Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-25

himself when lad OF twelve or thIr-
teen as water boy for a construc-
ton gang on u northwestern railroad
and was later employed as section hand
when the road was completed.
Senator Knute Nelson was born In
Norway and came 10 this country with
his parents when he was about fifteen
years of age. When they landed In
New York, the family had little more
than enough Of this worlds goods to
pay Immigrant passage TO Wisconsin,
where they settled on a small farm,
The young Norwegian, however, was
ambitious and went TO little academy
not far from his new home and I'M
plored the principal TO allow him TO
ring the bell, sweep the halls and do
other chores for his board and tuition,
This was granted, and II gave the fu-
ture Minnesota statesman a start up
the ladder which In later years he has
80 successfully climbed.
Congressman James G, Needham Of
California has the rather unique dis
tlnction Of having been born in o
prairie schooner" his parents Icing
then on their way across the plalas to
California, where his youth was passed
dlllu NHN NNlllillb oNNllNo VI tt'N llNsiNNA
days.
Congressman Kittredge Haskins Of
Vermont earned his first money driving
oxen on n farm. Speaking to your cor
respondent the other day, he said 81
was born and reared upon one of the
hill farms of Wlndham county. My
father, having older boys at home, con-
sldered when | was about twelve years.
Of age, that ! might drive oxen to
pillow for one of the neighbors who was
not blessed with boys, | received l2h
cents a day for my work. While !
was studying law | worked at times
peelIng hemock bark and cutting
cordwoOd at no cents per cord and also
In the hayheld at the then going price
OF 81 and sl,25 per day
Congressman H. s, Gambler, Jr,, also
began behind q yoke OF oxen. ~ made
my first dollar hauling cordwood to a
country town and selling It., said Mr..
Gambler MY team was a yoke Of
oxen, with which continued the bust
ness of wood hauling for some little
time and so accumulated the first sum
Of money ever had which | earned by
my own Efforts
Congressman r. l.. Glenn Of Idaho
likewise drove oxen when boy, his
first employment being hauling Of ma
terial for the building OF levee on the
Mississippi river at Cairo H., in 1886,
Congressman Joseph T. Johnson Of
South Carolina had a hard struggle in
early life, being left an orphan and
without means, He cut cordwood,
picked and hoed cotton, drove oxen and
mules and did whatever he could find
TO do and thus worked himself through
college
A notable example Of heroic struggle
against adversely Is found In the early
career Of Congressman Galusha A.
Grow, Of Pennsylvania, now the faith
er Of the House" who IN boyhood be-
came The chief support OF widowed
mother and six young children. lie
worked on farm, taught district
school,, acquired college education
and studied law, becoming remarkably
proficient in his profession, More than
fifty years have elapsed since Galusha
A. Grow entered the forum In which
he stlll holds an honored seat. He first
appeared IN congress In 1851, ten years
before the outbreak of the civil war
and when the agitation OF the slavery
question was beginning TO be ominous
Of approaching disruption. In another
decade he became speaker Of the House
and today is the sole survivor of the
congress over which he presided
Among the number OF his contempt
raries were such well known names
as Elhu B. Washburn, John A. Co
gan. John j Crlttenden, Thaddeus Ste
vens, Daniel W. voorhees,, Francis 2.
Blair. Schuyler Colfax Henry l..
Dawes, Clement l., Valandlgham.
Sunset" Cox and Roscoe Conkling.
one by one they have disappeared
from the corridors Of the capitol leav-
ing Calusha a, Grow the last Of this
brilliant company, and there is some-
thing little short Of marvellous that this
old man is still one OF the most active
members OF the House,