The sun., 1908-01-26

getting smaller.
Now an is changed. Tbs residents see
only a bright future for thsir viGAgs-
Electric lights. sewers and water viii make
Hudson desirable place 70 i've in, and a.
thousands win b spsnt in bsautifying it
they believe many Clevelanders and others
viii be attracted there and make it THAR
home Al Il 10 only twenty-five miles
from Cleveland, with trains almost every
hour in both directions, IL should become
a most desirable home for peOps who
want to live in q small town and yet carry
on their business In the city.
The establishment Of a college or univer-
atty there will also do much to restore the
village 70 its former place OF importance.
It is doubtful II a big gift to a Acommunity
ever had less opposition than the coal mans.
True, he has his opponents, but they are
so few that they need hardly be reckoned
with. Every plan that he has made for the
| rehabilitation Of the village has been in
dorsed by practically every one and nothing
will stand in the way Of his making Hudson
a modern Utopia.
| But despite the fact that his plans are
icdorsed and he is well spoken Of by nearly
every one in the village, very little is known
about him there. In fact, he is regarded
as a man ofmystery. He has large estate
about a mile and half from the village.
where he spends a few weeks each summer,
but he does not associate with any one in
the village, and high brick wall keeps the
public out.
| Although it is not generally known. the
estate is one OF the finest anywhere In north
| ern Ohio A six foot brick wall and long
! rows Of high well trimmed hedges prevent
curious eyes from looking in. and at the
! huge iron gate there is a porter's lodge
! with an iron knocker on the door In tr1s-
/ English style.
The large house is built in the Queen
| Anne style Of architecture. which with the
hedges and geometrfcal gardens makes
| a picture seldom seen outside OF England.
Large stables and greenhouses in the rear
| Of the house complete the buildings on-that
| part OF the estate.
One of the most striking things about
! the estate is the number Of boxes for
squirrels which have been built In the trees
| Nearly every tree in the grove near the
house has little box high up IN It's branches
More than hundred Of them can be counted
from the pOrter's lodge. and there must
be fully three times that number on the
estate.
All the trees on the estate are numbered.
and in fact everything on the grounds is
kept in fine shape by the score or more Of
caretakers.
Mr. ElIswOrth's New York home 10 on
East Fifty-third street. He spends large
part Of his time in travelling around the
world.
He is something over %. and was born
on a small farm near his present estate
His father conducted q general store In the
village. A a young man the son movedto
Chicago. He obtained employment there
in the Office Of a big coal firm. Afterssverai
years hard work he started In the coal
business for himself. In q few years he
became one Of the largest independent
coal operators in the country. doing bust
ness under the name Of the James w. Ella
worth Coal Company.
Twice married, he is the father Of two
children, Lincoln and Claire. His first
wife. who died many years ago, was Miss
Eva Lynn Of Chicago. A few years ago he
married Mrs. Julia Fincke Of New York.
She has two sons. William and Benjamin,
by her first marriage.
Here In Cleveland he is better known
than in Hudson. He has Offices In the Cen
tury Building He is a very modest man.
When he first announced what he wanted
TO do for Hudson he stipulated that his
name should not be used, but IL leaked
out This publication nearly cost the
village its gift, but OF course when he made
the proposition in writing his name was
used in connection with 1t.
This is characteristic OF the man. He
gives large sums TO charity every year,
| but only in a few instances does any one
~ swsRN nn.
OF his charities is a sum Of money which
is SET aside every year 70 help worthy per-
sons who meet with misfortune.
Many people have wondered why he
should want to do 20 much for Hudson
since he spends 40 little time there. The
fact OF it is. say his friends, that as he pro-
poses to spend his declining years there
he naturally wants everything as he likes
it, since he has the money 20 crafty every
whim.
But that Is not all. For many years II
has been his ambition to establish a model
town. After he became wealthy he tried
10 carry out his ideas in the town OF Els
worth in Pennsylvania. which he owned
part and parcel.
He tried 10 make II an ideal city. but
he met with opposition and he finally gave
IL I'D i'm disgust. So disappointed was he
and 80 grieved that the inhabitants would
not take kindly to his plans that he sold
the entire town TO the Lackawanna Coal
Company.
AZ he had a handsome estate at Hudson
he decided TO carry out his plans there.
Accordingly he made the offer OF a gift
Of 100000 to that village, and the celerity
with which IL was accepted convinced
him that there was the place 10 establish |
his dream city. Heneeforth he will be the |
patron Of the town.
No other motives actuate him. The |
welfare and prosperity OF Hudson are in |
his heart. He has issued orders that no |
outside men be employed on any OF the |
Improvement work until every man in |
Hudson has the opportunity OF employ |
ment. When he dies the model town OF |
Hudson will be his monument
ReVslamR reaterl IN HRmpaetC