The herald., 1897-02-14
Observation-Disclosures
: LYMAN GHGE'S !
! PRIVRTE LIFE :

features. his dome-like forehead and the
dignifled, not to say austere, expression
of his countenance. But no picture in
black and white can give the peculiar
light of pair of gray-blue eyes, whose
light is steely or full of kindness accord
ing to their owners mood. Neither can
a newspaper etching do justice to the
handsome thatch of wavy golden halr
which, in spite of some threads of silver,
q soubrette might envy.
violate no confidence in announcing
that this head of hair is the very best
that money can buy. Levi P. Morton
enjoys the distinction of wearing the
finest wig. in America. But in simple
justice the former governor OF New ork
ought to divide this honor with Lyman
]. Gage. Nobody ever heard anything
about Mr.. Morton's wig before he be-
came president of the United States.
| When he took his seat as presiding Of
ficer of the senate. Immediately under
the press gallery, the Washington cor
| respondents had time and opportunity
to study those wonderful creations
| which Mr. Morton had learned to wear
| when he was minister to France. They
| come in sets of four-one for each week
in the month-the first for new short
haircut the three successors indicating
| the gradual growth by weeks. until at
| the dawning of a new month the wear
| er's head seemed to demand the atten-
ton of the barber and to get 1t.
| Mr.. Cages wigs are not quite so elab-
crate as this, but they fit the wearer so
we'll that If they were exhibited in the
Bowery any of them would be called
peach" They are, moreover, only
| part of a very handsome ard dignihed
| front.
Personally Lyman j. Gage, who has
| accepted the treasury portfolio from
| Presidont-elect Mckinley, is democratic
4 10, Loo : y n o..
| criers of conventionailty. Mr.. Gage
does not put his feet on his desk or veal
his trousers in his boots, or his hat at
| leaning tower angle; nor is his manner
| of that inviting type which warrants
| the caller to slap him on the back. He
| is. however the most accessible pubic
! man in Chicago. The office boy of Chi
| cago has not reached the state of i'm
portance that characterizes him in New
| York but it is the rule in the banks of
| the Lake City to have your name sent
| forward if you wish conference with
| the president. This rule does not ap-
! ply to any official in the first national.
of which Mr.. Gage is the head. The
| door of his room is always open. Mr..
Cages desk is in such proximity to the
entrance that he may address the caller
| who halts there. and without any extra
| exertion. The special policeman so con-
| spicuous in most monetary institutions
| is never seen about the office of Mr..
! Gage.
When the caller is admitted by an in
! dication from Mr.. Gage the latter does
! not plead important business in order to
| hasten the interview to conclusion. Mr..
| Gage is an easy listener. and when the
mission is stated he answers rather de-
| liberately than otherwise, avoiding su-
| perfuous words. His statelness OF
| physique disappears as he talks. Frigid
| I, hay bD iS
receptive, responsive and sympathetic.
| These traits in his character and his ac
! cessibility have caused him to be i'm
posed upon, but such experiences have
not changed his habits.
If Mr.. Gage has a coach it must be for
the benefit of his family. His home. 4
| plain house, is near Lincoln park and is
two miles from the bank. In spite OF
| the uncertainties of the Chicago eli
| mate and the pranks of the cable sys-
tenn, Mr. Gage travels over the cable
cars summer and winter. People in the
vicinity of State and Division streets
know to the minute when Mr.. Gage Will
board the car at that point on his way
| TO the office.
Although he is president of the second
| largest bank in the United States, his
| banking business is but small part Of
his concerns. Nobody knows in how
many enterprises, commercial civic or
social, he is involved who has not seen
him a his daily work receiving men and
! women of almost every rank and condi-
tion in life.
Mr.. Gage is a politician of the sort
that drives the professional politician
crazy. He will. without fail, subordi-
nate party to country; he enjoys nothing
so much as voting and working to defeat
an unworthy candidate of his own party.
He voted for Cleveland in 1884 Harrison
n pd of fA,
kinley in 1896. In local politics he
knows no party, though he has done val
liant service for candidates of all par
ties.
When the worlds fair struck Chi
cagO like a hurricane and the impulsive
citizens of this town began to wonder
what they We're going TO do with it now
that they had got it, Mr.. Gage and few
other citizens like him saved the town
from utter disgrace and chagrin.
The secret history of that worlds fair
may be written some time--it never has
been. II it is, facts will be revealed
which, if they had been known at the
time when they occurred, even to the
supposed managers" and chairmen of
sons would have dropped in fit. Three
or four men made the fair and paid for
tt-they only know hoW--and Mr.. Gage
was one of them. The rest Of the endless
Clique" of bureaus and departments
haven't found out yet-probably they
never Will-how a corporation with a
capital Of Sc 600, 900 raised and spent S23,
600 900 within eighteen months.
Mr.. Gage was too busy in youth earn
ing living to get much of a schooling
Ee is, nevertheless, at the age of GO a
devoted patron of education, of art and
! of all book learnedness. After a busy
, day he finds time to make the acquaint-
ance of his numerous books, as we'll as
of his friends, who are even more nu-
merous.
He went to Chicago forty years ago
hoping to earn more than SS month
which had been his salary as a banl
: clerk in his birthplace, Rome, n. Y Ht
, found employment in a lumber yard
but in the panic of 1857 was thrown out
and was glad to work as porter ant
night watchman in a bank. He stucl
! to banking until he became president Of
. the First National OF Chicago. He ha.
served several terms as president of tht
: Bankers National association, and il
: probably as well known as any banker
, in the country.-New York Exchanges
Three Henrses in a Race