
gether better to be worthy such ances-
try; to have i'm his soul the elements of
true greatness.
The early youth of Mr. Pingree was
filled with labor; first on his fathers
farm with the usual New England
winters schooling to the age of four
teen: then in a cotton mill at Saco,
Maine; then in shoe factory at Hop
kinton. Mass. At the outbreak of the
war he enlisted i'm Company +, First
Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He
was i'm the battles of Fredericksburg
lx-a m len
Cold Harbor. and North Anna. On
June l. 1864, he was captured by Mos
by's men and suffered the usual bitter
experiences of Union prisoner at An
dersonville. GordOnsville. Salisbury
and Millen. After five months he was
exchanged. in time to take part i'm the
battles of Petersburg. Fort Fisher,
Boyden Road. Sailors Greek, Farmers
Vile and AppOmattox. His regiment
lost heavily, both in officers and en-
listed men.
After his muster out in August Of
1865. he came directly 10 Detroit and
was employed I'm Baldwins shoe fac
tory. He formed a partnership with
c. III. Smith in 1866. and il Is related
that he put into the firm $3.50. That
the house so launched has been a sue
cessful one. is shown by their com
mercial rating of 100000 capital. De-
troit people say the firm is dstin-
guished for straightforward honesty,
enterprise and square dealing.
Seven years ago last January. Mr..
Pingree was elected mayor of his city,
and il is in this capacity he has won
his fame. Here he has been most ap-
proved. and most opposed; most enthu-
siastically admired and applauded.
most cordially hated. feared and exc
Grated here he has made friends who
would die for him, and foes who hest
tate at no device against him. 1t is
said that man is known by his
friends. but he is sometimes better
known by noting who are his enemies.
So herculean have been his struggles
| against corporations, monopolies. fraud.
greed and mismanagement. and SO sig
| nal his triumphs that II has brought
| the man and the city into the public
eye to n remarkable extent. Political
ly speaking he has accomplished the
| impossible. He found the city i'm the
grasp of corrupt corpora tiOns.e epOOrly
| lighted at great expense. illpaved. no
adequate sewer system. n most indif
| ferent and inefficient street car service.
with bribery prevailing i'm municipal
affairs 10 a frightful degree; this was
the situation. Now Mr.. Pingree has
convictions; his ideas of right and
wrong are very simple being derived
| from that old Book long ago given for
| their guidance to the children of men.
In the depths Of his soul he believes i'm
human rights, and he has colossal
courage of his own which never fal-
| ters. Given such situation. and
such man. n battle TO the death was
| inevitable. He begun his warfare
against these conditions i'm Detroit with
the cheerful relish of a good fighter,
and he has never given an inch OF
| ground.
How he espoused the cause of the
working man. how he declared for hon.
est dealing i'm the management Of pub
| lie moneys. how he exposed bribery
and fraud, secured cheap rates OF trans