Evening star., 1911-08-27

I than was necessary. For example. on
the opposite side of the old Fort Phoenix
| road once stood a farmhouse which par
TALLY obstructed the view Of the bay
from Mr.. Rogers porch. After years OF
dickering he paid the owner five times
what the property was worth, moved the
house to another location and laid out
the grounds with a lawn and a garden,
| so that he could look out at the harbor
| whenever he pleased and see the ships
come in.
The Rogers family has been famous
for Its hospitality, and during the sum-
.mer the Fairhaven home was usually
| filled with guests Mark Twain was one
OF the habitual visitors. for he and Mr..
Rogers were the closest of friends. Mr..
Clemens often went cruising on the ka-
is large as an ocean liner. During
Clemens financial troubles Mr.. Rogers
| took charge Of his affairs. Strengthened
them out, compromised with his creditors
and put him on Easy street.
Mr. Rogers had many other intimate
| friends among literary men and artists
He used to seek their society. and never
enjoyed himself more than In entertain
ing writer's and painters at his home and
on his yacht.
From childhood he showed remarkable
admiration and reverence for his mother.
The first telephone line
Devoted to erected in Fairhaven runs
,r between the house in which
~AOIACi. he was born and in which
| his mother lived up to the time OF her
death and his magnificent home. few
years later he had private wire con-
Meeting his mothers house with his once
| in New York. over which he used to talk
| to her every day. 1t is said that ne
| never allowed an evening to pass without
callinp her up and bidding her good
night. if he was where Iong-distance con-
nections were possible. He fitted up
suite of magnificent apartments for her
| in his mansion. but she would never oc-
| cupy them He had plans made Tor a
| handsome villa, but she refused II. ana
| insisted upon spending the last years OF
| her life in the comfortable little cottage
| which became her home shortly after her
marriage. and in which her children were
born.
than Mrs. H. H. Rogers. her sons Wife.
and since her death he has erected In ner
memory the Mary Huddlestone Memorial
Church. which was presented to tne I'm,
tartan Society of which both herseif ana
Mr. Rogers were members, anu III hoiiS
dedicated in 1904.
1t is considered the finest church IN
New England, although 1t does not com,
pare in size with many others IL Will
seat only 600 people. but 1t cost more
than 81 25lOOO The organ alone cost
$4,000. and the altar and pulpit much
more: the stained glass $1OO.Co or more.
The carvings. wood and marble are the
most elaborate Of any church In tne
United States. and the decorations are
exquisite in design and execution. IN
the tower is a chime of eleven bells.
Mr.. Rogers and Mrs Rogers had four
children One Of them died In infancy
the oldest daughter. Mrs. Anna r. BenJa-
min. is widow, residing IN New lork'
the second daughter Is the wife OF MT 7.
n Bouehton of Chicago: the third daugh.
ter. Millicent died in 1880. at the age OF
eighteen, and few years later MT.
Rogers erected the Millicent Library at
cost of 100000 and endowed 1T with the
entire stock Of the Fairhaven Water
Works Company. that the rates pald
bv the citizens of that town for water
will forever be applied to the support OF /
the institution and for the purchase Oh
new books. 1t now mas ABOUT -o'VVo "eii
selected volumes.
In memory OF his grandmother Ia
bitha Huddlestone. he built the Tabitha
Inn. an attractive and
Unique convenient house of forty
rooms, as perfect as
aOtcl. hotel can be. and endow-
ed It with a fund SUFFICIENT to meet any
deficits that may be incurred by the man
agement in keeping it up to proper
standing This is probably the most
UNIQUE hotel proposition in the world. IT
is not advertised and no effort is MADE
, TO seek patronage. but guests are re-
ceived and entertained as they come IN
without ostentation or extravaganza ana
in the most satisfactory manner possioles
The bill of fare is short. but the 1000
! and the cooking are OF a very hlgn
standard the rooms are large and iuxu-
rious. and the charges are the same that
would be expected in a city hotel OF the
same class.
The town hall was built by Mr.. Rogers
at cost of S3OO,COO, and inaugurated
February 90. 1894, the 10th anniversary
Of the settlement of the town Addresses
! were made by Gov. Greenhalge OF Massa-
chusetts and Mark Twain.
In 14Os Mr.. Rogers built one of the
| finest high school houses in the country
at a cost of $75O.OO0, and presented 1t TO
the town. 1t contains a manual training
| and technical department Tor the Denent
| Of Young men and women who wish 10
| become operatives in the textile mills OF
| New Bedford and other towns In Massa.
chusetts There is also a cooking school
| in the basement.
In 1908 Mr.. Rogers rebuilt one of the
other schoolhouses at a cost of $lDOOO
| or more. and for several years paid the
| salaries of all the public school teachers
| in the town.
| He gave literally to the rebuilding Of
the Methodist Church. which burned
down in 1904. he gave substantial assist
ance to hospitals. nurses homes ana Or
phanges in New Bedford. and there Is
| scarcely a charity or benevolent instl-
| tuition in this part of Massachusetts
| which will not testify to his thoughtful
ness and generosity.
! In 1850 Mr. Rogers sought the appoint
ment of superintendent Of streets, and
| for four years drew
Care of salary of 50 day for
| performing the duties Of
| 0tIeetS. that Office. The town ap-
propriated $1,000 annually for the i'm
| provement and maintenance of the
streets and when bills to that amount
were received they were paid and the
books were balanced. All that came in
later were paid by checks on Mr. Rogers
] bank account. The miles of asphalt and
macadam pavement that $1,000 year
| has paid for in Fairhaven are astonishing,
and in addition, the same appropriation
| appears to have been sufficient to keep
| them swept and sprinkled during the
| summer, to clear off the snow In the win
! ter to pay the expense of setting out
trees and shrubbery. of keeping the grass
cut, @ing out the weeds and planting
beds OF s.owers on the public grounds
1 Mr. Rogers hody lies In a stately tomb