Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-02-15
JONES OF WAUKESHA.
QuarIes' Manager Runs a Mineral
Spring and Has History.
A BAPTIST BUT FOND OF WHIST

A BAPTIST BUT FOND OF WHIST
A New Hampshire Boy Who Rated on the
mississippi - Important Historical Ad-
dresses, and the Magnificent New Library
Church Women Who Cater--States-
mea Puzzled How to Abolish Free Pass.
and Especially the Lobby.
Madison, Wis, Feb. 14.-Perhaps no
senator of the thirty-three is more
pointed out to visitors than Long"
"a. M Jones, the Waukesha political
leader who led the Quarles forces, and
never wayered in his faith from start
to finish. He is a tall man, forever
chewing gum and with an distracted
look on his face
He is known s the Bethesda Spring
water man." He had it on tap at head
quarters: an6 by the way it is crafty
ing to know that there was no strong
drink in public view at any of the head
quarters in this campaign--the first
TINT Otl iCAOId W hCAC eSNOHNCSt
the issue.
1t was on July l. - 49, that Jones be-
came manager of Bethesda Mineral
spring at Waukesha. Up to that time
the spring had not been a paying in
stitution. Under his management it
began to declare dividends. In 1883 he
became president as well as manager
and gradually began to acquire the
stock until today he has practically all
of it,
The Spirit That Wins.
A story which illustrates his charac-
ter of stopping for no obstacles is as fol-
lows: He had employed a man to NOV
the grass in Bethesda park. The work
progressed all right. but the man seemed
to avoid one particular plot. Jones
asked why he Gid not NOW it and the
man replied that he was afraid he would
break the machine.
Nov it any way" said Jones.
The man made the attempt and broke
the machine.
Mr.. Jones has made Bethesda, with
the exception of Carlsbad. the most
noted mineral spring in the world The
company is capitalized for 100000 and
the business amounted to about 500, 00C
last year, which was an increase of
about Is per cent. over 1897. Besides the
spring Mr.. Jones owns the Terrace no.
tel, which is one of Waukeshas finest
summer hotel. 1t stands opposite the
park and cost $4,000.
Objected To Being a Scare-Crow.
1t is safe to say that Mr. Jones and
his son are worth 100000. With all his
wealth Mr.. Jones is exceedingly unos-
tentatious One day as he came down
from his home to the spring he saw the
workmen standing outside of the bot
thing house. When they perceived hin
they Immediately went inside. He fol-
lowed and asked them why they rar
when they saw him. He wanted to know
If they were afraid of him and told them
that he did rot want them to ever ACT
in that way again.
Mr. Jones was also interested in the
building of an electric line from Wauke-
sha to PeWaukee lake, distance Of
five miles. He was the president of the
company The line was purchased two
years ago by the Milwaukee Street Rail
way company, which has since con-
structed a line between Milwaukee ant
Waukesha.
Senator Jones was born at New Dur
ham, New Hampshire, Feb. 5, 1897. His
parents were sturdy New England
farmers and his mother was a member
of the Miles family of Connecticut He
was the oldest child. In 1S47 the fam
ily moved to Hebron, McHenry county
lie 70 mil anC
Jones relates the following story rela
tive to their condition at that time
They lived in a little log cabin plastere(
with mud The snow would drift
through the cracks and liesaveral inches
deep on the bed in the morning. Clothes
were none too plenty and Jones wa:
obliged to wear the cast-of clothing o
an uncle The uncle was short and ia
and he was long and lean. The result
was ludicrous. There was also Gus
tom of cutting off the legs of the trous
ers when they became worn at the knees
and turning them around so that tn
| worn surface was behind.
Jones relates that when he had on
pair of his uncle's trousers which hat
been treated in this way that il wa!
| impossible to tell whether he was goins
| or coming.
At the age of 16 Jones started out 70
| himself He went to Michigan an
| later tried rafting on the Mississippi
| He saved some money and took a tw
| years course in an institute at Rock
| ford, Ills, which was conducted by
| H Kimball. After this he returned t
| Hebron and worked on his father
/ Yrr1.t
| winter.
| Dragged WheeIbarrow to Pixies Peak.
The family moved to Warren, j
| Daviess county, and in 1857 Jones wen
| into the book and jewelry business 70
| himself. He was caught in the PAM
| of 1858 and was obliged to sell his stoc
which brought him $50.
He and a partner, named Georg
| Heafford, determined to go to the Pike
Peak country which was much talke
of at that time. They went by rail a
far as st. Joseph Mo-, where the
| crossed the river. Here they met
couple of Germans, who each had
| wheelbarrow. They bought one, Jone
bought circingle. attached the end
to the handles of the barrow, put tn
loop over his neck and for the mex
twenty days the partners footed it TO
Pixies Peak. They were disappointe
in the country when they reached
and started back east.
When Jones reached Warren he wer
to work laying sidewalk at s125 pc
day. Later he went to selling farm ma
chinery.
He was appointed constable, dcput
sheriff, coroner and chairman of tn
Republican county committee. /
1s72-3-4 he was in the lower hous
of the state Legislature. 1t was her
that he got the sobriquet of Lon
Jones" 1t was given him to distinguis
him from another Jones. who was ais
a member of the body. The last yea
that he was in the legislature he wa
the leader of his party there. After h
left the legislature he was for thre
years and six months secretary of tn
Joliet penitentiary commission. He wa
appointed collector Of internal revenu
at Sterling by President Hayes an
United States marshal for the norther
district of Illinois, by President Gal
field OF the fourteen years that he we
member of the Illinois state centr;
committee, twelve were spent as Il
chairman,
Elected John A. Logan to the Senate.
He was particularly proud of his pal
tieipation and successful conduct of til
John A Logan fight for senator in 1S7
He has a fine silver service which We
presented to him by appreciativef friend
4 OF "a