J G Cannon (image of handwriting) ]
[Illustration: ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY.]
[Illustration: ADMIRAL WINFIELD SCOTT SCHLEY.]
At a stag dinner of some eighteen guests at my house, Minister Wu
Ting Fang sat at my right, and opposite sat Lieutenant General Young.
General Young proposed the health of his host. All sat down save the
Chinese Minister, who, after a pause, exclaimed, "Gentlemen, I think
General Young has forgotten something." Young, not well acquainted
with him, looked astounded. After a pause, the Minister went on, "I
am a Chinaman, but I spent four years in London, two in Madrid, and
I have been here now in America a short time. I know something about
civilization, and know that no man ever got up this dinner. I propose
the health of the hostess." The wit and humor of the Chinaman were
loudly acclaimed. He became well acquainted with Nannie, visiting
her frequently, and entertained her with interesting stories of his
experiences at home and abroad. In turn, she was able to interest him
in our large experience in the vicissitudes of the army and travel
generally.
As evidence of Nannie's superior capabilities in administering
household affairs it should be mentioned that she kept two servants,
Menger Caldwell and Sally Caldwell, his wife, for eleven years, from
1882 to 1893, and at Washington, Dora Miller Kelly, fourteen years,
from 1896 to her death in 1910, and her brother, Martin V. B. Miller,
seventeen years, from 1900 to date. (Cut, 241.)
All these servants were so capable and satisfactory that their long
service seems to warrant the appearance of their pictures in this
narrative.
Our daughter, Constance, attended the excellent schools in Washington,
grew up, and soon entered society, when our house was visited by a
host of young people of both sexes. After enjoying this interesting
period, she became engaged to a young officer of artillery, Winfield
Scott Overton, and two years later, they were married at our home, on
the 30th day of April, 1903.
Captain Overton graduated from West Point just before the Spanish
War. He served in the Philippines and was seriously wounded at the
battle of La Loma, March 25, 1899. He remained in the hospital in the
Philippines for some time, and has been operated upon several times
since, but never fully recovered, and in June, 1908, he was compelled
to retire from the service. They have three beautiful children, Hannah
Elton, six; Constance Elizabeth, four, and Mabel Helen, three years
old. (Cut, 240.)
[Illustration:
CAPTAIN W. S. OVERTON WITH NANCY.
CONSTANCE MILLS OVERTON.
]
[Illustration: OUR GRANDCHILDREN, HANNAH ELTON, CONSTANCE
ELIZABETH AND MABEL HELEN OVERTON IN 1916.]
[Illustration:
MENGER CALDWELL.
SALLY CALDWELL.
MARTIN V. B. MILLER.
DORA MILLER KELLY.
]
[Illustration: MILLS MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN, THORNTOWN.]
In 1908 Nannie and I visited my birthplace, Thorntown, Indiana, a
beautiful but sleepy town of about two thousand inhabitants. An
epidemic of typhoid fever was raging, caused by poor drainage and a
layer of impervious clay about twenty feet below the surface, which
caused contamination of the wells.
A prominent minister requested me to donate a library to my native
town. Thinking more good could be done by building a pure water
system, I said that if the town would maintain a fountain monument to
the memory of my father and mother, I would build a water and sewer
system.
A town meeting accepted my proposition. I employed Mr. Charles
Brossman, a civil engineer, to draw plans and superintend the building
of an excellent water system, which pumped pure water from far below
the impervious clay, carrying it to an elevated tank sufficient to
supply the whole city with water; also the main sewers of a system to
carry off the impure drainage; and to erect a fountain in memory of my
parents.
When the work was completed, the town gave a celebration in my honor,
which I attended, together with my family and many of our relatives
on both sides. About ten thousand people were present. I made a few
remarks, presenting the works to the city, and my daughter, Constance,
unveiled the fountain. Many speeches were made, the principal one by
Mr. A. Morrison, representing that district in Congress.
The water-works and sewer system have proved a great convenience, and
added to the health of the city. So far the city has kept its faith in
maintaining the fountain beautiful, clean, flowing, and in neat repair.
In Washington we invested a large sum in U. S. two-per-cent bonds, the
proceeds of the woven equipment business. The peculiar laws relating
to the reserve of national banks forcing these bonds to a six per cent
premium, we disposed of them at a profit. With this money we bought
property at Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventeenth Street and erected
the first steel-frame perfectly fireproof building in Washington.
[Illustration:
MISS KATHLEEN CASSEL KLINE.
CAPTAIN CARL ANSON MARTIN.
]
After retirement, while I was conducting the cartridge belt factory at
Worcester, Nannie spent much of her time in Gloucester, Mass. In 1910
she bought property on a rocky ledge eighty-four feet above and a half
a mile from the sea and built a fireproof residence. In writing her
sister Katie, she said, "We have called our place 'Bayberry Ledge,'
a very suitable name, for it is on a ledge of rocks and has lots
of bayberry bushes on it. Anson has deeded it to me, and it is the
dearest spot I know in the world." For seven years, until her death,
Nannie spent most of her summers here cultivating flowers and enjoying
the freedom of the country life, where, too, she entertained many of
her relatives and old army friends during the hot seasons, among them
General John M. Wilson, my classmate, Miss Waller, General and Mrs.
Geo. M. Sternberg, General Wm. H. Bisbee, Mr. and Mrs. Keblinger, Mr.
and Mrs. Batchelder, Mr. and Mrs. Follett, and our favorite nephew,
Captain Carl A. Martin, and our favorite niece, Miss Kathleen Kline.
By 1912 the only piece of property I had remaining in El Paso became
so valuable that I tore down the two-story building then on it, and
built a monolithic cement building twelve stories high, containing
no steel beams, the concrete being held in place by steel rods
interspersed through the walls, columns, floors and roof. There is
no wooden floor in the entire building from basement to turret, even
the wash-boards in the rooms are made of cement and on all sides not
exposed to parks the windows are fireproof. This was said to be the
first building of the kind erected in the United States, and, so far
as I know, it is still the only one of that magnitude.
[Illustration: MILLS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D. C.]
[Illustration: MILLS BUILDING, EL PASO.]
[Illustration: NANNIE'S RESIDENCE, BAYBERRY LEDGE.
(Text, 245.)]
[Illustration: BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN M. WILSON (CLASSMATE).
(Text, 245.)]
[Illustration: Faithfully your friend
Charles W. Fairbanks
To Genl Mills (image of handwriting)
(Text, 233.)]
CONSOLIDATION OF THE EL PASO AND JUAREZ STREET RAILWAYS
When the Santa Fe, Mexican Central, Texas & Pacific, and Sunset Routes
were completed to El Paso, about 1880, the five thousand people
of El Paso, and eight thousand of Juarez, organized four street
railways, two in El Paso (one on El Paso Street and one on Santa
Fe Street), connecting with the two similar Mexican roads on the
Juarez side at the middle of the Stanton and Juarez Street bridges.
Stock in these roads was subscribed in the East, but each road had
a president, four directors and other officers, all of whom, to be
popular with the public, made deadheads of the officials of the two
cities, policemen, collectors of customs, revenue officers, and so
forth. There was, therefore, great maintenance expense and little
revenue for the stockholders, and the equipment soon degenerated into
a most impoverished condition. When it became necessary to assess
stockholders or go into bankruptcy, Senator Bate, from Tennessee, a
personal friend, complained to me that he and his wife had twenty-five
thousand dollars in stock of the El Paso street road. He was unable to
pay his assessments and, as El Paso was said to be my town, he thought
I ought to do something to relieve him. We went to El Paso and he had
some stormy interviews with the managers of his road. Suggesting the
possibility of a consolidation of the four roads, I told him that as
I had the confidence of the Mexicans as well as the Americans of the
two cities, if he was willing to come with me, we might encourage the
stockholders in New York to give proxies for a majority of the stock.
We saw the principal stockholders in New York, one of them a cousin of
J. P. Morgan, obtained proxies for a majority of the stock and power
of attorney to represent the stockholders in the consolidation of the
four roads.
The El Paso street road was advertised for sale under foreclosure.
Authorized by its stockholders to purchase, I did so, and then
obtained from the Mexican stockholders and others in El Paso proxies
for a majority of the stock in the other roads. Calling a meeting of
each of the four roads, I proposed a consolidation into one company,
making the circuit through both cities, to be styled the El Paso and
Juarez Traction Company, with charters from the States of Texas and
Chihuahua. Governor Ahumanda of Chihuahua and the Governor of Texas
both granted the charters. The four companies made a statement of
their financial condition and expressed willingness to merge in the
new international company. It had a capital of two hundred thousand
dollars, distributed to each company in proportion to their annual
gains for the past five years. The directors of the four companies
elected officers for the new company. Messrs. Z. T. White, Jos.
Magoffin, John A. Happer, Max Weber and I were elected directors, and
by them I was elected president. There was some disagreement as to the
stock to be allotted the Santa Fe Street Company, and the officers to
be elected, so Messrs. White, Maxon and Gordon declined to enter the
consolidation. It was agreed to run the roads jointly, but the Santa
Fe company kept its own organization. The four companies were run
under our management as one road, all deadheads were cancelled and the
company soon prospered.
At this time Stone and Webster of Boston offered to buy the company
at its stock valuation, two hundred thousand dollars, and, after some
delay in correspondence, the sale was accomplished. The new company
at once put in an electric system and it has since grown to be one of
the best car companies in the United States, well managed, with two
million dollars capital, and some sixty miles of road.
It can be justly claimed, I think, that this was a most material
development for the cities of El Paso and Juarez. Too much credit can
not be given those who joined me in the project, Messrs. Magoffin,
Happer, Weber, and others. Printed proceedings of this consolidation
may be found in the El Paso Library.
THE REFORMATION OF EL PASO
The American War of the Rebellion and the Mexican Maximilian War left
El Paso and Juarez almost destroyed. Neither recovered until the
advent of the several railroads in 1881, when thousands of men, good,
bad and indifferent, were attracted by the easier access by rail. Many
had good intentions, but many were of that noisy, lawless character
that usually drifts to cities under such conditions. Gambling,
especially among the Mexicans, was soon a leading amusement on both
sides of the river, and the saloon and red light districts for many
years gave the two cities the just reputation of being among the most
disorderly and lawless in the country.
No mayor could be elected unless he harmonized with and fostered all
three of the above mentioned elements--some mayors lived in the red
light district. Notwithstanding that righteous and well intending
people were in a majority, the bravest of them were unable for many
years to work any reformation, business and professional men being
ostracised when demanding reform. Many cruel murders were committed,
but it was impossible under the dominance of the three bad elements to
procure convictions.
An experience of mine with an El Paso jury about eight years prior to
the reformation will illustrate the task these reformers had.
[Illustration: HORACE B. STEVENS.]
[Illustration: JOHN A. HAPPER.]
[Illustration: W. WILBUR KEBLINGER.]
[Illustration: FRANK R. BATCHELDER.]
While defending a suit for some $11,000 for liens on buildings, I
received two anonymous notes asking me to bribe the jury. I handed
them to the judge that he might make an example of the case. While
he and the lawyers in the case were in consultation in chambers, a
message was sent that a man wished to see me at a certain place.
Suspecting the author of the notes, I suggested that if the Judge and
attorneys approved I would try to entrap him. All consented, remaining
in chambers until I returned. Compton, the "end man" of the jury, was
the man who sent for me, and suggested that I pay him $3,000 for a
favorable judgment, stating he had canvassed the jury and a majority
had agreed. I replied that as a business man I could not part with
so large a sum on the guarantee of one man. I asked to see them all
privately, two at a time, after 9 p.m., at my room at the Sheldon
Hotel. Compton agreed.
I told the Judge this, and placed myself at his disposal.
Calling in Sheriff Ten Eyck and Court Reporter McKelligon, he told
them to report at my room at 8.45, and follow my instructions.
I secreted them behind a folding bed in a corner. When Compton came,
he started to search the room. But I told him if he wanted to do
business with me to sit down and do it, asking peremptorily where
the second man was. He was down stairs, and when Compton brought him
up I asked them to state plainly what they could do. Hunt, the other
man (reputed to be a brother of Sarah Althea Hill, who married Judge
Terry) (Text, 338), handed me a paper with the names of all the jurors
with the sums a majority had agreed to receive, some as low as $50. I
placed the paper in my pocket and after a little further talk to make
sure they had been well heard, told Compton to bring up the next man.
But he never returned.
This was Saturday, and all concerned were pledged to secrecy, but when
Judge Willcox called court to order on Monday morning, there was not
standing room to be had! The Judge said:
"Gentlemen of the Jury: Since last session the defendant in this case
has handed me certain letters which I desire to read to you. The first
appears to have been filed in the post office, El Paso, on the 20th
day of June of the present year, and is as follows: 'Mr. Mills, if you
want to win your case you must fix the jurymen in this case liberally
or you will lose. A friend.' The second is as follows: 'Mr. Mills if
you are going to do anything do it quick and have it money and nothing
else. Go to the man at the west end of the jury box. It must be money
or you will lose. A friend.'"
The judge asked each juryman if he knew anything of the letters. All
denied any knowledge, the end men most vehemently.
Called to the stand, I told my story, omitting mention of the
witnesses. When I read the amounts to be paid each juryman, a most
respectable salesman and neighbor of mine who was named at a very
low price, cried out, "For God's sake, Judge, stop this! My parents
are respectable people, and when they read this it will break their
hearts!"
In the midst of my narrative Compton violently declared, "You are
a ---- damned liar." The sheriff forced him back into his seat. Compton
and Hunt were sworn, and denied all that I had stated.
The sheriff and court reporter then corroborated my report of the
conversation which they heard concealed behind the bed.
Asked if they wanted to be heard again, Compton and Hunt hung their
heads, Compton only replying, "No, it's no use; they were behind the
bed."
The Judge announced a mistrial, honorably discharging all members of
the jury but Compton and Hunt, who were confined in jail to await the
action of the grand jury. True bills were found against them and they
were tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary.
This narrative is compiled from official records of the case which I
possess.
Returning home one Sunday from a walk down El Paso Street, Nannie
said, "Anson, we had thought to make El Paso our home, but if you do,
you will have to live alone. I saw nothing but saloons and gambling
dens with the cries of gamblers and singing of women among them!"
Not until 1905 did strength enough appear to overcome the lawless,
when Horace B. Stevens (Cut, 254) took the matter in hand, assisted by
such brave and self-sacrificing men as J. A. Smith, W. S. McCutcheon,
R. B. Bias, William H. and R. F. Burges, H. D. Slater, Rev. Henry
Easter, Felix Martinez, Waters Davis, Millard Patterson, W. M.
Coldwell, Frank Powers, U. S. Stewart, and many others. Success was
not attained until after many public meetings, Waters Davis becoming
the head of an organization for that purpose. Mr. A. L. Sharp was
elected to the legislature and at the request of his constituents
procured a bill closing the gambling houses by injunction. This bill
was prepared at the suggestion of Richard Burges by Judge W. M.
Coldwell, and stood all court tests.
All these reformers were foremost among the builders of the now great
city. J. A. Smith, who began with its beginning and never faltered
either in successes or honest failures, either in statesmanlike
politics or brave progressive business enterprises, is particularly
a noteworthy figure. H. B. Stevens and Waters Davis, in this long
fight, not only sacrificed their financial interests, but risked their
personal safety.
The reform movement was so successful that El Paso today is one of
the best governed cities in the United States. Notwithstanding the
addition to its population during the past two years of fifty thousand
United States soldiers (well disciplined men, however), it has stood
the test of good, safe government.
MEXICO
Youthful knowledge of our war of 1847 with Mexico, and a residence
of four years at El Paso, where I employed many Mexicans in the
construction of buildings and surveying, gave me a great interest
in its government, its people and affairs generally. History told
me Cortez in his conquest destroyed a civilization better than his
own, leveling to the earth a beautiful city of five hundred thousand
inhabitants, and rebuilding one less beautiful by the enslavery of
its people, reduced from civilization to abject serfdom by Spanish
authorities. For two hundred years these people suffered cruel wars
before their efforts to acquire independence were successful. Later,
Mexico was again victim of foreign nations, and finally America, too,
was guilty, as I believe, of making a needless and unrighteous war
upon her in 1847. In evidence, I quote the following from page 53 of
Grant's Memoirs:
"For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this
day regard the war which resulted as one of the most unjust ever
waged by a stronger nation against a weaker nation. It was an
instance of a republic following the bad example of European
monarchies in not considering justice in a desire to acquire
additional territory."
The peace treaty promised we were to pay Mexico many millions for
territory acquired by force, but much of this money was withheld until
a commission of our own people determined how much be finally kept in
payment of claims alleged to be due our citizens--the pretext for the
war. This commission could not find claims enough to exhaust the money
withheld, so much of it was given back to Mexico.
My brother, W. W., lived on the border for fifty years, ten of which
he was consul in Chihuahua. Another brother, Edgar Allen, after
spending twenty years on the Rio Grande border, lived and traveled in
various parts of Mexico in different business capacities from 1886
to 1901. He was employed at Escalon, the City of Torreon, Culiacan,
the capital of Sinaloa, and the City of Jiminez, traveling through
the states of Sinaloa and Durango to Jiminez, then to Sombrerette,
and then to Gutierrez and state of Zacatecas, thence to Chihuahua.
He found Mexico a tranquil nation with a people satisfied with their
government; where a great majority of the foreigners were likewise
satisfied with the government and their treatment, and where the
people were glad to see foreigners and treated them well.
From all foreign nations, however, but principally from our own, came
a disturbing element of ne'er do wells, itinerant visitors awaiting
a hoped-for conquest and exploitation of that country to get their
innings. Somewhat lawless, these people did much for which they would
be arrested at home. Occasionally they were arrested by Mexican
authorities. Many brought money procured from friends and relatives
at home to enable them to establish themselves in a new country. They
spent it rapidly, became troublesome, got into difficulty with the
officials and made loud complaints to our government. These, perhaps,
did not represent one-fifth of the American residents in Mexico.
Another class on the border of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, were
native citizens of Mexican descent, born on American soil, but good
citizens of neither country, and continually in trouble with one or
the other. Together with lawless Americans these fostered trouble from
year to year.
Of the probable fifteen million inhabitants of Mexico, at least eleven
million are pure Indians, with no admixture of Spanish or other
foreign blood. These Indians are much as when Cortez found them, few
speaking Spanish or any other common language, but speaking at least
fifty-five different Indian languages. They have never taken any
interest in what is known to us as politics; have no desire to vote,
and do not know what it means. Yet they are, or were, as contented and
happy as other peoples, satisfied with their governing classes, and as
kind and gentle in their intercourse with each other as the people of
the average nation.
More Mexicans, or people of the Mexican race, lived on the American
side of the border in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California than
on the Mexican side, because no American markets are available to
Mexican producers. They could not afford to pay the duty required to
enter the American market and compete with producers on the American
side, so that most produce was raised on the American side to which
adjacent population gravitated.
As a citizen in Mexico, an officer on the border in Texas, and as
boundary commissioner for twenty years, I can testify Mexico possessed
a tranquil government, and that my wife and family felt as well
protected from violence on the streets of the great cities as they
would have felt in the United States. My brother, W. W., also found in
his official connection as consul, that this state of affairs existed.
In October, 1909, President Taft and President Diaz, by mutual
agreement, met for greetings and congratulations at El Paso and
Juarez, and gave each other dinners on each side of the river.
Physically splendid men, it is a compliment to each to say they
resembled each other, both in physical appearance, in language, and
in gesture. In Juarez, I was a guest of the Mexican Government; in
my diplomatic capacity, I sat near both Presidents, who were seated
vis-à-vis. In their speeches the two Presidents seemed to vie with
each other in congratulations on the good relations and tranquil
governments on both sides of the border. The hundred guests in the
great hall of the custom-house heard them with profound interest and
respect. No one could doubt the sincerity of each; yet in a few months
the two nations were practically at war. How it came about will be a
mystery forever, but there is no disputing the fact that the rebellion
against Diaz was organized, armed and equipped on the American side.