The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-11
GATES AND HIS PIES.
Chicago Millionaire Pays Record
Price For a Couple.
JUST LIKE MOTHER MADE

A. G. P~ymacher Might Have Had
&SS.OOO For Two Lemon Marve1A
Reward For Mrs. J. E. kane Reach.
ed Into the Thousands. hut Chance
was Cnkfnd.
1t may no longer be said that John
w. Gates and his fellow miliionaires
from the west r devoid of sentiment
and the finer feelings or that they are
not possessed Of gratitude. Like other
men, their hearts and their pockets are
to be reached through their stomachs.
and it Is best done by means of pie,
which must be Of the good old home
made variety.
Mr.. Gates prides himself on being a
good judge Of pie, as he is of other
things. He knows good pie when he
tastes 1t, and he is ready to reward
the maker. A check was recently
drawn for a sun that represents a
small fortune, and it was in d nent
for two pies. The transaction probably
stands unique. and the highest price
ever paid for pie is represented by that
check. But had the turn of a coin been
different the check would have been
drawn for about $4,000. the profits re.
sulting from a deal in Northern Pacific
securities.
Although the check was recently
drawn, the pie was eaten last NAV,
but the memory of it still fingers to
make the mouths of the eaters water.
The history of the pie and the check
was recently related to a reporter Of
the New York Herald by one Of those
interested with Mr.. Gates in the D
ulations of last spring.
j. F. Harris, now head Of the firm Of
Harris, Gates & Co.. then had an office
at Il West Thirty-third street, New
York. During the days when the New
York stock market seemed to have
gone crazy Mr.. Harris office was oc-
cupied every afternoon by a number
of gentlemen from the west whose In
were common. Employed there
then was j. e. Kane, a telegraph op-
orator, whose duty 1t was to keep a
close watch Of the market and post the
spectators on every turn. When the
excitement was at it's height, Kane
was told to take his luncheon at the
Waldorf-Astoria and have it charged
his employer, who was DESTROYS that
he should be out of the office as short
a time as possible.
No offense is meant to any person
when it is said that Mr.. Kane found
the food provided for him by Oscar, a
too rich for his digestion, SO he
arranged to have a luncheon sent to
him from his home.
1t SO happened I'M day, just at noon,
there vas a lull in speculation /
and the operator was permitted to eat
without keeping hand on the tele-
graph key. He had just prepared to
bite into a thick piece of lemon pie
when the Office manager, Mr.. r. M.
Rogers, now general passenger and
freight agent Of the Cincinnati, Rich
nond and Muncie railroad, entered the
'oom. He was hungry, and the pie at
.racted his attention. Hints that were
lot to be misunderstood were made, |
Ind the pie was divided into halves.
Best pie ever ate" said Mr.. Rog-
srs, with his mouth full. "Where'd
you get it,"
wife made it," responded Kane, )
With his mouth equally full.
Then Rogers. vas struck by an in.
'piration. He remembered that Mr..
Harris had invited some friends to
ave luncheon with him in the office
he next day, andrhe planned a sur
rise for them.
DO you think that your wife would
make a pie like that for me tomorrow
{ ] would send the porter up for it?'
le ventured.
Sure she would" replied Kane, who
vas proud to have his wife's cooking
And so 1t was arranged. The next
lay there was spread a lunch table in
Office, with q big gorgeous lemon
lie as the centerpiece, and gathered
round 1t e John W. Gates, j. F.
larris. George F. Randolph, now con
with the Baltimore and Ohio;
: N. Hueston. a Chicago capitalist.
I. r. Shonts, president If the In.
lana. Iowa and Illinois railroad.
All OF the other food was sighted,
those at the table exhibited a will
,gness to reach the pie stage as early
8 possible. 1t was a large pie, and it
'oked good. and there was plenty of
: By agreement 1t was divided into
We pieces and proceedings continued.
Just like mother used to make"
aid Mr.. Gates, who was the first to
peak.
I'VE must do something to immortal
e this pie and the maker" was the
omment Of MI. Shonts.
There was a repetition Of the lunch
m tho nnYf dow and thono mo. ..ah