Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-09-29
WILLIAM Il. BERRY
Brief Sketch of the Life and
Achievements of the Peoples
Candidate For State
Treasurer.

Democratic nominee for state treas
urer can be briefly written. His life
has been one of endeavor and achieve
ment He has been worker from
earliest manhood and whatever of sue
cess he has attained has been the
fruit of his own effort.
Mr.. Berry was born in Edwardsville,
Illinois, September g. 1852. and was
educated in the public schools of that
village. He served an apprentice
ship as a machinist in Buffalo, New
York, where he acquired a technical
education in the night schools, giving
his evenings to study after his days
of labor. Upon the completion of hts
apprenticeship he served seven years
as a journeyman machinist at the
bench.
In 1874 Mr.. Berry located in Ches-
ter, where he had obtained employ
ment as a machinist. Subsequently he
worked there as journeyman, assist
ant foreman and foreman for II years,
during which time he invented several
labor-saving devices, some of which
have proved profitable as we'll as
useful.
In 1902 Mr.. Berry established a
plant of his own in Chester for the
manufacture of steam specialties, un-
der the title of the Berry Engineering
company. He became president and
general manager of that company, and
incidentally, as its title invited. be-
came consulting engineer of several
large manufacturing plants in Chester
and adjacent cities and towns.
Mr.. Berry is essentially a self-made
man. From the proceeds of his labor
; and the fruits of his inventive achieve
monts he has enjoyed during recent
years sufficient income to properly ed
ucate his children and create for his
family a comfortable home One of his
! sons has been schooled in the sciences
sufficiently to take his place in the fac
tory and another is serving honorabiy
as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps of
the United States navy.
Mr.. Berry joined the Methodist
church in 1876 and was made a local
| preacher in 1879. He has preached ac-
ceptably and with advantage to the
church in all the churches in the vicin-
| ity of his home. He lectures frequently
on scientific and economic subjects
and is actively identified with all the
| charitable and philanthropic move
! ments in the city in which he lives.
l. In politics Mr.. Berry is a disciple
of Thomas Jefferson, and though ad-
verse to holding Office has always been
| faithful to civic obligations and active
| in public affairs. He has served in
| the Councils and School Board of his
adopted home with great satisfaction
| to the people.
The first political office ever held by
| Mr.. Berry was that in which he is now
| In commission. The city of Chester had
| been ring ridden far beyond the limit
| of peaceful endurance for many years,
and public protests were literally
| laughed down. Last spring. however,
| the people determined to make one
| great effort at rescue, and the Demo-
Gratis nominated Mr. Berry for Mayor.
| The prospect of success was not promis-
| ing when he was notified that the
honor had been bestowed upon him.
At the November election previously,
| Roosevelt had nearly 5000 majority out
| of a total vote of little more than
| 10000, and in order to win, therefore,
| it was necessary that he should get
| all the Democrats, every Prohibition
| list in the city and nearly half the Re-
publcans. Most men would have been
appalled, at such a condition, but it
| didn't frighten him. He accepted the
| nomination, and promptly set about to
secure the election. After the most
| exciting contest in the history of the
| city, the vote resulted in a substantial
| majority for Mr.. Berry.
And he has made good" During the
| campaign Mr.. Berry declared that in
| the event of his election the iniquities
which were disgracing the city should
| cease. Just as he asserts now, that il
he is elected State Treasurer the graft
in the finances of the state will be
| stopped. so he said then that If elected
| Mayor the gambling dens speak -easies
| and vice resorts should be eliminated
| from the life of the city. That pledge
has been fulfilled, moreover. The mo-
| ment he entered upon the duties of the
| office he set himself to the task of full
| filling his promise and found it ex-
ceedingly easy of achievement
Probably no man in Pennsylvania
| had less thought of the Democratic
nomination for State Treasurer on the
day of the Democratic State Conven-
| ton met than Mr.. Berry. But the revolt
| against civic uprighteousness had just
| begun in Philadelphia, and all minds
| were turning toward reform and re-
| formers.
In this state of public opinion the
! name of William H. Berry, the reform
| er who does things" was mentioned,
| and 1t ran through the body like fire
| in an August clearing" and he was
unanimously nominated. AS he de-
clared in his speech of acceptance, he
| had nothing to do with the matter up
| to that time, but he has taken hand
| since, and is now leading a triumphant
army to certain victory.
Mr.. Berry has always been pecu-
| liarly fortunate In his relations with
workingmen and organized labor In
! deed, he freely ascribes his success in
the mayoralty campaign to the cordial
md earnest support of the artisans in
| The community. He has been an en-
| ployer of labor for many years, and
during recent years extensively so.
| But he has never had labor strike
or serious difficulty with his employees
on account of wages or differences of
any kind.