Evening star., 1896-02-29

work of one man, and each getting 81 g.
day. The streets We're mud holes and all
sorts Of dirt was thrown out into them.
The government was paying no taxes to
speak of, and in seventy years out Of
about sixteen million dollars which was
spent for the Improvement Of the capital
Uncle Sam had paid less than three mil
lions This was the case, Notwithstanding
that the government had agreed at the
time they made Washington the capital
city to pay its share Of the taxes. 1t had
receive received It the fee simple title to all the
streets for nothing, and 1t had gotten every
alternate lot. receiving all told about sc
per cent of the property of Washington.
thought that the government ought to pay
at least half the taxes and that it ought
to aid in the improvement Of the city I
d1d not think the capital ought to be moved
and l devoted myself to keeping it here
and to Its Improvement. In order to do
this resolution for new government
had to be pushed through Congress. We
organized committee for the purpose
and we spent great deal Of money. We
nnally succeeded, and Washington, for a
time' mad territorial government with a
board of public works appointed by the
PRESIDENT. Gen. Grant was then in the
Wh1te House. He made me the chief of
tn,s board and we began our work of i'm
proving pro, the streets. We kept it up sew
eral years, spending all told more than
$25,oOOOOO, and making Washington the
beautiful city 1t is.
The Ruin of Shepherd.
In the meantime my business went to
pieces. and awoke to find that had about
$Z,OoO.ooO OF assets and 81, 100000 of indebt-
eohess. MY creditors allowed me to work
my way out, but I saw that it would be
an awIul lop Tor me to make a second for
man who is down cannot easily Command
the nearly support of his friends. I had
gooo lrlends, but concluded that would
~ Sise"here ana strike out anew.
r
asked.
was then forty-three years of age"
was the reply.
o,.: Just about this time was in New York
cl!y, ana !! heard there of the Batopilas
mines Of Mexico. They Belonged to Wells,
fargo d CO., and werea offered for sale, 1
was given an option OF them at 81, 600 600.
1oine~ I knew nothing @ about lining. but took a
Mexico. The engineer reported the mines
very valuable, and the result was that I
=, oreanizeu ~ zee company and bought them for
slaUtoo SsUoooV ! then took :$l5O,OO0 and went to
mexico 10 work them. =
Brfgands and Hevolutions.
'How about the safety of Mexico gov-
ernor! Can Americans go there and mine
without danger of losint their lives?,
"Of course they can" was the replv.
Property and life are as safe in most parts
Of Mexico as they are In the United States
rresioent Dlaz has good government, and
the day of revolutions seems to have passed
away. Now and then there is little scare
tlons amount to nothing. Take that of
1884. 1t consisted of a conspiracy which
was made up by some men at Ell Paso to
ROD one OF our trains. About forty vaga-
united with forty vagabonds on the Mex
lean side and planned to rob us. We got a
telegram from the bank at Chihuahua not
TO SEND out the train, and when the rob-
and dispersed. Their band was spoken of
as that of a revolution. President Diaz
sent some OF his soldiers up to the mine,
and they cleaned out the robbers
Mexico Has Good Times.
"Hew are times in Mexico, governor?
Has not the decentralization Of silver in
jured the country?'
Il think not" replied Gov. Shepherd.
Mexico is very prosperous. and that not