The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-16
MIR. nRIcE,s CAREER.
A Democrat Who Was Popular with
His Party-His Railway Interests.

His Party-His Railway Interests.
Calvin S. Brice was born at Denmark, o.
on Sept. II, 1916, his father being William
K. Brice, a Presbyterian minister, and his
mother Elizabeth Stewart Brice, The fam
lily remained at Denmark for three years
after the birth of Calvin, when they moved
to Columbus Grove, Putnam county, in the
same State. When fifteen years old he en-
tered the preparatory department of Miami
University at oxford, o. At the outbreak
of the war young Brice enlisted in Captain
Dodd's university company, one of the first
to be formed at the outbreak Of the war
His company remained at Camp Jackson,
Columbus, o., until the fall of 1861, when he
returned to college, only to re-enlist ia
April. 1862, in another university organiza-
ton commanded by Captain Mcfarland
which later on was merged into the Eighty
sixth Ohio Infantry and was known as Com-
pany A. He remained in this organization
during its summer campaign in West Vir-
ginia and then returned to the university.
where he was graduated in 1863. After
graduating he removed to Lima, o., where
for time he taught in the public schools
and later on received an appointment as
auditor of Allen county. In July, 1854 he
again joined the federal forces, having re-
e, One-hundred-an -eightieth Ohio Jnfan-
try. He served in the field with the Iwen-
ty-third Army Corps in Tennessee, Vir-
ginia and the Carolinas and Georgia until
the close of the war. He was appointed
lieutenant colonel but never mustered inS
He then took the course in the law depart.
ment of the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor and was admitted to the bar in the
spring of 1866, when he began practice In
Lima, o. His first experiences as q rails
road lawyer was in the legal department
of the Lake Erie e. Louisville Railroad, in
which corporation he acquired q moderate
share Of stock and played an energetic part
in the construction OF extensions OF that
road.
HIS FIGHT WITH VANDERBILT
Shortly afterwards he started the cone
struction of the Nickel-plate Railroad. This
was done because of a refusal of the Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern road to maka
satisfactory arrangements with the Lake
Erie a. Western road to take traffic delV-
cred by that road. During the summer.
when navigation was possible, all went well
with his road. But as soon as ice closed the
Sandusky outlet to the seaboard market OF
the East he found his road laboring under
disadvantages affecting it's prosperity. as
well as the prosperity or all the people along
the line. He sought to remedy this diff
Guilty, and for that purpose made an appeal
to Mr. Vanderbilt, who had control OF both
the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern.
over which alone during these periods he
could hope TO reach the markets of Che East.
He represented to Mr.. Vanderbilt the con-
ditions in which he found himself and the
advantages he thought would accrue to both
himself and the lines controlled by Mr.. VAN
derbilt. ana desired some arrangements TO
be made that would enable him to get his
freight and passengers east and west of the
terminus of his road.
The overtures thus made by Mr.. Brica
were met by Mr.. Vanderbilt with a naughty
refusal. At the close Of thas conversation
with Mr.. Vanderbilt, finding himself
thwarted in his purpose. he turned and said:
"Mr. Vanderbilt, If 1 can secure nothing
from you-nelther justice to my road nor
equity for the people patronizing it'll viii
parallel YOU" To this, with some surprise,
Mr. Vanderbilt replied: THAT. young man.
is the conception Of a lunatic." In just
fourteen months from that date Mr. VAN
derhilt saw constructed and fully equipped
q rival Line. "a parallel line or railroad "a