The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-12-25

keen appreciation of the odd side of
/ things. His first education was received
in the old kinzic public school, building
from which Il great many prominent Chi
I Cago men started.
His father was man of wealth and
political prominence. He gave to Chicago
the Schiller theater, st. Elizabeth's hos
pital the House of providence and the
! Altenheim. His wealth enabled him to
give his son a broad education. From
the Kinzie school he passed TO Osna-
brueck, Hanover. A short season was
1861. and two years at St. Mary's of the
7 Lake Preparatory TO going to Yale he
read under DR.. QuaCkenbOSs, and then
entered the college in 1866. being gradu-
ated in 1870. Later he read and studied
in Berlin and Heidelberg, travelled, met
people and enjoyed seeing and dong.
In 1870 he married Miss Henrietta
Weir of Boston. the companion of his
travels and public life, who now alone
survives him.
From jaunts in strange countries and
among strange people Mr.. Hesing re-
/ turned to Chicago to do work on his Ia
! theirs paper the Stats Zeitung. lie
/ started at the bottom as the devil of the
office, working up step by step, until he
! was master of the editorial columns, and
after the death of Anton Hesing the
business and manag gerial head of the en-
tire concern. The paper has been and is
the foremost German daily publication OF
the West.
He was only 23 years of age when 10
seph Medill, then mayor of Chicago, dp-
pointed him a member of the board or
education, and eight years later he was
president of the county board Of educa-
ton. which then controlled the normal
school At the advent of President Cleye-
land to the second term he sought recog-
nil ht n
/ Americans of Chicago and asked for
the poStma StCrShip. Despite the Oppose
ton of John Z. Hopkins and great
many other Democrats President Cleye-
land gave him the office, and he in re-
turn gave the pOstoitice a shaking up 1t
never had experienced before. He was
given the universal credit of stopping
( more ratholeS in that institution than any
man. He was proud of his four years
I record as postmaster and public opinion
/ generally held that he was entitled to be.
/ During his term of office he secured the
+ consolidation of the Chicago postal syS-
tenn. abolShing fifty-nine offices and merg-
/ Ing them into one. The number of postal
stations were increased from twelve TO
thrty-seven and the subStations from
twcnty-four TO fifty-cight, the stamp
agencies from 30 to 100.
He materially increased the number OF
men employed in the poSt0thCe and en-
ginecred the movement which secured for
Chicago the immediate construction OF 4
new 81 4OOnND pOStOttice. The temporary
postotticc which he devised for the lake
front 10 take the place of the old one de-
moliShci has been pronounced 10 be IN
plan the model one of the world. lie re-
formed the collection and delivery Serv-
ices. sought speed in handling mail, con-
stantIv urged the extension of the postal
system in the city and gave his entire
time to his othee He delivered the office
TO his successor Mr.. Gordon, with the
testimonial of the business public that he
had lahored faithfully and produced Won
dcrful changes in the postal service of
the city.
Mr. HeSinc was ambitious. He made
no conceament of that fact. He was
fond of public otficeholding. and he never
had enough of it, as he many times
frankly said. He was so Injured to seek
ing place that he bore with equanmity
caricaturrs If his heard and possessed a
s,raphouk full of these, which he often
showed with great glcc to his friends.
70 he mayor of Chicago. to reach that
office with the endorsement of the bust
ness community. was Mr.. Hesing's last
ambition and the one which probably had
much to do with his sudden death. lie
was nominated as a nonpartisan business
candidate. hut his effort was futile one.
as the vote shows: Harrison DEM,
uudN, G1.29l ie>ing tnon-partisanl,
15.111. Mr. Hcsinc etired to his cdi-
torial life wounded. He had learned
ON, Of the bitter lessons Of practical pol
iticS.
The ancestry of the man was German.
His father was born at Nechta, Grand
Dmchv Of Oldenhurg. His mother was
German born He was intensely Ameri-
can. Intensely a Chica soan. His turning
from life ne enjoyed in every hour to
the shadows Of what is beyond must have
been with a sigh of regret.