The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-01
MADE THE CAPITAL
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ONCE
FAMOUS BOSS" SHEPHERD.

Found Washington City an Overgrowl
Pigsty and Left It Fit for Decent Peopl
to Live In-Did What Was to be Done
Law or no Law, by Fair Means or Fou
Cursed by Groaning Tax Payers Blu
Later Hailed as Benefactor-Ir
Mexico His Fortunes Retrieved-story
of q ConquerIng Hero,
i. Washington, Dec. 31-People who livet
in Washington 20 years ago well remem'
Der Alexander r. Shepherd, who is now
dying at Batopilas, in Mexico, where he
has been living ever since he left Wash
ington. Hewas called BOSS" Shep-
herd and in those days ne deserved the
title, because he was a real boss" OF
everything and everybody in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, Of which he was COVER
nor. His ambition was to make the city
OF Washington worthy its rame and
worthy being called the capital city OF
the greatest nation upon the earth. To
do this he had to have money, and TO get
the money he had to tax the people of
the district, and he almost taxed them
out of their boots
No man in all Washington was so
| thoroughly detested as was the enterpris
ing governor. He spent money right and
| left in making Washington a place to
| be proud o. and ne was cursed for MS
patriotism and his pride. Yet in the light
! OF later days the wisdom of the policy
| he pursued is made manifest and time
! has done much to soften asperity, leav-
| ing the best there is and was in ''Boss"
| Shepherd clearly revealed in the back
ground OF years. Mr.. Shepherd left
Washington 20 years ago, broken in
health and spirit, and went to the Mex
lean state OF Chihuahua TO live. AT the
same time he desired to recover the for
tune he had lost, and indeed he recover
ei both health and fortune and in very
few years he became rich man. When
Mr.. Shepherd left Washington he was
execrated by all Of its citizens. They
were glad he wasgone. Like Caesar he
found a Rome OF clay and left one Of
marble but the people groaned under the
weight Time passed by and the debt
was all paid up and real estate values
went up. and then people began 10 think
better Of BOSS" Shepherd. Two years
ago Mr.. Shepherd returned to Washing
ton for a visit. He had been to Europe
and stopped in the capital on his way
home. He was received like a victor
ious general. The light infantry turned
out to clear the way, and Mr. Shepherd
was followed by a line Of carriages con-
tanning the biggest and best men in
town to Willard hotel, which was decked
out to receive him. The Marine band
played sweet music and speeches were
made in his praise, the president of the
board Of trade leading. His hand was
grasped by 1000 men who felt glad OF
the opportunity to do 1t.
In Mr. Shepherds career is found a
lesson which the people OF an times and
places have always failed to learn. II
shows that the masses OF the people are
wise enough to see that present pleas
ureS and conveniences are sometimes
better sacrificed in order that the future
may be assured and that future pleas
ures may be greater. II emphasizes the
fact that men, as a rule. do not care
enough for positerity and forget that
humanity lives on though individuals die
Had the founders OF this republic not
cared for their children and grandchild
rem, there had been no United States and |
no American citizens today. Had Mr.. !
Shepherd not been a boss ard just |
the kind OF a boss ne was, Washington !
would today be a city of mud and dust, |
for it needed the strong hand of a stub |
born, unyielding force to drive the IN
willing citizens OF the capital irto MAX |
ing their home a place in which the pres |
ident of the United States need not be /
ashamed TO live.
In his young days Mr.. Shepherd was a |
plumber-a fact which might tempt q |
wag to say that it was in that calling |
that the beautifier OF Washington got |
his imperious and donlireering disposl- |
tion. When very young man Mr.. Shep- !
herd Sc. himself up In business in the
plpumbing line, and did very well with
it. Out os plumbing ne was graduated
into politics. and hardly before people
were aware OF II he was the governor OF
the territory ard deld the place during
the time the district was a territorial
government. AS soon as he found HIM
self in power he began a series OF gig
antic reforms which astounded the peo-
ple When Shepherd untertook 10 do
he generally accomplished his
purpose. whether the Law allowed il or
not
A notable instance OF what one deter
mined man can do when he makes up
his mind was seen in the case of the Ii
terty market, which stood at the corner
Of Seventh and X streets. The building
was old and decadent and unsightly and
a disgrace to the city. Shepherd. besides
picked out its site for public park He
tried every method in his power TO have
the old building demolished according TO
aw and order, but ne was blocked on
every turn. The law said 20 him: Thou
shalt not cut down the market house,
His appeals were as strains in a March
wind. People generally wanted the Old
removed. but their own laws
would not let them touch it.
One morning Washington awoke ana
o, when they looked for their familiar
market II was gonei II had vanished
n the night and not stone OF /: remain
Il on q stone. Shepherd had gone there
n the dark OF the night, when the peo-
BE slept. and with a crowd Of congenial ,
spirits he battered down the old struc-
ure which the law had chung % 81 ten
ictously. To do this Roman-iike thing
Shepherd got up banquet far from the
-cene of the work. All those who were
1nOwn 10 be opposed TO his park scheme
we're invited. and while they feas;ei and
ne Others slept TIE governor and his
-fa-- 3S -,1.z-aS lax-.,., Nth -. IA -.