New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-13
charged for transportation were excessive III
extortionate.
GREAT RAILWAY PROSPERITY.


with sneers and evasons and looked about ior
means by which they might still fur'her Ia"
prove their own condition in entire disregard vi
the dissatisfaction Of those from whom their I'M
mense revenues we're exacted. 1t was during
this period that the system OF watering vi
doubling stock developed. In the face OF the eA-
,stins agitation the Board Of Directors Or the
Rock Island Company. at its meeting IN JUNE
1880 deliberately voted. fmsy pretext vi
consolidation OF inferior lines In the SYSTEM u
pay themselves a stock dividend OF loo per cent
thereby adding 500 100000 to the stock labili-
ties of the company The incident was sur
prise to the financial world. and called forth
much criticism. The promoters OF the scheme
only smiled however at the public response to
their act and quickly pocketed their huge
profits.
Mr.. Flower was also director In the Chicago
Minneapolis and Omaha Railway Company
which was such disturbing element in the
Northwest in the winter OF 1SS2-'S3. The road
extended from Elroy, Wis, to st. Paul and Min
neapolis with terminus OH Lake Superior
Under the lead of H. H. Porter, an aggressive
warfare was carried against the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St Paul the Rock Island and
the Northwestern companies 1t was the evil
dent purpose Of the Omaha management to
compel the purchase Of controlling interest In
the company by those associated with competing
lines. This object was attained early in 1888
by the control passing to the Vanderbilt family
and their friends and the road has since been
operated in conjunction with the Chicago ana
Northwestern Railway system. Mi Flower
continued In the Board Of Directors of the COM
pany after the change OF ownership hao peeh
effected but soon retired. In 1857 he was elected
a director in the Northwestern company. ana
for some time in the directory OF the chi
cago and Eastern Illinois Railway Company
He retained his place as director or the hocN
Island road, and was also director IN the
Kingston and Pembroke Railway Company
BEGINNING OF POLITICAL CAREER.
The poIitical career OF r. P. Flower began
in 1851 when on the resignation OF Levi r.
Morton as a member OF Congress from New
York City TO accept the office Of Minister TO
France he defeated William Waldorf Astor,
his Republican competitor, for the vacancy. HIS
career in Congress was marked by ludlcrous
incident in which he moved an amendment 10
the Federal Co lstituton. and. rising to speak
on the motion, simply asked and obtained leave
to print in THE Record as his remarks, the
entire text Of the Constitution Of the United
States At tiir Democratic state Convention
held in Saratoga. September %. 1880, Mr..
Flower was nominated for the Lieutenant-Gov-
ernorship. He declined the nomination on the
18th in a brief letter. His action excited some
indignation within his own party, and for the
time being seriously offended his running mate
for the Governofship, David B. Hill. In 1856 he
was appointed one Of the Subway Commission
ers Of the city of New York.
Mr.. Flower chairman OF the Democratic
Congress Campaign Committee in 1871. The
committee had small means, but his organizing
powers were brought into play, and the cam
paign resulted in large majorities for the Demo,
for Governor at the Democratic state ConVen-
ton in 1892, and was elected by plurality OF
/ AZ 937 over J. Sloat Fassett. the RepupIcan
candidate. The most noteworthy acts or MI
Flower as Governor were the appointment OF
Isaac H. Maynard as an Associate Judge o.
the Court Of Appeals in 1882. the purchase OF
the Fire Island Hotel while the cholera scare
was at its height in 1890. and the ordering OF the
State Militia to Buffalo to suppress the rail-
road strikers In 1884 ,.,
The appointment OF Judge Maynard resulted
in much adverse criticism because Judge May
nard when Deputy Attorney-General, had peelI
accused Of stealing the election returns OF
Duchess County from the Controllers once IN
Albany on December %. 1891. thereby changing
the vote for the Senatorship.
When the cholera scare was at its height In
| 1892 several ocean steamers, crowded with pas
sengers were ouarantined and held in the Lower
Bay The weather exceedingly warm, ana
the fear that cholera might break OUT among
the passengers caused much anxiety In this city
and throughout the country. There was no
available place for the housing Of the passengers
in case they were landed. While the city and
other officials were at as TO what to do Gov
ernor Flower purchased, with his own money,
the Fire Island Hotel and placed II at the ois-
posal of the health authorities.
He paid $4,000 for the property. The State
afterward reimbursed Governor Flower.
TROOPS ORDERED TO BUFFALO.
When the railway strikers at Buffalo started
in to win their fight by burning cars and de-
stroyng property, the Governor met the emer-
fcolI, tha xrhn 70
militia to the scenes of rioting. His quick action
! had the effect of soon suppressing the rioters,
putting end to the strike
/ LEFT POLITICS FOR FINANCE.
/ After leaving the Governors chair Mr.. Flower
took less active interest In politics and became
| more active than ever in the financial world
This activity continued. until he became known
within the last few months the new leader
! Of Wall Street. Up to two years ago there was
nothing OF unusual interest about the banking
house of Flower g. Co. 1t was known as one
/ OF the big houses of wall Street; that was all
In the days following the free silver campaign
! when Wall Street was lacking in sanguine feel
/ ing-Mr Flower decided that the bottom had
been touched and began buying. He ADVISED all
his friends TO buy while things were cheap The
affairs of two years have justified his Judg-
ment and that is how he recently became
known as the new leader Of Wall Street.
ATTEMPTS TO CATCH him MAPPING.
When Mr.. Flower started In to buy Chicago
Gas once there a scheme TO give him a
twist The "twisters sold the Gas short at 80
quantities and quantities OF 1t, and they chuck
led as they thought they had him. When they
came to deliver they had to pay 81 for what
they had sold for sc. When the Maine was
blown up in Havana Harbor and II was certain
that there would be war with Spain the
woud-be "twisters' thought they saw the
opportunity to get In their work. Mr.. Flower
was in Turkey at the time. His absence seemed
/ TO make the opportunity more favorable. So
they started in. He was not particularly inter
ested in stocks at that time. He enjoying a
rest. He got the news of the blowing up of the
Maine by cable. and he was informed that a lot