The National tribune., 1905-10-05


agara bridge culminated.s The railroad
company for which the bridge was be-
ing built had got TO the end of it's finan-
cial resources and had to stop. 1t had
no use for the bridge over Niagara, and
wanted Ellet to stop. but he had got so
far along with it that he had a foot
bridge, and was collecting $500 or $500
day in tolls and insisted on fulfilling
his contract. Finally the railroad COM
pany made the entirely Improper claim
that the tolls collected Belonged to it,
and began proceedings i'm Canadian
courts. In this dilemma. while Charles
Ellet. Jr., was fully occupied with his
suit over the Wheeling bridge he sent
for his brother Alfred to take charge of
his defense at Niagara. When Alfred
arrived at the New York end of the
bridge the Canadian Sheriff was APP
preaching with his posse to take forci-
bic possession, and the person in charge
was glad to turn matters over to him.
and brisk fight ensued between Eilet
ana few employees and the Canadian
Sheriff on American soil. The Sheriff
was finally successful, and landed him
(Ellet I'm Canadian prison. AS soon
as possible the American authorities
were notified, and International CORE
spondence begun, when Ellet was in
formed he was at liberty to go. He re-
piled he would not bulge a peg until
the Sheriff came with a carriage, and
took him from a hotel, which was done
and obsequious apologies made, and
from a prisoner Ellet became the lion
of the hour.
The railroad company paid Ellet a
large sum to cancel his contract and
withdraw his suits, and this is how it
happened that J. A. Roebling finally
built the Niagara bridge.
This relation has been necessary to
explain the sequel. Charles Ellet, Jr..
continued the pursuit Of his great idea
of introducing the ram as means of
offensive war into naval architecture,
but our Secretaries of the Navy were
deaf, as you say, to his arguments. The
Crimean War came on. The allied fleet
blockaded Sebastopol, and the Russian
fleet was helpless. Ellet got into CORE
spOndence with Gar Nicholas and en-
tered into a contract with him to de-
stroy the allied fleet. A part of the con-
tract was that Ellet would give bonds
to pay for all the Russian vessels lost
and the Car was to pay him the value
of every Allied vessel destroyed or cap
tured. He started to Russia to fulfill his
contract, and was met in New York
with the news of Nicholas's death. His
successor made peace.
Soon followed our civil war. Again
F.lIet laid his great idea before Secre-
tary Welles. and again was repulsed.
Many of our old naval officers who were
impressed with the reasonableness of
ElletS arguments went with the Seces-
sionists, and began to put his idea to
practical test to the great cost of our
navy in vessels and men.
What was Ellet's surprise one day to
get a letter from his very worst per-
sonal enemy, Edwin M. Stanton, now
Secretary Of War, asking him to come
to Washington for personal interview
connected with the prosecution Of the
war;" and adding, This letter will give
you admission to my private office at
any hour you may call"
Full of wonder at what this could
portend, IGllet lost no time in comply
ing with the invitation. On arriving at
the ante-room of the inaccessible Secre-
tary some Members of Congress and
MajOr-GeneralS who were cooling their
heels waiting for admittance to the
august presence were surprised to see
this stranger present his letter and be
Immediately admitted.
The interview lasted four hours, and
when ElIet came out he had buttoned
up in his breast pocket cart blanche
uthOrity to build or buy and remodel
steamboats, at his will and enlist men
from any regiment i'm the United States
Army to man them.
Naturally and no doubt with STAN
tons approval, he chose his brother
Alfred for second in command. He was
Lieutenant-C Colonel of the 59th H., and
dll tHt Iiltil hCSuCu "CiS ShiIoASN - o''1
that regiment.
What sidelight this narrative throws
upon the greatness of Edwin M. STAN
ton; for who but a great man, recognize
ing ability in his worst enemy, would
choose him to develop his own idea and
make his name famous through all fu-
ture generations?
Within six weeks Ellet reported with
his fleet and within 10 years every
navy on earth had Incorporated the
ram principle into their naval architec-
ture.-T. w. Lippincott Boscobel, Wis.