The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-01

27th of February, 1886. Young Alger
was left. at the age of Is, without a
dollar in the world, and with younger
sister and brother as dependent as him
self. Finding places for his brother
and sister, he went to work for his
board and clothes and three months
schooling per year, and afterward for
small monthly wages as a farm hand.
He spent several terms at Richfield
academy, alternating hard labor dur
ing the farming season with school
work in the winter He was able in the
winter of 1867 to obtain position as
teacher of a district school. Out of his
earnings during this period he was able
to do something for his brother and
sister and prepare himself to enter a
law Office in Akron in the spring of
1857. He was admitted to the bar, and
went to Cleveland to enter upon his
profession; but overwork and confine-
ment had impaired his health, and on
the last day of 1860 he set out for
Michigan, and with a little borrowed
capital Joined with a friend in the
lumber business at Grand Rapids. BY
the failure of a Chicago firm the two
friends lost all they had in the spring
of 1861, young Alger having just mar
ried a Miss Annette II. Henry.
The breaking out of the civil war
opened a new opportunity, and in Aug
ust, 1861, he enlisted in the Second Mich
igan cavalry, and was soon after made
captain of Company C. Another cap
tain in the same regiment was Philip
II. Sheridan, and on the promotion of
its colonel, Gordon Granger, Alger
was sent by the latter to Pittsburg
Landing to induce Governor Blair to
appoint Sheridan, the acting commits
sary on General Haleck's staff, to the
vacant colonelcy. This he successfully
accomplished, May 25, 1862, riding sixty
miles on his mission and carrying Sheri-
dams appointment, written on a half
sheet of note paper by Governor Blair
to Halleck's headquarters the next
morning. This was the beginning of
Sheridan's rapid advance in the army.
Alger served under him at the battle
of Bonneville, Missouriand was wound
ed and taken prisoner, escaping the
same day. He became lieutenant coll
onel of the Sixth Michigan cavalry
October, 1862, and colonel of the Fifth
February. 1865. He continued in the
military service throughout the war,
serving successfully under Sheridan
Fitzpatrick, Custer and again Sheridan
in the Army of the Potomac in 1864.
He is said to have been in more than
sixty battles and minor engagements,
always displaying undaunted gallantry.
He was seriously wounded at Boones-
borough, Maryland, July s, 1863, after
passing safely through the battle of
Gettysburg. In the winter following
he was recommended to President Lin
coin for certain special and confidential
service, during which he visited nearly
all the armies in the field. In 1864 he
was made brevet brigadier general of
volunteers for gallant and meritOrious
service at Treville station, and June
II, 1865, brevet major general, for gal
liant and meritorious service during the
war"
On retiring from the army General
Alger returned to Michigan and en-
gagged in the lumber business at De-
troit. He was a pioneer in the use of
railroads for getting logs out of the
forests, and rapidly built up very
extensive business. With increase of
wealth and business connections he
gradually acquired an interest in va
rous business enterprises, not only in
Michigan, but in several other states
and territories. 1t is said of him that
during his business career of more
than twenty years, while having thou
sands of men in his employ, he has
never had a strike or any kind of diff
Guilty with his workmen, and has never
sued or been sued in the course of his
vast business operations
In 1882, by a coalition with the
Greenbackers, the Democrats elected
a governor of Michigan for the first
dime in thirty years. In 1884 Governor
Begole was renominated, with the
same combination behind him, and
General Alger consented to take the
Republican nomination in the hope of
redeeming the state. He threw him
self into the canvass with characteris-
tic energy and skill in management,
and was triumphantly elected receiv-
ing the largest Republican vote ever
cast in Michigan. His administration
was characterized by business meth
ods. strict integrity and faithful de-
VOtiOn to the interests of the state.
He peremptorly declined a renomina-
ton, and on retiring from office sub
mitted parting message to the legis-
lature, which has been praised as the
ablest public document ever produced
in the state of Michigan.
Governor Alger is described as a man
of wide information. vigorous mind,
positive and outspoken opinions, but
affabl" and popular with all with whom
he comes in contact.