The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-28

HAAtOmN NoH W ONA y NnNhtN ~ ~
Meal.
Gen. Jacob 5. Coxey of "commonweal
army" fame ia no loPgar dealing with
theories. but with facts. says the Chicago
Inter Ocean. From tbs day that be was
ordered on the grass ct the national ospi.
tai he became a new man. He turned bis
attention from politics to finance. and
Is now making money at the rate Of four
figures q day. He Is operating . stone
quarry Ave miles from MAsslllen, o.,
which IL as profitable a. q small gold
mine. Setting MP as large employer OF
unskiiled labor, Gen. Corey has had o
chance to demonstrate the praoticability
Of his commonveai theories. His son,
Jssse Coxsy. q stalwart young fellow,
has also figured extensively In the .solu-
ton of the great "hobo problem"
1t 10 the policy of Coxey not to turn
away any man who wants work. There
is q steady run Of men who come and
60 from the quarry property. ~ present
there ars 90 employees ut the plant, and
among these are only two Of the she
boss'' Of the OF iginal oommonwsal army.
But there are plenty OF recruits from the
ends OF the earth.
The story of Coxey's quarry has been
or Hated among trsmps all over the
country. They are surs Of welcome, .
days rations, and chance to leave when
work becomes too onsloua
"Ds ole mans essj, but keep yer eyes
peeled fer Jsssl." is the word lately
passed around.
some time ago thrss stout tramps ar
rived on Saturday evening late and ap-
piled for work. They were so hungry,
they said, thsy didn't know whore to
stay ali night.
"You know mel Ny names Coxsy.
Gen. Co Key CT the commonwsal army"
said the old man, heartily. "Mske your.
selves at to,as, eat all you want. and do
So on Saturday night and all day Sun
day the tTamps feafted ana rested from
their roadside wandsfings. Monday
morninR, after phenomenal breakfast,
they took the highway promptly In
This was the Last susw: The thing had
happened go often that young jesse
Coxey took matters In his own hands.
commonweal or no comm onweal. Ne
struck the trail, and, single-her ded,
started In pursuit. -Four miles away he
came upon three commonwe alsrs resting
on the ties Of railroad track.
| "Welk." said Jesse Coxey briefly, as
he levelsd q gun on the trio. He
marched them hack to the quarry and
| compelled them to do day work for
their Sunday lodging, when they were
allowed to depart 10 peace. Gen. Coxey
ives somewh what ohagrined ut ths show
of force. "You Gee, all sorts cf fellows
come here" he remarked. 81 am afraid
there are some people who won't work
when they get chance; really be-
lisve 80. There is no law to reach these
deadbeats, and / SUPPOSE we must do
| some thing to protect ourselves.
Clad In q great fur coat, q SLOUGH hat
pulled down over his eyes. and carrying
/ with him an air Of bustling activity,
Gen. Cvxty, the quarry operator and
wealthy mine owner, 10 q different man
ington with his army OF trnmps i've
years ago. He owns extensive lead mines
in Missouri and 10 preparing to put up
steel plant soon.
"Politicsf" queried the general. "I'm
not In politics now. Not that / have
| changed ana do not hold TO tine same
prin ciples as / did, but for the present
have dropped politics. have too much
work on hand. -
The Coxey quarry faces to the north
| east, and looks down over narrow valley
in which lie Railroad the Tuscarawas
river and the Northern Ohio canal. In
appearances this place is but little differ
mt from tia. Of any ether quarry where
stone is broken into cobbles and then
thrown into hoppers and crushed to sand.
Coxey claims q part In making the
good arnior OF American ships. He says
he furnishes sand for tho big srmor plate
plants Of the land, and adds that this has
| been found TO be the best. So the "gen-
eral' has taken credit unto himself for
recent American naval victories, and
announces In lsmirg colors on posters
pasted on the cars that American naval
supremacy is due to Coxey's good sand.
This "general'' has found that there are
dollars IN the sand, and he is net any
| thiuk II he is not q good advertiser OF
his wares. His conimopweal fame at
tracts the public to him wherever he
goes. He does not especially court con-
verBstion on the march he made fer the
| lost cause, neither does he shrink when
the matter Ia brought before him. AT
present he evidently does net care 10 iisk
any more army trips, even FOR the sake
OF the principles which he has long ad-
vocated. He is too busy. His wealth 10
piling up in conical form like little pile
or sand from his ctusher. His business
tact has been sharpened. and his income,
as the report goes, Is growing fast.
| But Coxey has with him relics Of his
political canvass. On the switch near
his profitable quarry stand four COACHES.
The one, palace car, is used by Jesse
Coxsy, wife and little daughter as u
dwelling place. A second car Is used as
kitchen and store room for workmen at
the quarry. The dining room is In
third car, the one used BY Coxsy In his
political tour over the United States.
The sides of the car are decorated with
! Attractive printing, telling of the prinoi-
pies advocated by Coxey on noBintefest-
bearing bonds, good roads and other ques-
tons But the interior Of the car has
| been changed.
A long table of plain boards Is In the
centre Of the coach. This is 10 seat the
hungry mon as they come to their meals.
lin cups and PLATES are always spread