The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-19
HAS WRITTEN
his BIOGRAPHY
Citizen George Francis Train
and His Queer Life.
IN AND OUT OF DANGER
His Part in Some of the
Worlds Great Endeavors.
IN AND OUT OF DANGER

!
The strangest man in the world has
written his autobiography.
He was once the best known American
on the face of the globe.
He organized the clipper ship line that
sailed around Cape Horn to San Francis
co and made American shipping lead the
world.
He organized the Credit Mobilier and
| the Union Pacific railroad
He was one Of the organizers Of the
French Commune.
He built the first street railway in Eng
| land.
He has been the business partner of
queens, emperors and grand dukes, the
familiar friend of the greatest people OF
the earth.
He has been in all fifteen times, from
the tombs to the Bastile, and never COM
mitted a crime.
He has made more than seventy ocean
voyages. He has broken the around the
world record three times
He formerly lived in a villa and spent
$1,000 week in maintaining it. Now he
lives at the Mills Hotel, at q total ex-
penditure of 50 week
In short he is Citizen George Francis
Train
In one respect, at least. It is probably
the most rapid autobiography ever writ
ten. 1t contains more than 10000 words,
and Mr.. Train dictated it n exactly
thirty-f1ve hours.
1t is undoubtedly true that no book
of that length was ever written in so
short a time OF course he did not die
tate for thirty-five consecutive hours. al
though those who know this wonderful
man do not doubt that he could have
done so. Stanhope Same, who acted as
the stenographer, is of the opinion that
Mr.. Train could have dictated the whole
autobiography in twentyfour hours had
there been any necessity for it,
That any human being who has passed
his seventy-third birthday should be able
to write a book OF 400 pages in two days
is scarcely believable. When it is added
that for thirty years this man has been
legally lunatic, wonder grows until the
absolutely true statement is made that
there is not dull page in it. When one
reaches this point comment seems rather
futile.
Citizen Train wrote this wonderful story
of wonderful life on the top floor of the
Mills Hotel. where he occupies a room
possibly eight feet long and six feet wide.
and where he receives his callers with
a dignity. a graciousness and native hos
pitality that would be in keeping with
the fine homes he used to live in He has
lived in that room for four years, ever
since the hotel was built 1t has a single
bed. dresser, a tiny table one chair
and half dozen paper boxes. Mr.. Sans
sat in the single chair which has been
occupied by many distinguished men at
one time or another. Just before he
went to Europe to form the ship COM
bine, J. Pierpont Morgan sat in that
chair for an hour, while D. 0. Mills sat
on the bed with Citizen Train. At one
time in his life Citizen Train was as i'm
portant man in the world of finance as
Mr.. Morgan is today.
The marvel is that the Citizen did not
write his autobiography years ago.
Why did you write it now?" he was
asked
Il don't know" replied Mr.. Train fierce
ly. The only reason is that people seem
ed to want to read IT."
DO you want the money it may bring
your"
Citizen Train looked utterly weary and
tired.
What dc want with money! he ask
ed. Il have all need. 1t costs NE 50 a
eek TO live. II I had more money I
would only have to give it away. No.
I didn't write for money
Did you write it to place yourself
right before the people?"
My dear sir. am n legal lunatic Why
should I not talk out OF my head? Place
myself right with the public? How can
a peanut convention know about a cocoa
nut. The people who compose II have
never seen a cocoanut. They don't know
what it is. The peanut convention con-
siders the cocoanut, delibertaes wisely
and passes q resolution that the cocoanut
is a large peanut. And how can the
cocoanut ind out what It is until il sees
another cocoanut like itself? am a CO.
coanut
The way in which Citizen Train came
TO write the autobiography Is simple
enough. It occurred to F. ". Halsey. who
recently took charge OF the book depart
ment OF D. Appleton & Co. that the story
OF the life OF George Francis Train would
make an interesting human document.
Mr.. Halsey had long been connected with
newspapers He called upon the Citizen
and found that the Citizen was willing
enough 70 write his ~autobiog." as he
called II. II he could find a sufficiently fast
and intelligent stenographsr 10 take down
what he had 70 say. N-. Halsey said he
had such a man II his assistant, Mr.
Sans.
When wiz vo1 be ready to begin
asked Mr. Haley. EszzSz7
Any time. replied NJ. Train. TO
day II you wish
Don't you want any tine for prepar-
alton"
NO" shouted the citizen. there Is
nothing to prepare have Il 81 here"
He tapped his finely formed head.
1t was agreed that Mr.. Sans should
come 10 the Citizens little rooa ~ 1888 (
o-cIock the following morning Nj Train I
lad prepared an autobiography q 80
words and II was decided that this 7
should be used IS a talking basis The /
-.tIzen strated right IN talking ar 'se rate 1
q - words a minute. exceV; ? hen ne 1
sot excited. and then he rata 50 fast 1
hat Il aw sinpossfble 70 count them
The dicsations lasted an hour and q
quarter a day. simply because Mr.. Sans
sid not feel himself equal 10 taking more /