The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-30


w atsonism or Tillmanism. He does
not see blood every time he confronts a
Democrat or Republican. He has
made his own way in life gained his
wealth by the force of his own sagacity,
minds his own sheep and is not inter
ested in the ewes or lambs of the other
fellow and thinks Populism and its
doctrines the only safety for the whole
people in government.
How Mr.. Munger. who washes more
linen for the residents of Chicago. kan
sas City, ST. Louis and Das Moines than
any other man living, reached P0pu-
lism and the aspiration for a seat in
the national senate is an interesting
story He was born 81 years aso in
l,e1setl y III ana IS the Oldest OF
three brothers who control the laundry
business of the central west His
brothers-P. f. Munger and O. Il. Mum
ger-are residents of Chicago and ac-
tive conductors of the laundry business
established by him shortly after the
close Of the war
His father now IS years Of age. is a
resident of Denver. lie was an abOli-
ton Republican in New York before
the outbreak of the war. He had the
personal friendship of Wendell Phillips
ana one OF the underground railroads
for the escape of slaves from the south
terminated ia his New York home His
three boys We're brought UP in the era
die Of Republicanism, and two of them
remain there, George NJ being the only
one TO seek a new party and a new
cause
Mr.. Munger received an academic ed
ucatiOn in New York state. but at the
outbreak of the war found himself in
Cincinnati He responded to the first
call for 'ninety-day men," and subse-
quently was mustered into the Eighty
fifth New York infantry. Casey's di-
vision. He fought through the PENN
sular campaign under Mcclellan, and
was wounded in the arm at the battle
of Seven Pines He left the service
first lieutenant
He came to Chicago in 1867 and open
ed a small laundry inWashington street
i'm the basement of the old ST. James
hotel, which stood ON the property of
the Stewart estate, where a sky-scrap-
ing block is now being erected From
the first he prospered- He was exact
in his business dealings, scrupulous as
to the keeping Of contracts. and, while
other Spectators had preceded him in
the laundry business with some sue
cess, he outlived them all He was the
only laundryman in Chicago before the
big fire who survived it and remains in
business today He continued for 20
years from the time of his arriving in
Chicago to put the name of Munger
and Mungers 'Washings before the
public. and then he found that he had
enough money with which to crafty
any whim cherished in his earlier days
He has travelled extensively and spent
one year in the Central American
states. He is a mathematician and q
hard student. He crossed Kansas sew
eral times, and developed great faith
in the future of that state.
In 1886 he purchased in Greenwood
county. near Eureka, Kan a large
tract Of land. He owns there now near
~ 1000 acres. all under some kind of
cultivation For a decade he has made
his home there. and, having for an en-
VirOnment POpuisitc neighbOrs who be-
lieVe the alleged plum dering of the state
by the railroads has kept back its
growth, he has drifted away from Re-
publicanism until he has become a rec
Ognized leader of the conservative and
He is located in the eastern portion of
The state, but during the last month
has been making Bryan speeches
through the western portion.
When Mr. Munger brought to Kansas
New York blood stirred to activity by
a Chicago education, he tried some ex-
periments which have in their result
inspired Pupulstic neighbors with
great respect for him. He put 600 acres
of his land in an apple orchard, and has
sustained the same by system OF irri-
cation such as Kansas has never had
before The land which he had pur-
chased was high in elevation Tit was
sod land. There we're ancient water
courses crossing it. He damned one
of those Old courses and accumulated
in it all the water which flowed from
the sod land. In time he had 100 acres
of land under water
Above this water supply he put steam
pumps and carried the accumulation
to the highest point on his land. Then
it was allowed to flow down through
his apple orchard by gravitatiOn. In
that way he demonstrated that apples
could be raised in amy quantity i'm east
ern Kansas and that a water supply
was to be had anywhere by the exercise
of the ingenuity of man. His orchard
is the wonder of eastern Kansas, and
bv his successful experiments he has
added materially to the wealth Of the
state He lis extending his water dam
at the present time. SO that by next
year he hopes to have 200 acres under
water This viii give him a perma-
keep his acres in almost perpetual
bloom.
Mr.. Munger married happily and has
a daughter living in Chicago. who mar
ried w A. Purdy. paymaster OF the
Chicago Rock Island < Pacific rail
road He is a COngrega ti0nalist He
was mentioned for the Populstic nom
ination for governor of Kansas this
summer and received some votes in tn
state convention. but he did not per
nit his name TO be used. and his friends
did not feel authorized to push him for
the place Aside from Senator PETER.
his principal opponent for the place he
now seeks IT is said viii be Chairman
Prudential OF the state central Popu-
listic committee
sIr. Munger is said to be a very rich
man and a farmer by choice He Is q
leader ia all movements in Kansas to
reclaim the arid soil of the state. or to
bring the railroads under close state