davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

want to hurt anybody. The road
looked good to him and he had bought
some of the stock. In fact, he had
bought the control. Gates didn't have
any special use for railroad with
$500 miles of track, and he looked
around for a purchaser. He went to
Mr.. Morgan's office one morning, and
said Morgan, I own the control Of
the Louisville. If you want it or have
a buyer for it, you can take it off my
hands" Mr.. Morgan found buyer
and Gates cleaned up fortune.
Gates is born gambler. When he
was a country shopkeeper out in ILL
nois he spent many a night in box
car" on the siding. playing the great
American game" by the light of
trainman's lantern.
In active markets it has not been
$25,OOO,QOO or $30,000,000 worth of
stocks on margin. Some of the older
men in the street have tried again
and again to tie him up, but they
have never succeeded. Gates has
always had his eyes open. Where he
couldn't see far enough with his own
eyes, he paid somebody else to look
out for him. No operator in Wall
Street ever organized a more elabor
ate system of getting advance infor-
nation of things that would affect
Wall street When the street was
waiting anxiously for the final decis-
ion in the Northern Securities case,
and the Union Pacific party believed
that it had defeated James ]. Hill, Mr..
Gates one day sent word to Mr.. Hills
office that he had something to tell
him. The railroad president walked
down Nassau street and across Wa.
street to the plungers office. There
he learned from Gates that the ST.
preme court decision would be against
the Union Pacific. Gates didn't tell
how he knew it, but he assured Mr..
Hill that he knew what he was talk
ing about. Northern Securities began
to soar that day, and never stopped
until it had advanced $40 a share.
Some days later the Supreme court
decision was made public. 1t was just
what Gates said it would be.
Of the hordes of newly created mill.
ionaires borne into Wall street on the
wave OF industrial combinations which
overwhelmed the country from 1898
to 1901, Gates was the most pictur-
esuue. He has added to that distinc-
ton the further honor of lasting the
longest and of retiring not without
laurels. One may not wonder if it
might not be said offhim now what
he once said of himself on another
question, that he is mot broke, but
badly bent"
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

Appropriation for New Capitol.
In the senate Monday the committee
on capitol and grounds introduced
general appropriation bill carrying the
new capitol project. AS introduced
the measure provides for an annual
appropriation of 100000 for a period
of nine years, or a total of $5,400,O0O.
This sum is in addition to the 100000
appropriated by the last session, of
which approximately 100000 remains
unexpended. For the purpose of con-
structing the capitol, for the site, and
for construction of heating plant in
addition to the sums heretofore pro-
vided for, the bill asks for an appro-
priation from the general fund of the
sum of 100000 annually for nine sue
cessive fiscal years. The first levy
shall be made in 1905 OF this sum of
100000 an annual tax levy of $780,
600 is provided for during the nine
year period. The bill further author
ICES the capitol commission to pro-
coed with the construction of the heat
ing plant and warehouse and of the
capitol as rapidly as the appropria.
tons will permit.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Move Of Society of EQUITY.

N, G. Crawley, state organizer for
the Wisconsin State union, American
Society of Equity, which desires CO
operation with the Federated Trades
council of Milwaukee in the establish
ment of stations for the exchange of
farm produce, conferred with the ex-
ecutive board of the council, outlining
the organization and it's workings.
''The American Society of Equity was
organized to do away with unneces-
sary speculation, such as is done on
the various boards of trade" said Mr..
Crawley. Understand, we do not
desire to do away with the middle
man. We recognize the necessity of
having him, but we want him to be
honest and within our control. The
Society of Equity was formed three
years ago in Indianapolis. 1t now has
a membership of over 100000 farm
ers in SO states. There are Ia dis
tinct state organizations. Wisconsin
alone has contributed $4,000 farmers
to the membership"
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
JOHN w. GATES In
MANY WAYS TRUE
TYPE OF AMERICAN
Few of the Striking Episodes in the Life of the Great
Punger Who Has Raked In Some of the Biggest Jack
,ots Known to the World of High Finance-Has Had
Iany Years of Unvarying Success.

New York.-John w. Gates, the
most picturesque plunger who ever
rose to fame and fortune in Wall
street. has leased a great hunting pre-
serve in France, and is winding up the
business of his House Of Twelve
Partners" He is through with Wall
street, writes Frank Fayrant in the
Times. When market operator of
his prominence quits the speculative
game Immediately after disastrous
panic in the market it is but natural
for the gossips of the street to say:
They've got him at last" Ever since
Gates began swinging big lines of
stock in bull markets and running
afoul of men of great power in Wall
street the denizens of the street have
ahook their heads wisely and said:
They'll get him some day." During
the panicky days of March, when the
rumor mongers were telling of the
huge losses piling up against wealthy
operators, they were sure that the
House of Twelve Partners" was in
deep water And now that the famous
house, that in big markets has carried
at times $125, 100000 worth of stock
on margin, is going out Of business,
the rumor mongers are saying: Il
told you so"
But John w. only smiles and says:
II wish they were all as comfortably
fixed as | am" His friends say that
ne began trimming his sails last win
ter, when stocks were selling at sky
prices, and that when the storm broke
In March he had all his reefs in.
They say that he actually bought
stocks during the panicky days OF
March, and that banks were carrying
millions of dollars of free cash for
him when some very wealthy men
were lying awake nights wondering
how they would make their bank bal
ances good the next day. His friends
think that he is worth at least $25,OOO,-
300, and perhaps good deal more.
So John w. isn't exactly broke.
5arbed Wire the Beginning.
It was in barbed wire that Gates be-
gan to build his fortune Gates was
q poor farmers boy out west. His
first business venture was contracting
to husk a neighbours corn. From the
money he saved out of this work he
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Isaac Stephenson.

that time daily ballot has been taken
in the legislature in joint session of
house and senate, and nearly 80 bal
lots were taken in all in the Republi-
can caucus.
Isaac Stephenson, of Marinette, is
a very wealthy lumberman and bank
er. He was born in Fredericton, N. B.,
June IS, 1929. He went to Bangor
Me-, in 1910, and year later moved
to Wisconsin, where he worked on a
farm. He afterward bought schooner,
which he sailed between Milwaukee
and Escanaba, and invested his saw
lngS in timber lands. He is now presi-
dent and controlling owner in the N.
Ludington company, the Peshitgo Lum-
Der company, the Menominee River
Boom company, the Stephenson COM
pany, and the Stephenson National
bank of Marinette. Mr.. Stephenson
was a member of the Wisconsin legis-
lature from 1866 to 1868 and served in
the lower house of congress from
1883 40 1889. He has long been an
adherent of United States Senator
Robert M. La Toilette.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Water Power Bill Laid Over

In the senate the bill authorizing
the Wisconsin Valley Improvement
company to maintain reservoirs on
the tributaries of the Wisconsin river
was up for advancement and led to a
warm debate over it's provisions. The
bill provides for the storage of water,
by the creation of reservoirs so that
the powers along the Wisconsin river
will secure a uniform flowage the
year around. During its tendency in
the committee every possible effort
has been made to safeguard every in
terest of the state as well as every
private interest the bill might possibly
conflict with. The measure was laid
over for further consideration.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
State Capital Notes
Weekly Budget Gathered by Special CORES
pendent at Madison.

Madis2n.-The Wisconsin senatorial
deadlock was broken May 16 by the
nomination on the first ballot of the
Republican caucus of former Congress
man Isaac Stephenson, of Marinette.
The result was accompanied by the
breaking up of the opposition, which,
when the anti-Stephenson men rea-
lized that they were beaten, returned
to their former favorites, Esch and
Hatten, and the final result was an
nounced as follows: Stephenson, 54;
Esch, %; Hatten, 10; scattering, 8,
The ballot was the end of a dead
lock existing since April 16, and In
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
CIGARS THAT COST 81 TO SIS.
But They Are Smoked Only on Special
Occasions.

"A prominent tobacco importer OF
this city was asked the other day
whether there was anything extraor-
binary in the gift of S265 cigars sent
to King Edward VII. by Baron Roths-
child, says the New York Post. The
baron, it appears, is accustomed to
send to the British ruler a box of
these expensive smokes once in
every year.
That's not a record price by any
means" replied the importer.
He produced a box of enormous
cigars, rich brown in color, with fancy
red bands around them. These, he
said. retailed for four dollars apiece.
You can get them as high as five
dollars" he added. Look at the Ha-
vana price list, here. You see this
one? 1t costs wholesale. without duty,
$3.50. The duty is somewhere in the
neighborhood of so per cent. The
cigar, when we get it, will sell for four
dollars. Our profit, therefore, will be
more than 80 per cent. However. we
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
MANY Favorable Reports.

Measures favorably reported in the
house were the Burke resolution au-
thorizing Gov. Davidson to call a ma
tional conference at Indianapolis next
November to secure uniformity of leg
islation among the different states, the
Roycraft resolution memorializing con-
gress to pass graduated income tax
alton law, the Roehr bill prohibiting
the marriage of insane, imbecile or
feeble-minded persons, and the Fair
child bill authorizing judges to sus-
pend sentences of minors under 16
years of age for offenses punishable by
not more than seven years imprison-
mont
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

an Illinois town, from whom he mad
been buying his wire.
This was Col. Isaac Elwood, pion-
eer in the business. He was not look
ing for partners, but he gave the
bright young country shopkeeper a
job as a travelling man for the con-
Germ. Gates travelled back and forth
through the wheat belt selling barbed
wire, and made reputation as one of
the best drummer" on the road.
But he wasn't content with his drum
mer's" commissions. He wanted to
divide the manufacturing profits with
Col. Ellwood. The manufacturer
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

couldn't see it that way. and SO Gates
put up barbed wire mill of his own.
His knowledge of the trade was an
asset, and he soon became a danger
Gus rival of Col Ellwood. The colonel
brought an action for infringement OF
patent rights and a bitter fight was
the result. But Gates hung right on.
Col Ellwood finally had to make peace
with him. The two became business
partners and have been closely asso-
ciated in big enterprises ever since.
Other barbed wire mills began to
spring up, and Gates saw that there
would be a disastrous trade war II
the rivals were not corralled. He went
around the country buying them up
and formed barbed wire trust. This
was the nucleus of the $9O,OOO,OOO
American Steel & Wire company, now
a part of the Steel corporation. The
first big fiotation engineered by Gates
was the Federal Steel, a $100,000,000
corporation. That was in September,
1898, at the beginning of the great
steel boom following the Spanish
American war. He followed that with
the American Steel & Wire, with $780,
100000 capital, four months later. The
manner in which Gates and Ellwood
brought out this company is character
istic of the man. On telephone call
from Pittsburg they jumped across
Pennsylvania and bought a wire mill
at Sharon; then they went to Cleve-
land and bought a $5,000,000 rolling
mill, and the next day they were back
in New York to close deal for the
purchase of another mill.
The Steel Merger.
They picked up everything in sight,
hurried to Chicago, and, within a
week after the opening of their cam
paign, they had the whole company
organized This is the way that Gates
likes to do things. Gates and all his
followers cleaned up fortunes in this
flotation. The public appetite was
keen for industrial stocks, especially
for steel stocks, and the conversion of
millions of dollars worth of newly
manufactured stock certificates into
the coin of the realm was accom-
plished in a short time. Two years
later the big trust was formed in the
steel trade, and the Gates companies
were turned into the merger. Gates
wanted to go on the steel board,
but the chief promoter, Mr.. Morgan,
wouldn't have it. The banker said he
didn't think that Gates was safe man
to have in a great corporation direc-
torate.
Mr.. Morgans GOODNESS toward him
didn't seem to worry him at all. Not
many months later Gates began to
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

er crops, and threshing proved SO
profitable that before the winter came
young Gates had made enough money
to buy out his two partners. At one
of the farms where the lad had
threshed wheat he fell in love with
a farmers rosy-cheeked daughter.
This gave him an incentive to go
ahead and make fortune.
A farming community away from
the railways does not present many
golden opportunities to an 18-year-old
boy. Near the farm was a strip of
woodland where Gates shot par
tridges and squirrels. Tramping along
a foot-path in the woods one day the
idea came to him that if the farmer
could fell the hard wood and cut it up
into firewood to sell to the neighboring
villages. The boy went home after a
tape measure, paper and pencil, and
then back to the woods Undertook
ing" Going about the woods, select
ing small areas, counting the hard
woods and measuring them, he got an
idea of the density of the forest. He
sat down on stump, and by dint of
figuring he made rough estimate of
the number of cords of firewood an
acre would yield. Then he went to
the owner to make bargain. He
made an offer for all the timber,
agreeing to pay for it as money came
in from his sales of firewood.
II haven't any money" the boy told
the farmer, ''but you can have my
threshing machine as security"
GO ahead, Johnny; your word is as
good as a government bond"
Gates as Woodcutter.
All through the winter the lad was
out in the wood lot before daybreak,
working with woodchopper he hired
to help him. The great trees were
felled, sawed into short lengths, and
split into firewood. Young Gates de-
livered two loads of wood a day by
sled to the neighboring villages. Be-
fore the snow was off the ground the
woods had been cleared, the owner
had been paid in full, and the boy had
81 900 in the bank. He took this
money and opened hardware shop
at the neighboring railway junction.
He sold the farmers their implements
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Assembly Works Hard.

In the assembly Monday the Donna
chowski anti-cigarette bill was recalled
from the governor for a correction, the
Milwaukee ash bill was laid over, the
Grassie bill creating the Office Of COM
missioner of public works in Milwau-
kee was ordered engrossed and read
q third time, the judiciary committee
reported Is bills for passage and eight
for rejection, two measures were
killed. and eight passed or were con-
curr.d in. Besides all this, the assem-
bly, participated in the joint session to
Iect a United States senator.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

plunge heavily in Louisville & Nash
vile. He told his friends that it was
a great property and that it ought to
go higher. He and his following in
New York and Chicago, which by that
time had grown to large proportions
because of the money he had made for
them in his steel stocks, put the stock
from around par to above $780, The
street woke up one morning to dis
cover that Gates had ''cornered" Lou
isville. The Northern Pacific corner
panic was still fresh in the mind of
Wall street and there was momen-
tary scare. But Gates said he didn't
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Fall Sixty Feet. Unhurt.

Appleton.-Edward Schneider and
George Hamilton, painters, fell from
the third story of building to the
ground, and both escaped injury, the
saddle on which they were seated hav-
ing caught at each story, thus break
ing the force of the fall The men fell
about so feet.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Prominent Democrat Dead.

w. H. Rogers, civil war veteran,
prominent attorney and for Is years
chairman of the Jefferson county
Democratic committee, died at Fort
Atkinson, aged IS years. Mr.. Rogers
was born in New Hampshire. In 1863
at the age of 81 years he enlisted in
the Fifteenth Illinois volunteers, the
regiment of which one brother was
the colonel and another the chaplain.
At the end of the war he studied law
in Vermont, and came to Wisconsin
in 1867. He is survived by two sons.
c. B.. and F, H. Rogers.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Assembly Passes Bills.

The assembly on Tuesday passed
four bills, and concurred in IL and a
joint resolution. One of the bills
passed was the Disch measure limit
ing the bonds that can be required Of
the treasurer of the county of Mil
waukee to 100000. Among the II
senate bills concurred in was the
Roehr measure making it larceny
to tap a water or gas pipe or electric
wire with intent to defraud firm or
corporation out of light, water or
power, the penalty being from a small
fine to five years in prison.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
EIver Bill Advanced.

After a long and at times spirited
debate, the assembly ordered to en-
grossment and third reading the Elver
bill providing for the sterilization OF
idiotic, feeble-minded and epileptic
inmates of state and county asylums.
E. T. Elver, of Madison. author Of
the bill, opened the discussion empha-
sizing the desirability Of preventing
the procreation of mental detectives
and declaring that many eminent men
tai specialists approved of sterilization
as the best means of effecting that
end.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Anti.cinarette Bill Passed.

The drastic anti-cigarette bill abso-
Iutely prohibiting the smoking OF
cigarettes in public places or the ex-
hibiting of them in such places was
passed by the assembly.
The state affairs committee report
ed a bill amending the automobile
regulation law so as to provide that a
driver of a machine shall not be re-
uuired to stop the motor when meet
Ing a person driving horse unless
signaled to do so. The penalty for
second violations of the law is in
creased to Jail Imprisonment.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
MEET AT MILWAUKEE NEXT.
Knights of Columbus at GAINESVILLE
Fix Next Convention.

Observation-Disclosures will be the
next state convention city of the
Knights of Columbus, on the second
Tuesday of May, 1908. Fifty-six dele
gates from 27 different cities repre-
senting 10000 members in the state
held their annual meeting here. j. F.
Martin, of Green Bay, was reelected
state deputy; w. d. McGwire, Bara-
boo, reelected secretary; E. L. Kelley,
Manitowoc, advocate; Edward Mills,
Beloit, warden.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Delinquent Girl a Suicide.

Oshkosh. - Veronica WOlewvynski,
II years old, swallowed poison which
she carried in. tablet form when being
taken to the railway station by Off
GERS of the House of the Good Shep-
herd of Milwaukee for her return to
that institution. She died.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Fight for o'connor Bill.

1t was decided by the committee or
SO at meeting at Milwaukee to OPP
pose at Madison any school board
bill save that embracing an immedi-
ate election with representation from
every ward in the city, in accordance
with the desires of the people as ex-
pressed recently at massmeetings.
Jeremiah Quin was sent to Madison
and a vigorous plan of campaign will
be outlined. The committee proposes
to fight for the O'Connor bill first and
always. -
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Power for Bio District.

Appleton-The Green Bay and Mis-
sissippi Canal company, of this city,
awarded the contract for $4,000 cleo
trio power house to the engineering
firm of O'Keefe & Orbison. 1t is the
intention of the canal company to fur
nish electrical power for manufacture
ing industries in practically every
city of the Fox river valley and ulti-
mately extend it's service to Milwau-
wee
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23

cigarettes. The most costly, be ex-
planned, was domestic variety that
sold for s1O0 a thousand, or ten cents
apiece. There was no imported ciga-
rettes costing so much, he said.
1.-THE s1OO-a-thousand Sort" he ex-
riained, "does not bring that price be.
cause of intrinsic quality, but largely
because of the fancy box in which
they are packed. They are larger in
size than the average, but not even
an expert could detect superiority in
quality over many cigarette costing
less than half as much"
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Assembly Turns Down Aldridqe.

Declaring the United States SUI
preme court, knowingly or unknowing.
ly, to be the servant of the capitalistic
classes, Assemblyman Aldridge, of
Milwaukee, social Democrat, made a
vigorous but unsuccessful plea for the
passage of his resolution memorial
izing congress to investigate the rea-
sons that impelled the court to affirm
the decision of the lower court in
denying the writ of habeas corpus to
Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone, charg-
ed with the assassination Of Gov.
Steunenberg, of Idaho.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Celebrate Golden Wedding.

Beloit-A notable event in Beloit
was the celebration of the golden
wedding of Mr. and Mrs. John Thomp-
son. Mr. Thompson came to Beloit in
1860 from Norway. He became
manufacturer
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Mrs. Mary MCINTYRE Dead.

Kenosha Mary Mcintyre, aged 70
years, widow of the late Michael Nc
Intyre, mother of James Mcintyre of
the stage team of Mcintyre and Heath,
now starring in ''The Ham Tree" and
motherfof William and John Mcintyre,
both well known in the dramatic pro-
fession, died in Kenosha. She had
been.a resident of Kenosha for So
years.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
Ruroors of Bribery AfIoat.

1t is boldly asserted that attempts
were made to bride two legislators in
the senatorial contest here. 1t is al
legged that an assemblyman was Of
fered $400 and a senator $4,000 by the
agents of one Of the candidates.