The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-10-31


Maine; then in a shoe factory at Hop
klnton, Mass. At the outbreak of the
war he enlisted In Company +, First
Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He
was In the battles of Fredericksburg
Road, Harris Farm, Spottsylvania.
! Cold Harbor, and North Anna. On
June 1. 1864, he was captured by Mos
by's men and suffered the usual bitter
experiences Of Union prisoner at An
! Jacksonville, Gordonsville, Salisbury
and Alillen. After five months he was
exchanged, In time to take part in the
, battles Of Petersburg, Fort Fisher,
! Boyden Road. Sailors Creek. Farmers
vile and Appomattox. His regiment
lost heavily, both in officers and en-
/ listed men.
After his muster out In August OF
I 1868, he came directly to Detroit and
was employed in Baldwin's shoe fac
| tory. He formed n partnership with
! G. III. Smith in 1866, and II Is related
that he put into the firm $460. That
the house so launched has been sue.
cessful one, is shown by their COM
J mercial rating of 100000 capital. De.
trolt people say the firm is distin-
guished for straightforward honesty,
enterprise and square dealing.
Seven years ago last January. Mr..
Pingree was elected mayor Of his city.
and ii 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 hcrculean have been his struggles
against corporations. monOpolies, fraud.
greed and mismanagement, and so sig
nal his triumphs that it has brought
the man and the city into the public
eye to remarkable extent. Political
ly speaking he has accomplished the
impossible. He found the city In the
grasp of corrupt corporations. poorly
lighted mt great expense, illpaved, no
adequate sewer system, a most indif
ferent and inefficient street car service.
with bribery prevailing in municipal
affairs to 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 IL
human rights. and he has colossal
courage OF his own which never fal
icrs. Given such situation. anG
such man. a battle to the death wa
inevitable. He begun his warfar,
against these conditions in Detroit witt
he cheerful relish of good fighter
md he has never given an inch of
ground.
How he espoused the cause of the
working man. how he declared for hon.
EST dealing in the management Of pub.
IT, moneys. how he exposed bribery
md fraud, secured cheap rates Of trans
portation, projected a series Of needed
improvements. public lighting plants.
parks miles of well paved roadways,
water service reform, a perfect sewer
system and other benefactions-is not
the history of all this written upon the
beautiful and purified face of the city,
ana III the hearts of the people?
He has entered with sympathy into
the wants of the needy. and his plan
of permitting the poor and unemployed
10 plant and cultivate the waste and
idle lands in and about the city. has
not only fed hungry thousands. bu,
timulated in them love of honest la
Oor and given to many. doubtless.
their first impulse to manly independ-
once and thrift.
President Geo. A. Gates. of Iowa Col
lege. says of him: at is probably
fair statement of the truth that no
mayor of any considerable city in
America has done so much for the in
;ereStS of his town as this man." 'The
battle Mayor Pingree has fought out in
the eyes of the nation in and for the
city OF Detroit has put the American
nation under obligations to him."
In appearance Mr.. Pingree is much
better looking than his pictures would
indicate: the usual full front view is
misleading. and does poor justice to
the strong. thoughtful and kindly face.
He has very clean and clear com
pleXion, is six feet high, well proper
toned, and enjoys superb health.
Any personal sketchs VI him would
he incomplete in the eyes Of the fem
mine world without some mention of
the graceful and gracious woman who
has been his wife since 1872. An
hours conversation with
FRANCES GILBERT PINGREE
IS sufficient to reveal one reason, at
east, for the marvellous serenity of the
nan. for the great successes of his
life: he has had ut home the restful
happiness of a womanly nature in ar
,lent sympathy with his own: second
self with ability to comprehend. cour-
age to endure and wisdom to advise; a
modest. beautiful, and discreet power
behind the throne!
Mrs Pingree's maiden name was
Frances Amelia Gilbert. Her mother
was Eliza Richardson. a family Of
many historic names. whose annals run
back through perfectly well authenti-
Gated channels to the time OF the Nor
man conquest Of England. She was
born in Mt. Clemens. Mich. and has an
honorable record as puDil and after
ward rs teacher in the Union school Of
that city.
The home Of the Pingrees has been
blessed with three children. Their
lovely first-born, Gertrude whose habi-
tation is in heaven, but whose sweet
Opp1Ory will povar Ion bar fo tbar