Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-29


arraignment CT methods used by RI
vel firm.
The hostility between the houses of
Brown & ICES and the Spragues WAS
compared at one time to the fued be-
tween the Capulets and Montagues in
ancient Verona. They divided the
State INFO two political forces. 10th
houses were represented in tire Senate;
one succeeded in sending a prominent
follower 70 the lower branch OF Con
gross, but the other offset this adyan
tage y putting in office 4 Mayor of the
chief city Of the state. If. for a time,
tho Spragues surpassed the Browns
and Iyeses IN the number and capaei.
~ of their mills. the Brown firm was
in control OF more powerful banking
institutions.
The panic of 1873 found tire business
house ef Sprague unequal 10 the anex-
pected, demands MAIDS oadft. and. with
its yast property. valued even in those
daxs ~ depression at close o. $4,000.
000 and liabilities of some $4,000. 600.
+ was forced to suspend Sprague be-
came involved in number of eompli-
Gated lawsuits and in the end he lost
all save his home at Canonchet, which
he defended to the last with armed
guards.
Conkiine and the Shotgun.
One of the family friends ut this
time was Roscoe Conkling of New
York. When financial difficulties
threatened Mrs. spragues property
near Washington, Senator Conkling
and other men of influence helped to
avert the misfortune. In 1879 Mrs.
Sprague went to Canonchet. and there
took place the quarrel that ended in
ex-senator Sprague driving Conkling
from the house with a shotgun
His beloved Canonchet. to which
Sprague had clung through all his
troubles, and for which he had actual
" fought, was destroyed by fire in
1892. The house represented an erigi-
nal expenditure Of 100000. The furni
tire, the greater part of which had
been made abroad, cost upwards OF
$3.50 o0g and oil paintings hanging on
its walls. including works by Corot
and cid as well as modern masters,
We're valued at $150,000.
~ wouldn't go back to the old days
If ] could said the aged Ex-Governor
to visitor at Canonchet not long be-
fore il was burned. II was in Wash
ington the other day. but the scenes
there did not make me wish to be
among them again as ain incumbent of
public office. Here in the quiet. after
the heat of the dav. I have found
bliss. ! bear no grudge against any
man, and one of the comforts of my
retirement is that I find nothing to
condemn my kind for.
In he old days my mind was en-
tirely absorbed in financial matters. /
did not have the time and I din't then
! have the power to think of things as
do nov. I find that | have developed
parts cf the brain that in the years
when | had nothing but business to
look out for performed no functions
whatever. / now memoriZe large parts
of many books. Some nights before I
60 To bed I repeat 1000 lines of the
Tliad Of Virgil l have also worked
out a philosophy of national life that.
gives more pleasure to me than any
thing else in the world. | was then
working upon the same theory, but I
had not at the time carried ii out far
enough to be perfectly sure Of it.
Since then have confirmed it in
thousands Of different ways. and every
time new confirmation of Il comes to
my attention / experience the keenest
| pleasure.
Il told the Senate that if France and
Germany went to war France would
/ receive the greatest Waterloo in her
! history. France. l saw, represented
unbalanced motion 1t was Temporal
rly held in check by an unnatural or
arbitrary power. the viii of Napoleon
III. Germany. on the other hand, next
to England, was at that time in the
most perfect equilibrium known 10 any
nation in the world Increased pro-
duction wealth. is but one of the re-
suits of accelerated motion or energy.
This acceleration, unless controlled by
balance. is certain TO bring disa ster.
Tt has everywhere ruined nations. and
now threatens the United States. -
New York Post