Middletown transcript., 1900-12-08
JACKSON DIVIDES NOSE OF ELS aIoHEs

ton of fortune of over 100000, Ale
ander jackson, the wealthy Camde
man and retired civil engineer, went
Dover Saturday to attend to the furth'
scattering of his money. He is muc
gratified over the idea of acting as h
own executor, and is certainly diyidin
his estate exactly as he would have i
His generosity toward struggling farmerl
poor people and overworked bushes
men with whom he has had long az
uuaintance continues unabated.
Probably the most unique feature G
Jackson's 'benefcence, who is now owe
rs years old, is that he is using his rip
experience as a financier and investor t,
purchase and secure paying investment
for his benefciaries. Saturday he com
pleted the purchase of splendid farm
over in the most fertile section of Mary
lands Eastern Shore, and this wa
promptly conveyed to nephew, de
serving young man.
The farm consists of 742 acres, and as
yet the young man is ignorant of the in
tended gift.
DOES GENEROUS DEEDS IN Sc
CRET.
The total of Jackson's donations to his
friends, neighbors and relatives, as ap-
pear on the Court records, reached $780,
600, but, as he said, that does not show
one-half that has already been done, and
only one-third of what is to come. The
debts he has Cancelled, the gifts Of cash
and personal securities he has made, and
the assumption by him of store debts for
the poor people will never all be known.
Frank jackson, the hackman whose
horses, attacked to broken-down cab,
fell in the street, and moved Mr.. Jackson
to send committee of townspeople to
Philadelphia to purchase fine pair of
Western coach horses and an upholstered
stage of modern pattern, has put it on the
route between Camden and Wyoming
Saturday.
GENEROSITY A FAMILY TRAIT.
"Why, 1 have no idea of dying" said
Mr.. Jackson, in his customary suave
manner in answering some of the many
inquiries made of him. He attends the
Friends Meeting at Camden, and has
much of the demeanor of the American
Quaker, though in his belief he is what
he terms an 'honest agnostic, an be-
lieves ones clear conscience should be
desired above knowledge of a personal
God.
Speaking of his systematic distribution
of his wealth, he said:
''For myself, am sorry that the mat
ter has obtained publicity, for 1 have al
ways Stunned notoriety. If, however,
it will establish any common sense pre-
cedent, then am willing to speak for
the benefit of others. l may say that
the distribution of money is now Gus
tom in our family. 1t originated just be-
fore the death of my father, when my
self and my brother Thomas prevailed
upon him to take the same course He
began at So to divide his estate, and
fully completed the task by the age of
80, when he died. If such plan is good |
at fourscore years, it is good at three
score years and ten.
GIVING HIS GIFTS WISELY.
81 am now nearly 75 years old. OF
what possible use could this capital be to
me, outside of enough to protect my
home and my household On the other
hand, the people whom desire to help
are just at that period of life when few |
thousand dollars will be the making of |
them. Now, of course, am picking my
beneficiaries, and am giving no money !
to foppish youths or to reckless spenders. |
Give a child razor and it will cut its !
throat; give wild boy 81 900 and he'll |
get in the penitentiary; perhaps kill
somebody
"While I am doing this I am looking |
up bargains in investments for them l
am civil engineer and conveyancer and
have read law considerably, and when |
got fairly out into the world 1 owned
$4,000. Under these conditions, there
fore, I have. some idea of the world. So
long, therefore, as have my present ex-
cellent health and vigorous constitution,
| am not to be tripped up ON property I
deal or business investment.
HIS PLAN STRONGLY APPROVED.
"Many of the best men of State have
come to me recently in relation to my
plan, and I am free to say that I dis
cussed it with some strong minds before
putting it into practice The other day,
when the State Court was in session in
Dover, l saw some of the judges, one in
particular, and they agreed with me that
my plan was not only equitable and
sensible, but if it became known might
be a sodsend to the inhabitants of our {
little State.
Il have not been miser, as some ac-
'use me, for we have travelled all over
his country, in Summer and Winter,
md have an acquaintance with some of {
'he best ministers and lawyers of our {
country whom I have met at Summer {
Ind Winter resorts. . {
FIRE AT SALISBURY