Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-03-04
GENERAL RUSSELL A. AlGER, SeGRE-
 TAaY OF WAR.

GENERAL RUSSELL 4. AlGER, SeeRE-
 TARY OF WAR.
 Mir. McKinley's secretary of war; ex- Governor Russell A. Alger of Michigan, has been q public character for many years. Although native of the great northwest, he is of New England an- cestry His parents settled in Lafayette township, Medina county, O., i'll 1885, where, on Feb 27 in the following year, the future governor was born. Hard ships came to him early. At the age of 13 he was left alone in the world with out dollar and burdened with the care of a younger sister and brother. Young Alger was strong and courageous, how ever, and showed his mettle at once He found places for his brother and sister and went to work for his board and clothes and three months schooling per year Afterward lie exchanged his sery- ices as farmland for small monthly wage. But he stuck hard to his studies and by the time he was 20 years of ago he was able to take charge of a district school While engaged as teacher he applied himself diligently to the study l of law, and in 1857 entered law office at Akron. A year later having been ad- mitted to the bar, he went to Cleveland to practice his profession.
 The strain of hard work and overstudy began to tell on his constitution, and ] he determined to adopt some other busi- ness in which he could take better care of his health In order to accomplish what he desired he removed to Grand Rapids, Mich, where he and friend, whom he had taken as a partner, em- l parked in the lumber business,
 For few months the business seemed to prosper, and young Alger, feeling himself warranted i'll such step, took to himself a wife-Miss Annette II. Henry Misfortune came to him soon after A Chicago house upon whose welfare the fate of the young lumber merchants depended went to pieces, and with it went tho entire business which Alger and his partner had built up.
 In August, 1861, tho breaking out of the civil war opened another opportunity for Alger He enlisted ill the Second Michigan cavalry and was soon after made captain of company c. At this time Philip H. Sheridan was captain in the same regiment, and on the promo tion of it's colonel, Gordca C'ra4ser, Alger was sent by tho l.teer to Pitts burg Landing to irarcc Governor Blair to appoint fa,i,lnr lo the vacant colo nelcy. r1l..s ger succeeded in doing, and hero began the rapid advance ot Sheridan in the army.
 In October, 1862, Alger became lieu tenant colonel of the Sixth Michigan cavalry and colonel of the Fifth i'll Feb ruary, 1865. His promotion to the office of brevet major general flor gallant and meritorious service during the war came at the close of the war, June II, 1865.
 When he had finished fighting, Gen era Alger laid down his sword and re turned to the lumber business. His great success is a matter well known. It was he who first made extensive use Of the railroad ill getting logs and lumber oui of the forests and into the markets. Ht has interested himself i'll various othe1 enterprises, all of which have thrlyed.
 One of his highest political asplra ticns was realized when, in 1884, ht was elected governor of Michigan. Int vote which made him chief executive Il the state was the highest the Republican marty ever cast i'll Michigan. ftls au ministrat1on was characterized by stfio integrity, and his business method | were vast1y userur m rffc c'1rertfcc-0 state affairs. Although he was pressed to become candidate for reelection he consistently refused to allow hl name to be put forward.
 Though threescore years of age, Gen