Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-24
MANY WANT HELP
Millionaire Simmer Besieged With
Letters Requesting Aid.
BURDEN HE BEARS Is HEAVY
Chicago Papers Story Brings Bushels
of MaiI-Writers Want Everything
z From Selling Flying Machine to
Interesting Him in Tannery.

The letter recently written by R. H.
Moore of this city to Abraham Slim.
mer, the millionaire of Waverly, ask.
ing donation for hospital has
proven to be but one in a thousand
of requests of the same nature. Since
the publication of an alleged inter-
view with him by Chicago paper he
has been flooded with letters asking
donations for all kinds of enterprises.
Mr.. SINNERS experience is but an.
other proof of the well known fact
that the pathway of the philanthropy,
list is not strewn with roses. Some OF
the letters he has received ask in a
modest way for assistance in worthy
objects, while others would enlist his
aid in the widest kinds of schemes.
/ One man asks tritle of $4,000 to
aid him in perfecting a new kind of
cantilever bridge. promising to share
with Mr.. Simmer the millions of dol
lars of profit that will accrue after
the bridge is placed on the market
Another sends him the plans for fly
ing machine, which lacks only mon.
icy to make it compleute success. He
offers a way by which Mr.. Simmer
may branch out along new avenues of
fame and at the same time place him
self in position to throw money at
the birds, if he so inclines, out of the
profits of the enterprise which the in
ventor offers to share with him Many
of the writers, scorning the aims
which they assume could be theirs fol-
the asking, offer to sell Mr.. Simmer
all kinds of things and contrivances
that the imagination can conceive Of
Among these there is one fellow who
wants to sell Mr. Simmer handsome
parlor ornament in the shape of
stuffed hog, of which he gives care
full description along with the com.
.plete pedigree of the late porker. To
what extent good pedigree could add
to the value of a stuffed hog is not
apparent, but the owner appears TIC
attach considerable store to it.
( Now all these requests are not treat.
ed lightly by Mr.. Simmer, for it is
found that in the case of widow in
far eastern state, whose pressing
need tempted her to offer a partie-
ularly fine dog for sale, Mr.. Simmer
had handed the letter to a friend OF
his who is dog fancier, and that the
latter had started negotiations that
promise to end in his buying the dog
at the figure it was offered for. One
of the letters that arrived did
not have to wait long to be opened
from the fact that the envelope gave
the startling information in bold
black type that ''Jesus is coming
soon" The Enclosure, however. did
not wholly bear out the truth of this
announcement. 1t was from a preach
er at Chicago who wanted money to
enable him to get the people of his 10.
cality to proper condition in case the
Saviour should again return to earth
and happened along that way.
A Good Per Cent.
A schoolmaster in certain Colo
RADIO town. who is tired Of teaching
the young idea how to shoot, needs
$500 to establish himself in business.
and If the Waverly philanthropist will
advance that sum he is assured of
rs per cent. of the profits of the ven
ture, or If he prefers he can take a life
annuity of $25 a year, the Colorado
pedagogue}.evidently estimating that
this would be sufficient to maintain Mr..
Simmer in the humble abode that the
imagination of the reporter. pro-
vided for him after his for
tune shall have been dissipated. An
other western man who is broke as a
result of fruitless search for gold in
the Klondike, wants Mr.. Simmer to
go into partnership with him in the es.
Enlistment and operation of a tan,
ha cp1hp,itc &C, nj 80
moose and other hides to show that he
is an expert tanner.
aHalf ownership of merchantmen
sailing vessel is another alluring bust
ness venture that is offered, the skip.
per thereof being the one to make the
proposition.
Doesn't Want Much.
Il understand" writes a man
from New York City, that you are try
ing to get rid of your money, Send
me $4,000 and I'll be the happiest man
on earth" The letter of this very
nervy individual is not overly we'll
written, but some little pains is taken
with his name and address. Evident
I ly he wanted to make sure that Mr.
SINNERS reply containing a draft in
five figures should not miscarry.
The foregoing are but samples of
the hundreds of strange, curious and
bold requests that are being made of
Mr.. Simmer. Many of the letters on
the other hand are very sensible. the
writer's having no axe to grind person.
ally and merely desiring to commend
his charities or to point to some neg
lected field of philanthropic endeavor
1t is an Iowa woman who has sug-
gested to him need that he consider
ed an especially worthy one, it being
for a hospital for people who are all
ing, but require. neither medical or
surgical treatments place where
they could have a correct diet and a
change of air and environments.
Reads Between Lines.
Most people would regard with dis
may the huge pile of letter sthat Mr..
Simmer has stacked before him, but
he is used to experiences of this kind,
for during late years his mail has at all
times been heavy. He takes in the
contents of q letter at glance. and as
p,iiclxIp d;oaatc its coptonA, $50, =.