The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-30

| transcontinental. Mr.. Willard saw that
there was only one way to cope with such
a rival and that was to get control Of III.
perhaps Mr.. Hill learned merger les
son there.) He matured plans to raise
$40, 000, 900 to effect the necessary p,1r-
chase Of st. Paul, Minneapolis & Mani-
toba stock. According to Mr. Willard
General Samuel Thomas and Frederick P.
Olcott appeared late one evening at Mr.
Wizards residence in the Tiffany House,
New York, to announce that they had
dined with James J. Hill and that he had
positively agreed to sell a majority Of
shares at 40 and that they were all to
meet at Mr. Wizards office the next
morning to sign the papers. Mr.. Willard
told his visitors that he was very glad
to hear the news but he still doubted, in
view Of past vaccinations Of Mr. Hill,
whether the bargain would 60 thru. The
callers protested against this, and insisted
that Mr.. IIn could not back out of his
promise, and that he had positively agreed
to sell. An appointment was made for
10 o'clock the next morning, but Mr. Vil-
lard was the only one who kept it. After
waiting an hour in vain he called up Mr..
Olcott by telephone and learned that Mr..
Hill had slipped away again"
-, But. the reader I'd who looks for much in
work will be disappointed.
Significant as an index of the character
of Mr.. Willard is the faith of others in
his personal integrity. There never
seemed to be a time when he could not
raise millions merely by asking for it.
Once he wired his clients in Germany
(this was after his downfall in 1889 that
SIS, 100000 would be necessary for GER
tain transaction. Within thirty-six hoursss
the money was at his disposal In New s
York. ..e .....
His Views of Lincoln.
1t IS hard to imagine that this man,
master Of millions, had, as boy of 49,
penniless and unable to speak a word Of
English, gone about the country seek
ing almost in vain for employment He
literally drifted into newspaper work.
and then came his acquaintance with
Lincoln and other great men of his time.
He was with Lincoln and Douglas in
their famous campaign in Illinois Speak
Ing Of Lincoln he saw him at Ottawa,
he says:
"He had a lean, lank, indescribabIy
gaWky figure, and an odd-featured,
wrinkled, inexpensive and altogether uri-
'comely face He used singularly awks
ward, almost absurd, -and-down anG
sideWise movements Of his body to give
emphasis to his arguments. His voice
was naturally good, but he frequently
raised it to an unnatural pitch. Yet the
unprecedented mind felt at once that,
while there was on the one side skill
full dialectican and debater arguing a
wrong and weak cause, there was on the
other a thoroly earnest and truthful man
inspired by sound convictions in conso-
nance with the true spirit Of American
institutions. There was nothing in all
Douglas powerful effort that appealed
to the higher instincts of human nature
while Lincoln always touched sympa-'
thetic Chords
Yet Willard did not like Lincoln, for he
CO VIC. CT OWL hat f1,o r.
found him most approachabe, good ma
tured and full Of wit and humor, could
not take a real personal liking to the
man, owing to an Unborn weakness for
which he was even then notorious and so
remained during his public career He
was Unfortunately fond Of jokes, anec-
dotes and stories. There would have
been no harm in this but for the fact
that the coarser the joke the lower the
anecdote and the more risque the story.
the more he enjoyed them
Saw Many Battles.
Mr.. Willard has recounted frankly his,
achievements and failures, and has given
interesting glimpses of the leading public
men Of his day, with most of whom he
came into close contact OF the great
battles Of the war of which he was a
witness, Mr.. Willard has given extremely
full and valuable descriptions. He writes
Of Bull Run, Shiloh, Fredericksburg,
Charleston Harbor and Chattanooga. as
we'll as Of Chickamauga, and adds to the
clearness of his descriptions with maps.
No doubt many will disagree with him
on many points. This will not, however,
detract from the value Of his memoirs.
They are an important addition to the
historical literature Of the country and
of the northwest. Besides they are full
of narratives Of interesting episodes, all
told with directness and simplicity that
makes them extremely easy reading, Of
the life Of a man who came west and
grew UP with the country, and who was
generally where there was something
doing" The Uneasy Chair.