Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-12-18
DAILY LEADER
SUNDAY. DEC. ,s, 1893
Ex-Governor Foster on Senator
BrCe,

Fo5toria, o., Dec 16.-Hon. Charles
Foster, of this city, and Hon. @. S.
Brice were warm friends from the time
the latter was n young man, and the
former has generally been credited
with being responsible for the success
o. the younger man, but he plainly dis
claims the responsibility in an inter
view given a local newspaper man to-
day, in which he said: "While l was
OF some service to Mr.. Brice in his ear
ly career it is altogether a mistake
to say of him that he was indebted to
me for his success in life. The truth
Is he had a wonderful genius for the
kind Of work he engaged in, which
would have manifested itself, no doubt
had l never known him.
81 first knew Brice in 1871, when he
was "a years of age. He came to see
me about the extension of the old
Lake Erie and Louisville, which had
been built from Fremont to Flndlay.
The Baesel law, authorizing townships
counties and the state to vote to aid
railroads, had just been passed. His
plan was for us to take up the matter
and interest the townships in extend
ing the road to the Indiana line. We
made the trip, starting at Findlay and
ending at the state line, and secured
a favorable vote from eacn township
in the entire distance, securing, per-
haps, proposed vote of $300000
with this vote as basis, parties
in Europe agreed to put up the money
for the extension. Tie construction
was commenced, and as we built
Through the various townships these
bonds were delivered, and when we
reached st. Marys, the supreme court
declared the law unconstitutional OF
course, that defeated further effort and
che enterprise was prospectively bank
|rupt. Brice suggested that we had bet
ter take the initiative and put the road
into the hands of friendly receiver
Immediately, and l. H. BurgOon, of
Fremont, was appointed. 1t trans
pired that we were only day or two
in advance of the same action on the
part OF the bondholders. They at
once began suit upon the stockholders
and undertook to enforce the stock
holders liability. General Buckland
was our leading attorney but the court
proceedings were nearly all conducted
by Brice, who succeeded in staving off
a hearing for nearly three years.
'The bondholders became disgusted
with their attorneys handling of the
case, and dismissing them, appointed
Mr.. Hodgkin, of New York, to take
charge of the case. This was in 1876.
Hodgkin, knowing that a revival of
railroad interests was at hand, tried
to effect compromise, which was eff
fected by the REIMBURSEMENT of all eff
forts on the part of the stockholders
and the formation of new company
with a capital stock of 81 100000, one
tenth of which went to Brice and my
self, we being made directors of the
company, and the read was soon ex-
tended to Celina.
This brings us to 1878. Our annual
meeting was called fer April 10, 1879.
Hodgkin, who held the Cnly power of
attorney TO vCse the foreign stock, died
IN Mo roh 0e On tho On1v KsfOcly mamma
sented at the meeting was that held by
BIice and myself, and l was elected
president and he vice president of the
road. For several months negotia-
irons had been pending for the ac-
quirement of our road and one from
Muncie, Ind, to Bloomington, ILL.,, and
the construction of the intervening
portion. Mr.. Brice had the confidence
of Mr.. Hodgkin in the deal, and on the
day l was nominated for governor it
was consumated.
81 went from the convention to New
York ana there executed the contract
on the Iart of the l.. E. & L. The sub
SSqucHJ movements vi lut SyHulCdLe,
so far as This road was concerned, were
conducted by Brice, and great deal of
money was made. My contract with
Brlce had given me a high opinion of
his genius in matters of this kind, and
| employed him to put in the hands of
a receiver the Atlantic and Lake Erie,
now the Toledo and Ohio Central, and
a large coal company in Perry county.
He accomplished this work with COM
plete success and had in an incredibly
short time relieved the road of all
complications and sold it, retaining
one-eleventh for himself. In connec-
tion with these roads l took him to
New York, where he soon became a
leader in what was known as the
Seney crowd" He conceived the idea
and built the Nickle Plate road, sell
ing 1t in bankrupt condition to Van
derbilt at very large profit"
Hunter Killed.
John McCracken, a we'll known man