The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-12-01

Prime house was ever open TO Mr.. and
Mrs. Mcclellan; it was their New York
headquarters for weeks at Il time dur
ing Mr.. McClellan's ten years of resi-
dence in Washington While congress-
man.: n whenever Mr.. Prime would
turn southwark in the winter he would
always be visited on the train on his
Way through by his children as a
matter of course
But perhaps MI. Prime revealed the
real depth of his feeling for Colonel
Mcclellan when the latter was running
for mayor two years ago. An unusual
thing for a democrat up to that time
MIR. Prime had not taken the trouble to
cast Il vote for a candidate of any sort
for over twenty years. When Tam
many Hall nominated Ibis boy he let it
be known that if he had to be carried
to the polling place, he would cast his
vote for George Brtnton Mcclellan.
booth bright and early on election
morning, and though well up in the
los, and accustomed to retiring early,
he sat up late that night talking over
the triumph of his young friend.
In February of this year-the month
Mr.. Prime died-Mr. McClellan's
friends got Il clearer idea han ever be-
fore of his affection for the old man.
Dropping his official duties he accom-
panied the body to Connecticut for bu-
rial. his last service for his fathers
and his W stanch friend being to
cover the coffin with earth, and since
then he has shown his devotion to Mr..
Primes memory by wearing a seal
ring that the latter left him. The
seal itself is over 1900 years old.
Cynics II political enemies have
declared that the best friend Colonel
Mcclellan has ever had is Charles +.
Murphy of Tammany Hall. Mr.. Nc
I1a11Qn hir,Solf if vnr1 will toLn fba
trouble to ask him, will undoubtedly
tell you that the best friend he ever
had was William c. Prime: and Mr..
McClellan's friends will declare. should
you ask them. that they have seldom
known Of so warm a friendship as
that which existed for over twenty
two years between Mr.. Prime and "his
boy"
How He Got Into Politics.
Mr.. Primes profession was that of
the law. This may have had some
thing to do with Mr.. McClellan's study
Of the law, which he began while he
was still treasurer of the New York
| newspaper ma before he was Il law
yer; his bent was never for the science
Of engineering, to the regret of his fa-
ther, who made a reputation in this
field before he became famou as d
civil war leader.
L cSI HUH SoilCSo SouilS NnCSlcllttIi
began his Journalistic career on the
Morning Journal, when that paper was
/ under the management of Albert Pulit-
ger. brother of the better known Jo-
seph. and as a ten-dollar-a-week mar
his first successful effort was an ed
itorial on a political question then
much before the public. The mayor
frequently refers to this editorial and
laughs at his presumption in writing
opinions before he a even started to
cut his eye teeth in his new field.
During the next few years he did all
sorts of reportorial work-fires, MUIR
ders, accidents, nondescript meetings
and eventually, politics. 1t was while
he was engaged in chronicling the do
ings of the politicians that he formed
acquaintanceships with various politi-
clans, which led to his selection as
treasurer for the Brooklyn bridge. Like
many another newspaper man. he SIM
ply graduated into politics without any
special effort on his w part, and poli-
tics has been the field Of his activities
ever since.
He was put in his first political posi-
ton sixteen ears ago. From time tc
time during this period he has Known
] some pretty bitter enemies, but MOI
even the most virulent have ever ques.
toned Mr.. McClellan's personal hon,
esty. Or the other hand. all have
united in declaring him free of the tain
of the dishonest dollar. and h wors
they have to say against him is thai
he is regular meaning that he is sub.
Servient to the will Of Tammany. Mr.
Mcclellan admits hat he Is regular
and adds that he believes in organiza.
ton. Az for his enemies assertion.
that ne IL subservient to the will Of the
'o~rganizatlen," his friends point tt
various of his acts as mayor that have
proven him to possess a will of his "
Thee are The deeds that have won ove,
this year maj, y of his most formidable