New-York tribune., 1902-12-14

prediction promises. After nomination by
fusion forces to defeat the Democratic candidate
Mr. Pagan promised that if he elected he
would look after the poor people.
The poor have with always" he said once,
land for that reason they should be cared for al
ways They have not been treated right in the past
We talk about our great municipal improvements,
costing millions. fine buildings, magnificent drive
ways. and all that, but what good do these do to
the poor man. 1t is baths and hospitals and dis
pensaries and parks and such things that the poor
need. and they will have them If they make me
Mayor
Mark Pagan meant what he said and he has
kept his word. The Board of Finance and Esti-
mate Of Jersey City, a result the Mayors
| recommendation, voted appropriation for a half
dozen free dispensaries, and throughout the sum-
the Mayor has that there were free
band concerts in the city's parks. An appropria-
ton Of $4,000 has also been made for great free
bath, with hot and cold water, where the people
OF the city go all the year round and bathe
This appropriation the result of the personal
efforts Of Mayor Fagan before State legislature
at Trenton.
A story which is told OF Mr. Pagan before his
election which made him especially popular
that when the Union League Club OF mis- city
invited him dinner given in honor of the fusion
candidates he said:
I'm terribly sorry but 1 must go home and take
dinner with Mary
Inquiry made, and it learned that
throughout his work of the campaign, no matter
where ne might he in the city, he always jumped
a and rode home to take dinner with his
sister, Mary. The brother sister have for
many years lived together at the family home at
No. 1913 Mercer-st. and he has not missed a meal
there for all that time, except when he was out of
the city.
The other candidates asked him to foreyo his
custom once and attend the Union League dinner
but he only said
Il can't. Mary would feel bad to have me gone "
When the present Mayor was an assistant in tbe
n uOcle TobY1 NJ
he earned the of Honest Fagan." Living
in OF the poorer wards of the city he met in
his everyday duties many a widow orphan whom
he could help without cutting into his salary of
$500. He devoted himself especially to helpinc
the widows of Grand Army men who wanted
pensions. and he saw to it that they not first
feeced by some agent This bread cast on the
water many years ago all came back a hundredfold
when he was a candidate for these women or
ganzed themselves and made a house 10 house
canvass for him. 1t chanced day that the
young candidate happened recognize a Grand
Army widow in one of the tenement houses talking
TO the housewives. When he asked one of the
tenants what the woman's mission this was the
reply:
Mark Fagan helped her once. and now she is
getting for him
While still an embalrner Mr.. Fagan entered the
political field, and elected Chosen Freeholder
and later in his candidacy for State Senator on
the Republican ticket. when he was defeated by
only 2s7 votes. he earned the name OF good vote
"4Alisr- ltdudIls, Wnofn ne haO OFTEN DefrIenG
ed, rallied around him on both sions.
After the fusion forces had agreed upon Mr.
tasan as their standard bearer TO down the Demo-
cratic machine. whose candidate was George T.
Smith 1t became known that young Pagan had
long been preparing himself for just such a strug-
gle Stories were told how he spent long evenings
at the undertaking parors of his the study
Of law and Jurisprudence. And all these years he
had been making friends and binding them to him
by kind deeds Proof OF his widespread influence
is shown in the following incident:
The bootblack in the Commercfs Trust Cou,panys.