The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-22
DOES PHILANTHROPYPAY?
QUESTION DISCUSSED By TWO WELL
KNOWN LOCAL CITIZENS.
Stories Told that Are in Point-A
Newsboy's Luck and the Substi-
tuted Granite CURLING.

-|
Two ~well-known local men related stories
of a widely divergent character about their
experiences as philanthropists while wait
ing in the public Office of the Board of
Works yesterday to catch a glimpse of the
mayor as he issued from the inner private
room Of the board. The men were ex-Coun-
Gilman James Munro and Clarence A. Ken
yon, the latter at present basking in the
fierce white light of publicity on account of
his connection with wooden block paving.
The audience was made up of Charles Ma
guire, the minority member of the Board of
Works, and several newspaper men, Mr..
Munro opened the discussion of the subject
of philanthropy by taking to task one of
the newspaper men for having INDUCED in
a bit of pleasantly of a personal nature in
writing the story Of a little experience Mr..
Munro had a few days ago. Now, WASH [
it a dirty shame" said Mr.. Munro to the
blushing reporter, for you to describe me
as that big, red-faced man in telling about
how 1 took up a collection TO have that
little boys bicycle repaired the other day?
but recalling that little incident con-
tinued the genial eX-councilman, 'it had a
sequel that gave me a g:sat deaf of pleas
ure, for it convinced me that the little fell
low thoroughly appreciated the trihing
favor I did him. You remember that the
boy was riding his mothers wheel along
Illinois street a few days ago when the
front wheel of the machine was demolished
by a car with which the lad carelessly col
lided because of his foolish haste TO get
across the street ahead of the car. Well,
l happened along about that time and saw
the boy crying as if his heart would break.
L asked him what the trouble was and he
told me all about it, saying that he dared
not go home because the wheel belonged to
his mother and she would certainly give
him a good licking for getting it damaged.
l found out that the street-car company
was not liable for the accident and so /
took up a collection for the lad. In three
minutes 1 had 81 and still money was being
poked at me. 1 said, Hold on, gentlemen,
s. is plenty to pay for fixing this wheel and
it isn't safe to give the boy any more, for
some boys would try it again. L went with
the boy to a nearby repair shop and found
that the cost of making the bicycle all
right again would be S1.65, which would
leave So cents for the little fellow to take
home with him.
Nov for the sequel of the story. Yester-
day afternoon-or rather Thursday after
noon-I was walking along Washington
street and when 1 reached the corner of
Washington and Illinois a ragged little
newsboy who was a hunchback came up to
me and said, Here, mister, is a paper for
you and it won't cost you a cent. L said,
What's this for, boy?' Why, you got me
brothers wheel fixed yesterday he said.
Last night 1 ran into a crowd of newsboys
and as soon as they saw me they began 20
call out, Here, mister, you can git a paper
for nuthin', we know you; you're the man
what helped out that boy the other day
when he got his wheel broke
Now" said Mr.. Munro, Il felt amply
repaid for what did for that boy when
those newsboys showed so plainly that they
appreciated 1t. 1t was one of the pleas
ATTEST experiences of my life"
XXX
"Yes-well-that's all very nice and pref
ty, 1 dare say said Mr.. Kenyon, putting
on one Of his Enthusiastically drolI ia
cial expressions, but 1 had an experience
one time that did not turn out quite so
beautifully. Some years ago when l was
young and somewhat callow, 1 got filled
with the notion that L ought to be a phil
anthropist. The idea grew upon me to
such an extent that I determined to put
it into practice. When the proposition to
improve Delaware street was up L sub
mitted bids for the work, one bid calling
for granite and the other for limestone
curbing. There was not a great deal of
difference between the cost of the two
kinds of curb-only a few cents per lineaI
foot, but the board decided to use the lime
stone A daU or two after I SaonraI tho
contract l received a telegram from the
firm that I patronized in buying granite,
Offering TO throw off $3.50 from the price
they had made me and on which had
based my granite bid. Taking into account
the finer appearance of granite curbing and
it's greater durability as compared with
limestone, 1 conceived the notion that it
would be an excellent opportunity for me
to show my philanthropy by offering to
substitute the granite for the limestone
and pocket the loss. Well, went before
the board and made the offer, which they
took up eagerly. When the street was al
most finished 1 was served with notice that
the abutting property owners had retained
a local law firm and proposed to file suit
against me if l did not at once refund to
them the difference in cost between the
limestone and the granite-the latter. of
course, figured on the reduced price at
which 1 bought it. The amount they de-
manded was several hundred dollars, while
the entire contract was something like
! eighteen or twenty thousand dollars, so
L danced up to the office of their lawyers
and settled. Thereupon L resolved to retire
from business as a philanthropist."
The Hall of IraninA
Far in the regions Of ethereal space,
The Muse of Science has a palace reared,
Al hos +barafn a soIapdfd hall rraparad