Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-03-16
Under WHITE DOME.
A Chat with Senator Withee
About Early Days in Maine.
SCOTCH.IRISH STOCK TO WIN.

Geological survey Matters.
Madison, Wis, March Al found
Senator Withce Of La Crosse sitting
alone on "a sofa at the reunion of the
1906 members Of the present leg
islature the other evening, given by
George b. Burrows who was then
speaker.
MIR. Burrows, who IL a wealthy lum-
herman, has a long record in public af-
fairs, and one Of his best sides Is love
of the old things" He came from Yer
mont ever 80 many years ago, and he'll
drop everything at any time to tell you
about his boyhood, and the snow that
drfted in the window on his bed; and
the turnpike that ran past the farm
He has extensive offices, one room of
which Is as big as a small hall. 1t
was once his sons gymnasium. The
boy graduated at Harvard and Is now
New York lawyer.
All Come from New England.
Ex-senator Burrows is president of
our New England society and when he
sits down to the annual banquet with
Rev. DIR. Butler, an octogenarian, to ask
blessing Of THE God of Our Fathers"
and Judge Il. w. Reyes to tell of boy
ish pranks down east" he is supreme
ly happy.
On the evening in question there were
cards for whist, and the ver-present
billiard table; and an orchestra and a
monograph, and u most excellent
spread on long table. The coffee was
supremey good; In fact, Charles Pts
ter (who was at the reunion year
or two ago. says Mr.. Burrows caterer
can make better coffee than can be had
at his million dollar Milwaukee hos
telry. There were about thirty present
the "od guard"-and though they
were men ready enough to jump at
each others throata to get pet bill
through in n legislative whirl, all was
peace and comfort
There was no liquor served-not even
wine, which leads me to say that this
legislature, with all It's faults, Is the
most orderly body we have had of re-
cent years. The saloons are complain
ing bitterly. Probably not over a third
OF this legislature go to drinking
places at all The Milwaukee delegation
and the others drop in OF an evening
but the clubs" that were formed four
picions of graVer misdeeds are pleas
antly absent at this session.
Pen Picture of senator Levi Withee.
But we were speaking of the Lacrosse
lumberman who Is worth millions. AS
everybody knows, Uncle Levi Withee"
Is careless In personal appearance and
doesn't seem to care IL he doesn't care
He may have on necktie or he may
not. But there is warm heart under
meath. He looks older, but he is only g.
We fell to talking about Maine, where
he came from. Mr.. Withee was 10
when he travelled west His home was
on the Kennebec. thirty-siX miles above
Mr.. Blaine's Augusta home. Mr..
Wlthees grandfather came toNorridge-
wock in 1907 from New Hampshire, and
the great grandfather was fresh from
Londonderry not long before that. AS
far as the senator knows all the
Withees in America are from this an
cestor. The name Is sometimes spelled
Withers; and General Withers of Ken
lucky was a cousin OF his father.
Thus the senator was of Scotch-Irish
stock, said to be the best in the world.
No one ever saw u commonplace
i =
good nor wise, but each one has stuff"
in him, and ideas and mind OF his
own.
MY youth was work and folly, too
much of It," he said. Il had no edu-
cation, everybody knows that, but
what's good in me l owe in full to my
mother. 1t Is no exaggeration to say
she was n wonderful woman. l came
west in 1853, to La Crosse. 1t had then
800 people. and l have been there ever
since. Hard work was my life for Il
long time. For thirty years | worked
on the river"
Thirty Years Near the Logs.
But, senator" | said, that brings 1t
down to recent times, down to SO"
That's right" he said. Il wasn't
working for others all that time, but
was close to the logs every year"
Senator Withee has n sister living but
his brothers and parents, who came
west, have passed away. one of the
brothers was located in Illinois when
he came. He goes back to Maine occa-
sionally to see the scenes of his boy
hood There are some cousins there
still but the senator says when he
HlINilS III VIC NlliuSS NSllltltlS ne llIuS
the names of lots of people he once
knew Speaking of the good old
times he remarked the advanced age
to which people lived in those little
communities. Young children had less
chance than they have now, with the
advance in medical skill but when
adults got to u certain age they seemed
to hold On wonderfully People led
simple lives, went to be early and there
was less wear and tear than in our
modern life"
Young Withcc Princeton- Bound.
| Senator Withee has but one child, a
boy of 10, and the light that came into
the old mans eyes as he spoke of him
showed where his hopes lie He is a
| splendid hlg fellow OF i It. in, The
! boy has travelled widely with his par
| cnts-hecu in every state in the Union.
and abroad, He is now studying at the
| Green Foundation" in Lawreuceville,
! n j.. one Of the very best of the east
1 crn schools, ana will so to Princeton
college, though the tatheA says he has
| his doubts OF the value of the highest
education beyond certain point.
/ Rut | doubt IL my old friend could
/ a