The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1902-12-20
MR, LEVIN LAKE.
A Most Remarkable Travel
ing Man.

So Many Superlative Atta'nmcnts
They Can't Be Summarized
in a Headline.
The following interesting sketch OF
Mr.. Levin Lake, who is we'll known
in Grenada, and who was once a resi-
dent, appeared In the Chicago Trfb-
une also. Mr.. Lake comes to Gre
NADIA regularly and is much beloved
here. His many friends will no doubt
read the article with great interest.
Mrs. Ida Owens, of Grenada, is a
daughter of Mr.. Lake. The article
follows:
AS a string Of superlarative attain
ments, Levin Lake, citizen Of the
village of Oxford, Misss> has to his
credit several things not down in the
ordinary biography. For instance:
He is the Oldest active travelling
man in the United States.
For thirty-four years he has repre-
sented a single Chicago house.
In this third of a century he has
never made sale that proved a bad
account.
He made the first trip on the first
railroad train ever run in the United
States.
He is the Oldest Mason in the state
of Mississippi.
He never took a drink OF liquor in
his life, never tasted tobacco, and
does not know one playing card from
another.
He has net eaten more than two
meals day for thirty years.
And yet, at the age OF 66 he is rep
resenting Armour s. Co. in Mississippi,
''making'' towns by day and night
trains, and travelling an average Of
1000 miles a month.
TO BE PRIDE OF HIS FELLOWS.
When G. L. McLoud of 984 Cuyler
avenue, Chicago, makes his next trip to
Columbus, O., headquarters of the
United Commercial Travellers associa-
tion, the photograph from which this
likeness of Mr.. Lake was taken will
be presented to the headquarters for
enlargement and the portrait thereaf-
ter will adorn the walls of the aSsOcia-
tion's rooms. The story of Mr.. Lake
may be told with the variations that
become the travelling man and which
are expected of him. This however is
the real story; take no substitutes:
1t is conceded that Mr.. Lake was
born at an early age on Sept. :, 1917,
his parents choosing the eastern coast
of Maryland for that event, which has
been of such Importance to Mr. Lake
in his after life. Following this event,
the United Travellers association has
lost track of his record up to the time
of his marriage in Washington, d. c.,
just seventeen years later. The honey
moon trip of the Lakes was spent jog
ging by stage from Washington tx
Jackson, Miss, and there, again, the
Travellers loses sight of Mr.. Lake, es
pecially until in 1868, when he recei
we'd at Oxford, Miss, commission tt
travel for Philip D. Armour OF Chica
go. Mississippi was the territory as
signed and for thirty-four years he ha'
been in the active service of thi
house.
TRAVELLED ON FIRST TRAIN.
One of the first of Mr.. Lakes eXpe
riences in travel in day coach was II
the maiden trip of train that wa
run over the first railroad extending
from Baltimore, twelve miles to Eli
colts Mills. This road was thre
years in building, but as Mr.. LAX
recalls the event it did not take quit
so long for the train to make the run
He remembers clearly, however, jus
how incOnvenient it was in the com
pany's not having eating station
along the line. Speaking of the chan
ges that he has seen in railrOadine
Mr.. Lake often refers to the fact tha
nowadays there are trains in Mississ
ippi that run twelve miles in tw
hours.
1t was ten years after Mr.. LAX
went to work for the Chicago hous
before he came to the city and me
the elder Armour. The meeting mad
mutual friendship for them, and there
fore when Mr.. Lake came to the cit
it was as guest of Mr.. Armour.
1t was in Grenada, Miss, away bac
in 1888, that Mr.. Lake tackled til
Masonic goat and rode to finisi
Even the goat of the occasion is deai
long ago, though it must be unde
stood by the uninitiated that masOnl
is extremely hard on goats. 1t is ,
hard, indeed, that Chicago goat wi
not. eat newspaper that has q line
it about even Billy Mason.
Mr.. Lakes name might easily ind
catiYe Of his tastes in drinks, unle,
one should stretch point and 20
thinking Of Great Salt Lake. In the