Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-03-20


bany.
In person Mr.. Gage Is large n me
looking. He stands nearly o teet III
height and weighs 200 pounds. HIS man
ner Is suave, magnetic and altogether
agreeable. He and his wife are great
in a quiet. social way ana en-
terrain their friends Handsomely. lhe
principal recreations OF the great man
cier are whist and the theater. lie Is a
member of a number OF the best clups
of the city and of various ASSOCIATIONS
devoted to business and finance.
GEN. RUSSELL A. ALGER. SECRE-
TARY or WAR.
Mr.. McKinley's secretary OF war, eN-
Russell A. Algef OF Michigan,
has been a public character Tor many
years. Although a native of the great
northwest, he is of New England an
cestry. His parents settled in Latay-
cite township. Medina county. o., III
1885, where, on February q in the ioi-
lowing year, the future governor was
born. Hardships came 10 him early. Al
the age of 13 he was left alone In the
world without a dollar and burdened
with the care of a younger sister ana
brother. Young Alger was strong ana
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 school
ing per year. After he exchanged ms
services as a farmland for a small
monthly wage. But ne stuck hard 20 ms
studies. and by the time he was ~ years
of age he was able to take charge OF a
district school. While engaged as a
teacher he applied himself diligently TO
the study of law, and in 1857 entered a
law office at Akron. A year later, nav
ing been admitted to the bar. he went TO
Cleveland to practice his profession.
The strain of hard work and over
began To tell on his constitution,
and he determined to adopt some other
in which he could take better
care Of his health. In order to accom-
plish what he desired he moved to Grand
Rapids. Mich. where he and a friend
whom he had taken as a partner, en-
barked In the lumber business.
For a few months business seemed to
prosper, and young Alger, feeling him
self warranted in such "A step, took TO
himself a wife-Miss Annette n. Henry.
Misfortune came TO him soon after. A
Chicago house upon whose welfare the
fate OF the young lumber merchants de-
pended went TO pieces, and with it the
entire business which Alger and his
partner had built up.
In August, 1861, the breaking u OF
the civil war opened another opportu-
nifty for Alger, He enlisted in the Second
Michigan cavalry and was soon after
made captain of Company c. At this
time Philip II. Sheridan was a captain
in the same regiment. and on the pro-
motion of its colonel, Gordon Granger,
Alger was sent by the latter TO Pitts,
burg Landing 10 induce Governor Blair
TO appoint Sheridan to the vacant COLI
onelcy. This Alger succeeded In doing,
and here began the rapid advance or
Sheridan in the army.
In October, 1862. Alger became lieu
tenant colonel OF the Sixth Michigan
cavalry and colonel OF the Fifth In Feb
ruary, 1865. His promotion TO the office
OF brevet major general for gallant and
m~eritorious service during the war
came at the close of the war. June II.
1865.
When he had finished fighting Gen
eral Alger laid down the sword and re-
turned to the lumber business. His
great success Is a matter wei known. IL
was he who first made extensive use Of
the railroad in getting logs and lumber
out of the forests and into the markets.
He has interested himself In various
other enterprises, all OF which have
thrived.
One of his highest political aspirations
was realized when, in 1884, ne was elect
ed governor Of Michigan. The vote
which made him chief executive In the
state vas the highest the republican
party ever cast in Michigan. His adj
ministration was characterized by strict
integrity, and his business methods
were vastly useful i'm the conduct OF
state affairs. Although ne was pressed
to become a candidate for reelection, he
persistently refused to allow his name
to be put forward.
Though three score years Of age, Gem
eral Alger Is as vigorous Of body as he II
OF mind, and in every way he Is equal "a
the duties TO which he will devote him
self i'm his new Office.
EX-GOVERNOR JOHN ID. LONG, SEC
IEI&AINl of I11G NAN1.
Ex-Governor John ID. Long of Massa-
chusetts, who takes control of Uncle
Sans war fleets and attends to the
other duties devolving upon the secre-
tray of the navy, is one OF the most
prominent of the public men of the Bay
state.
John Davis Long was born at Buck
field, Me, October u, 1888. He was pre-
pared for college at Hebron. Me-, and
entered Harvard at the age Of IA. He
made a brilliant record at college and
showed particularly as a poet, a gentle
art which he has practiced as a pastime
occasionally in later years. After his
graduation from Harvard, in 1857, he
was engaged as principal of the West
ford academy. where he taught until
1859. He then began to attend the Har-
ward law school. In 1861 he was ad-
mitted to the bar and opened an office
in his native town.
He did not remain long there, how
ever, for he concluded that a young mar
had a better chance In Massachusetts,.
He therefore removed to Boston, later
removing to the town of bingham.
Here In 1869 he became interested In
politics n went before the people as
republican candidate for member of the
legislature from the Second Plymouth
district. His election followed. In 1876
he was reelected to the house and was
afterward chosen speaker. In this posi-
ton he was very popular, and his re-
elections IN 1877 and 1878 were by such
great majorities as to surprise every
body.
In 1878 he was elected lieutenant gov
ernor OF Massachusetts,, and In 1879 he
was chosen governor by a plurality OF
more than $4,000 votes, and In 1880 was
reelected by a plurality OF 1000 votes
This extraordinarily large vote was re,
garded as an ovation.
After he had. by election and re-elec-
tion, served as governor until January,
1883. he was elected to the Forty-eighth
congress. He was returned 10 his seal
In the lower house for two more terms
the Forty-ninth and Fifticth con.
crosses. After his decision to retire
from public life he returned to the prac.
| tlce of the law, wherein his success has
been phenomenal.
During all the time of his arduous
public labors Mr.. Long continued to I'm.
dulge his taste for literature and K
keep pace with the march of science and
art. He Is a many sided man. He ha.
not only published a scholarly transla,
ton o. Virgils "Aene.d." but has con,
AIA