The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-04
DETROIT'S FAMOUS MAYOR
The Breezy Career Of His Honor,
Hazen 5. Pinqree.
UP FROM ShOEMAKER'S BENCH
4 Sturdy Man Of Puritan Ancestry Who
Has Made Things HON Sinee He Got
Into Offiee-His Celebrated
Potato Farm.
From the Buffalo Express.

From the Buffalo Express.
Detroit Mich. Feb. 15.-fIazen 8. Pin
gree is u lineal descendant OF Moses
Pingry. who came from England ir l640
and settled in Ipswich, Mass. For the
first l4O years, nearly all of the Ameri-
can branch OF the family lived in lps-
wich, Rowley and Georgetown. Mass.
Toward the close of the last century
the family had SO increased in number
that many OF the name sought and OBJ
tanned new homes in other parts OF the
hay State. and In Maine, New Hamp-
shire. Vermont and Nova Scotia. and at
the present time. descendants of the
family are found in nearly every part
Of the Union.
HaZen :. Pingree was born ut Dem
mark, Me. August 70. 1872. and is the
fourth child Of Jasper and Adeline Pin
gree. His father was q farmer and
resided at Denmark from the time OF
his birth. in 1906 until 1871. when he
came to Detroit. where he died in 1882
Hazen s. Pingree resided with his par
ents until IA years of age, when he went
to Hopkinsville. Mass. and secured en-
ployment In a shoe factory. Here he
learned the trade of cutter. at which he
worked until August l. 1882. when he
enlisted as u private in Company +,
First Massachusetts regiment OF heavy
artillery. This regiment was assigned
to duty In the 22d Army Corps. and Its
first service was rendered in defense OF
the Nations capital. During Cen
Pope's Virginia campaign. the regiment
was ordered to the front. and partici-
pated in the Battle of Bull Run on
August 20. 1862. 1t afterwards returned
to duty in defense Of Washington. and
remained there uniil May l5 1864. when
the time of service of this regiment
having expired. Mr.. Pingree. with
enough others, re-enlisted to keep up
the organization of the regiment. which
was then assigned to the I'd Brigade,
I'd Division. 2d Corps, of the Army Of
the Potomac, and took part in the bat
ties of Fredericksburgh Road. Harris
Farm and Spottsylrania Court House,
Cold Harbor, North Anne and South
Anne. At the battle of Spottsylvanla
his regiment opened the engagement.
and lost 500 men, killed and wounded.
CAPTURED BY THE REBELS.
On May o. 1864. Mr.. Pingree and q
number Of his comrades. while recon-
noitering. We're captured by Il squad Of
men commanded by Col. Mosby. AS
prisoners Of war they We're brought be-
fore that rebel officer, who exchanged
his entire suit of clothes with Mr.. Pin
gree, but afterwards gave back the
coat, TeUlaTklus tndl his IitU HlteHl
shoot him for "Yank," result he
certainly did not desire. After his cap
ture. Mr.. Pingree was confined for near
ly five months at Andersonville. and for
short periods was confined at Gordons-
VILE; Va; Salisbury, N. c., and Millen,
Ga. At the latter place. in November,
1864. he was exchanged, rejoined his
regiment in front of Petersburg. and
soon after took part in the expedition
ut Walden In tho hat los
of Fort Fisher. Boydton Road, Peters,
burg, Sailors Greek. Farmville and APP
pomattox Court House. From the Bat
tie Of the Wilderness to the Fall of
Richmond his regiment lost 1,.S3 men
and 3S officers. 1t was complimented in
special orders by Gems. Mott and Pierce
for particular gallantry In the last
grand charge on Petersburg, In which
it took a leading part. Mr.. Pingrees
second enlistment was for three years.
or to the close of the war, and when the
surrender of Lee took place his reSi-
ment was in close proximity.
He was mustered out of service on
August Is, 1865, and shortly after his
discharge, came to Detroit. Here for
a short time he was employed in the
boot and shoe factory of ii. r. Baldwin
& Co.
IN THE SHOE BUSINESS.
Deciding to embark in business for
himself. in December. 1865, with G. ii.
Smith. he bought the small boot and
shoe factory of Mr.. Mitchell. on the
corner of Croghan and Randolph
streets. the entire capital represented
by the firm of Pingree & Smith. when
established. being but $3.50. The first
year they employed but eight persons.
and the value of their production
reachd only SO, 900. Aftr q few months
they removed to the Hawley Block. on
the corner of Woodbridge and Bates
streets, where they remained two years
During the following three years they
occupied the Farnsworth Block. on
Woodbridge Street. and in 1871 they
moved to the southeast corner OF Wood
bridge and Griswold streets, using at
that time but one-half of the building
Their venture was a success from the
very start. and has shown a steady
increase from year 10 year. For years
they have maintained their position as
facturers In the West, and their factory
is excelled by but one or two in the
United States. Over 200 persons are
employed, and their weekly pay roll
amounts to between 5000 and $1,000
The value of their annual products
amounts to about 81. 900. 900. Their sales
extend all over the West. but are more
and the Northwestern states. From
the beginning of this enterprise, Mr..
Pingree has had general supervision
over the complicated details of the en-
tire establishment. Mr.. Smith retired
from the firm in 1888. but the firm name
Pingree & Smith, has been retained.
Mr.. Pingrees success has been the re-
suit of hard work and good manage
ment.
ELECTED MAYOR.
Tn 1889 Mr.. Pingree was elected
mayor of Detroit, defeating the Demo-
cratic candidate, John Pridgeton, jr.,
who then held the Office, by 2,3lS ma
jority. AS mayor he has made an en-
viable record. With the interests of the
taxpayers at heart. he has ably fought
all OF the petty steals in the council.
and many of his suggestions i'm munich
pal affairs have been carried out with
advantage. Through his influence the
great street car strike. which practi-
cally paralyzed business for 4 week was
satisfactorily settled \ few months
later, when the council attempted to
give the street car companies 30 year
franchises of every line in the city.
Mayor Pingree interposed with his veto
and effectualiy killed the scheme,
thereby undoubtedly saving to the city
of Detroit rights worth millions of dol
lars.
In the fall of 1891, he was nominated
for mayor by the Republicans. and was
triumphantly reelected in one of the
most hotly-contested municipal elec-
tions that the city has everexperienced
His total vote was more than 1000
higher than the combined vote Of the
two DemOsratic candidates When it
is considered that the normal Demo-
cratic majority in Detroit is between
3. 900 and 1900 Mayor Pingrees strength
with the people can be appreciated.
For the third time. in the fail of 1893,
Hazen 5. Pingree was called on to make
the run for mayor. The odds against
him were tremendous. The Democratic
leaders had become reconciled to each
other and united on one of the most