New-York tribune., 1901-12-23
PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

Few public characters in this city seem to enjoy
popular confidence much as Archbishop Corrisan
does People OF every creed and political per-
suasion call at his house for guidance and COM
fort when in trouble. Many Of them are strangers
and a large number cranks. some oil then
so plausible and apparently sane that they de-
ceive even the lynx-eyed John, the butler OF the
Archbishop One of these managed TO reach the
Archbishops presence some time ago. ana an
nounced that he was Lucifer In person ana that
he had called to protest against the manner In
which his name was being maligned every suhday
in the Cathedral. The Archbishop at once in
formed his visitor that this was parish afrair'
and so did him. and that the caller
had better go the house the other corner OF
the block and the rector Of the Cathedral.
Father Lavelle This suggestion was prompted by
the reflection that the reverend father is not only
a powerfully built himself. but has living with
him under the roof number of stalwart
curates. The energies OF the latter and of Father
Lavelle were severely taxed in ejecting Lucifer
when he called few minutes later at the rectory
The other day visitor came to the rectory, ana
on being uShered into the presence OF Father
Iavee gravely Informed the latter that he was
ST Peter. and that he had called upon him to take
dinner with him. Father Lavelle who happened
to be alone in the house at the time saw an op-
portunity Of getting with his diocesan. Ac-
cordingly he informed St Peter that he had evil
dently mistaken the house. that he was merely a
poor parish priest unworthy of great honor
a the entertaining of an Apostle, and suggested
that the Archbishop at the other corner was bet
qualified to accord to him welcome In keep
ing with his status IN the Church adding that he
kept much better table than that maintained at
the rectory. st. Peter. when he afterwsrd called
on the Archbishop showed himself quite as OBJ
streperous Lucifcr at the rectory few weeks
earlier and It required the united efforts OF the
butler OF a buecoat and of the Archbishop's ath-
letic chaplain. Father Connolly to get rid of the
pseudo Apostle. Since then there has been sort
of treaty between the rectory and the archeplsco-
pal residence. according to which each undertakes
to deal with its own crank callers. without at
tempting TO get rid OF them by sending them to
1.-The other corner"
The Russian Minister OF Finance NJ. de Witte.
seems be destined to spend his life performing
Herculean labors, not only in finance but in social
organization. 1t he who financed the colossal
undertaking OF the Siberian Railroad. and he who
challenged @ controversy with the United States
upon the question of sugar bounties. He held his
ground against all the rest OF Europe the last
international sugar conference. and will probably
do the the conference. which is to be
held at Brussels few weeks hence. In addition
to these and numberess other things he has
undertaken TO reform the industrial system Of the
empire. Down to the present time only few in
dustrial centres in the north Of Russia have had
factory laws all worthy OF the Even
there the factory labor system is very bad. while
elsewhere it is almost ndescribable in its badness
NJ de Witte thinks it is high time for Russia
develop manufacturing industries, and he is con-
thorough reform Of the existing laws upon the
subject. He will presently submit to the Imperial
Council of State a comprehensive scheme to that
effect which. If adopted, will form sort of Magma
Charta OF the industrial Russia of the future.
Louis Gathmann, recently engaged with the
problem of firing guncotton shells safely from
cannon, attracted attention six eight years ago
by an invention of peaceful character
There had been great deal of talk about the diff
fculty and consequent cost Of casting hawiess
block of glass for telescope detectives Mr. Gath
mann was thus inspired to suggest putting num-
Der of small pieces a metallic frame somewhat
after the fashion of bulls-eyes in sidewalks. He
actually made one two Instruments that
plan and attempted TO observe celestial bodies with
them. Practical astronomers and opticians regard
ed the idea with scepticism, not TO say ridicule
and almost without exception declined his invita-
tions look through his glass themselves. The
! Chicago newspaper men, whose good offices ne
courted at the time. found much trouble in un-
derstan nding his broken English that they him
| little more encouragement than the astronomers.
Thomas B. Ferguson, the new Governor of Okla
homa is man after the type of President Roose-
Welt He has for two years been chairman of the
Oklahoma Republican Central Committee, but prior
IA that was not in politics. This is his first office,
his wife, however having been appointed postmas-
ter at Watonea, his home town, at his instfgation
Ferguson is forty-three years old and started
into Oklahoma life when the sod was fresh He
is the first Governor of Oklahoma who has had an
Intimate acquaintance with the soil The red sand
or Western Oklahoma is ground into his ruddy face
He is fully six feet tall and devoid OF the diplomacy
of the politician. His roughly featured face Is
ALWAYS smoothly shaven, and he has the Roosevelt
teeth Of the caricaturists. Irreverent Democrats
cau him the red headed roisterer of the North
Canadian" his home town being a river by that
name.
Tn 1889 when old Oklahoma first opened TO
settlement he took homestead in Logan County
The farm was poor soil. and FergusoD's nearest
nefehbor was negro The two set out to make
success of farming The negro did not even have
team so Ferguson proposed cooperative farming
He loaned his to the negro. VINO assisted him
In other ways The earth filled with rocks
Ferguson started well. 1t so crooked that
II was called the underground Tower of Pisa
When his wife came to that claim she found the
well matter of great annoyance: indeed, she
found it almost impossible to draw pail OF water
Never mind" said her cheerful husband who
took their poverty a matter soon 10 be refne-
died when get rich and / am Governor we
will have the finest plunbed house in OKLAHOMA
HIS wife laughed at him, for at that time the
farmer; and for the plumbing. there was no
such thing in the new Territory.
After a year he abandoned the farm turning the
title back to the government In 1881, when the
Cheyenne and Arapahoe country was opened. he
took up a claim near Watonsa. and started paper
at that town. Since then he has been advancing
when last year he was made chairman OF the
Oklahoma committee he said to his wife:
well the Governorshp is within reach. SO we
may as well have that piumbed house ,,1b IN
this new country, and Watonga is put sniah
town.