The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-05-25
OUR NEW YORK LETTER
THREE WADSWoRTHS WHO PURPOSE
FIGHTING IN UNCLE SANS ARMY.
'ne Raised Regiment, One Has Joined
Ms''evelt's Rough Riders. and the Other
Will Enlist as Private rs Soon as He
Gets Out OF Coliege-Wadsworth History.


VIII Enlist Private rs Soon as He
Gets Out of College adsworth History.
NEW YORK, May 25 Especial. will
liam Austin Wadsworth of Geneseo, who
raised a regiment and offered to pay half
It's expenses, belongs to several clubs
here and numbers friends among New
Workers bv the score. They are all glad
that, while 1t was not thought expedient
by the government to accept Mr. Wads.
worth's offer In full, it has been decided
to make use of his personal services and
that commission has been bestowed upon
him to that end
Mr.. Wadsworth belongs to an unusual
American family. Its wealth is very con-
siderable-suflcient TO entitle several of
its members to be counted millionaires,
perhaps two or three times over-but it is
all or nearly all invested in land, not
western land or city real estate purchased
Tor speculative purposes, but good straight
agricultural land located in the Genesee
valley, where the Wadsworth estates extend
for miles and miles and in the midst of
which the Wadsworth homes are set
The Wadsworth Estates.
1t is probably within bounds to say that
the combined Wadsworth estates, for there
are two or three or more of them, each
vast, are exceeded in extent in only two or
three Instances in the entire country, be-
sides forming undoubtedly the widest
reach in the United States that has not
changed ownership for century and
more. IL was in 1897 that the Wadsworth
estates were first set apart, their owner
ship by the founder of the family originat-
ing In the famous "big tree treaty with
the Indians. 1t was a pet notion of this
first Wadsworth that the territory which
he thus acquired should be kept perpetual
ly intact and in possession of the family.
The notion has not only been adopted by
his descendants, but each generation has
added to the family domain until now it
stretches entirely across the beautiful val
ley and for miles along the river both
above and below the village of Geneseo
and is quito roomy enough for each branch
of the family to dwell upon its own estate.
In some degree the Wadsworth estates
are conducted like great English landed
estates. They are divided into farms, each
of which has its distinguishing name and
some of which have been cultivated by sew
eral successive generations of the same
family of tenant farmers Between the
tenants and each Wadsworth owner there
exist relations much similar to those be-
tween English landlords of the liberal type
and their tenants. The system of tenancy
is different, however, being sort of COM
binatiol of rental and crop sharing, so de-
vised as to give special advantages to un-
usually industrious and thrifty tenants
and SO operated that dissatisfaction on Ell
ther side is rare.
The Wadsworths Are SpOrtsmen.
Outdoor sports are among the greatest
delights of every Wadsworth living and the
noble amusement of fox hunting is pur-
sued with greater success in the vicinity of
Geneseo probably than anywhere else in
America.
Real foxes are hunted for the most part,
of course, and the cunning, bushy tailed
animals are carefully protected by the
Wadsworth proprietors in order that there
shall never be dearth of foxes TO follow.
Whenever a fox den is located special in
structions arc given out that no one shall
disturb It, and these instructions are al
ways oLt-cd no matter how much hurt
reynaru ~ do to the crops, for Wads-
worth M hey Is always ready to pay for
the damage, and few questions are asked.
There is saying in the neighborhood Of
Geneseo, indeed, that crop of young foxes
is one of the most profitable products u
Wadsworth tenant can raise, and 1t Is u
fact that hundreds of dollars are laid out
near Geneseo every year to make good
their ravages
Good horsemanship among the jewellers
of Geneseo is a natural result of the Wads-
worth devotion to fox hunting and cross
country riding, and the Genesee Hunt club
is a famous organization. Most of its ex-
penses and more than half the mounts rid
den To the hounds are furnished by the
Wadsworths themselves, and once a year,
in October, they get up IA great free horse
show ON an extensive plain, several hun
dred acres in extent, to which many swells
the country over receive special invitations
both as spectators and participants, and all
the neighbors are privileged to attend.
This horse show Is one of the institutions
of the county. All business stops on the
day 1t is held. The smart turnouts of the
swells and the lumber wagons of the farm
ers form long professions converging at
the plain in the morning and moving
away late in the day. Dashing red coated
men and smartly habited women ride
prancing, leaping horses up and down the
plain in straight races, displays and steeple-
chases, prizes being given for the most ex'
pert performances.
The Wadsworth hunts are enjoyed al
most as much by the farmers and villagers
as the Wordsworth horse show, and the rid
ers are always followed up and down the
country roads by highly interesting pa
rade of every Imaginable sort of turnout.
At least once every season the aniseed
bag is substituted for the living fox in or
der that the spectators may see all the fun,
since the aniseed course can be laid out
with special reference to affording spec
tacle.
The Wadsworths True Americans.
But the wadsworths are all good Amer.
leans in spite of what some have termed
their English methods of amusing them
selves. General James S. Wadsworth,
uncle of william Austin Wadsworth,
served with distinction in the Union army
i'm the civil war and sealed his devotion 70
the flag in 1864 with his likelihood. 49,,
At the beginning of hostilities he did
all he could to prevent an outbreak ana
was a member of the peace conference OF
1861. but when the war came he went
manf,illy to the front. In 1862 he was
made military governor of Washington
hut saw active service later, being divi
A. lori ~ :