The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-26

pest experiences, for he was fond OF
anything that would cause laugh.
General Grant especially admired Mr..
William Florence, who was his personal
friend, and whose thcater he often at
tended. He cared little for opera, and
| have often heard him decline invita-
tions 10 attend. much TO Mrs. Grant s
regret. remember SO well one even
ing when | was dining nj his house
with others among whom was Senator
Roscoe ConI5lng-who, by the way. was
n frequent guest ri the Grant table
| Mrs. Grant, addressing her husband rs
i Victor, said she expected him 10 at
tend the opera that night with her,
looking for little game OF poker after
dinner, although nothing had been sug.
gesicd Of that nature But the general
looked at Senator Conkling. who at
once OWNED the cause, and suggested
that as the general had other guests
he be allowed 10 devote himself to
them. while he. Senator Conkling. would
feel honorcd TO accompany her. The
offer was accepted, much TO the gen.
cral $ liking. For although he delighted
IN hls wife 5 society, stiIl has dread OF
the opera and his affection for little
game OF poker were zoo much fer him,
and when later the senator returned he
thanked. him cordially for his prompt
offer.
| recall again one evening when the
general was dining IT my house. and a
few of lis gentlemen were going 10 play
cards, my wife remarked that she was
going to attend fair connected with
one OF her favoritc charities, and the
general aG once suggested that we all
accompany her for 4 half hour, which
VIC did. And you can imagine thc fut
Ter among those women when he entered.
He was AZ once pounced upon for his
autograph. which he gladly gave. and
the sale of which added Il snug sum 10
the treasury of the society.
General Grant was ever ready and
willing TO do anything in his power to
! help apy good work. and | have often
seen him draw his check for Il suhstau
| tial amount TO aid some poor veteran
who was out Of work. His heart ever
went out TO ''the bows, rs he called
them. who fought with him, Although
proud of the position he had attained,
he never forgot 10 Giye the credit he
deemed due TO the mon who helped him
10 win the great struggle
As an instance of the affection those
veterans held for him ! remember well
an incident which occurred during 1852.
Our firm was interested III the cunstrgj.-
ton Of a railroad called tho Bradford.
EIdridge and Cuba road = coal feeder
ishcd bridge called rnc Kinsua Via
duct and Mr. b W, Spcrdcr, thcn
treasurer Of lhe Eric, invited a party
Of gentlemen 10 Join him in = trip 10
the riadmcr as the guests of Ihc road.
The party consisted OF General Grant.
his son, L. s, uraut, n; Nj. James u.
Fish. Mr. Nelson Tappau, City Cham
New York, and one or two others, IN.
Guiding myself We took the private |
car of MIR Jewcit then president of
tho Erie railroad, our first schedule stop !
10 be Rochester.
But our schedule was destined To he |
changed. for no sooner did ii become |
known that General Grant was on his
way north than all along the line dele
cations were made up aud would not
hear of refusal 10 stop that they might
give the general a handsbake or hear
u few words from his lips. No sooner
had we left ono place than 4 delegation
from the next would ask that he stop,
and so all along tho line these informal Il
were held from the rear nlat
form Of our car, WHOM from 800 TO 1000 II
people would greet him with cheers and
hearty enthusiasm.
! remember we'll how. after leaving
one of these receptions. the general
came hack into the car, rubbing the
palm of his right hand. and. noticing
this, We asked him what Was the mat
ter. when inc laughed and said that n
husky veteran who had lost half the
second finger of his right hand had shall-
pn hands so heartily with him that The
stump Of his finger had almost made him
veil, so earnest WAS the greeting.
Enjoyed the Whole Trip.
never realized more fully than II
did ON that lrip how much this great II
man was loved by the people.
The dinner and reception given by the
Rochester club on our arrival arc long
10 be remembered. And when we re-
turned TO New York the general said Il
he had enjoyed every minute of the
trip.
That trip. and the closer relations that
grew from it between the officers of the
road and General Grant. did much to,
ward the firm Of Grant & Ward becum-
ing the financial agents of the Erie
1t was in this way that Gen.
cral Grant contributed his share Ia the
Of our business, MS he ever
had our interests at heart and was ready
and willing 10 do what lay in his power,
though often mt his own Inconvenience,
10 help MS along N
Al times OF stringcncy in the money
market. when the high rates asked for
money became serious factor, the gen
nral would apply 10 such men rs Mr. \
Russell Sage. Mr. j. Pierpont Morgan
and Mr.. ". II. Vanderbilt who were
always ready TO stretch Il point TO aG-
,cde 10 the general requests.
/ have known the time when money
Vas lending at an s per cent day over
'he regular per cent rate per anuum. y
General Grant went TO his friends for
oans for the firm and obtained what he
iecdcd at the regular per cent rate
With no commission added. He was n
great help 10 us in this way,
Much has been written and said in
he last few wears about the Ramapo
and the plan 10 make use of
I for the benefit of New York City II
There has been much speculation as TO
he origin OF the Ramapo enterprise G