The Inter Ocean from Chicago, Illinois • Page 29

yent history relate, that thla Chicago --a hta nrant Vizier find msny ouch walla whom they conduct to the borne. (There the 'unfortunate Is made comfortable Sot the rest of hi. life, couia oia Haroun have done more? No temporary relief Who says that the days of romance are dead? For thlrty-Iour years Caliph Higlnbotham baa gone upon bta charitable execursions among the derelict basaars and homes In and about the purlieus ot our modern -In that time he has brought aid thousands of persons, wno wouia, manv Instances, have diefl a mlserame aeath but for his Intervention. From his little office in the Fine Arts building on Michigan avenue this retired merchant and former partner ot Marshall Field has always kept a watchful eye out for worthy people, whom he might aid. Thirty-four years ago Mr.

Higlnbotham was up to hi. ears In business. He was known far anil wide as one of the keenest and canniest men In the West. aat it was nrobablr because of this that When certain of Chicago decided fnunil a home for' incurables In the city. they approached Mr.

Higlnbotham and asked him to help them. Mr. Higlnbotham declares that at first he refused, point-blank to take part in the work, not be-'canse'he was not Interested to It, but be cause he felt tnat ireaa an bearing heavy enough burdens. "I was': already overworked and did not how I could give this new scheme my ttcatlon." he said recently. "But finally the persistency of one of the worker, caused me to surrender in sheer self-de- lense." It seems a bit remarkable.

In the light Vr Ms earlv attitude toward the founding f'cl the home that It should come at last to DO me turei iuvoox. i life. Tet this Is true. His Interest In It ha outlasted business and he declares that his duties in connection with Jhe Institution are the chief pleasure of his Jlfe. Just at thl.

time Mr. Higlnbotham I. pending his energy to work up the interest of the public In a plan to enlarge the home, jrhlch, he have been equipped an additional building year. ago. "Wo need another building badly." said Mr Higlnbotham.

"For years we have been put to the necessity of maintaining many Unfortunates outside of the home. In many Instance we have- had to refuse aid to worthy people because we were not prepared to take care of them properly. Our present quarter, were built to fulfill a eer- tal.i need In a city of Chicago ha. now leaped Into another clasa and the people of the city owe It to their munlcl-niilitv to see that the Home for Incurable. Is enlarged to meet modern needs, We should really-have two new buildlngs-bu the need of one Is pressing." "I want to emphasize the Importance of Increasing the capacity of the home," Mr.

Higlnbotham "continued. "The section for Which there Is a pressing need cost at least $100,000. We are not doing all the work that we should be dofng by any means, In most of the case-which are brought to bur attention and which we find all about 1 the need la vitally pressing. It Is distressing to have to keep people of this ort waiting. we are obliged to do in many Instances nnder present conditions." If there 1.

an aroma of romance around the manner In" which Mr. Higlnbotham gosa about Chicago seeking out those worthy of aid the growth of the Institution cf which ho is and. has been the bead almost alnc Its foundation ha. been marked fcy Incident and episodes no less so. a nMhlnv nartleularlv nn- mi maal In; tho founding of the institution.

aeon therearter romanee began to run its sliver thread the' life story of the Witness thereto the fact that, the first ho was rented by tho board of trustee tor 'the staggering nm of $1 annum. Thl princely amount was paid to th officers of the Soldiers' Homo for 'rental or the old mthaway resl-lewo. mllerto- as Rarfao arennos. Dur- fnr th tea rosrs from 10 untn 1IM only 118 rental waa PJ4 oa thU property. Kvr arc best," Straightway d'd Mr.

Hlgiabotnam teu Mr. Shipman how to spend hi million. As the result -l Mr. Higlnbotbam'a advice Mr. Shipman willed $1,500,000 to Ave Chicago institutions, and Is written In the book of events that the Chicago Home for Incurables came In for a fifth.

-Mr. Shipman made hi will, but when we met a short time later." said Mr. Higlnbotham. be approached me and said: 'Higlnbotham, I male that will all right, aad your Institution got a fifth of the but I want to do some eharttahle aork before I die. How can" I do It? Was Mr.

Higlnbotham at a loss fcr a Vot he: He had In mind the hundreds of desperately poor and Incurable iue. non wbo mlght be for It the home doubtless be -out In search of some poor So he said, "Build us sa watr whom thev will offer a home. Cnr addition. IL 7 1 1 1 1 Th addition waa built at a cost of 530.000. ThU building Is the north sectiOB cf the home.

The other tour institutions remembered by Mr. Shipman "In his wUl were the Hahnemaac Twenty-Ninth street and CotUge Grove avenue; the Glenwood School for Boys. Glenwood; the Old People's Home." Vlncenne avenue and Forty-Seventh street, and SU Luke's Hospital, Twelfth street and Michigan avenue. Another romance In connection with the vpbuUdin of the Home for Incurables as that Which led OttO XOUOg. wnner mm and.

World's Fair commis sioner, to erect the south additioa In 1899. Many years ago It fell out was auv and Mr. Toung were members ot a party that went by private car to one ot the Wlssontln lakes on a nsajng -Member, ot the party were made up of Chicago business men and their families. A. a re.ult the car waa more or less crowded.

F.verybody had a good time, anyway, and Yr vonnc wished Jo do-some- iaw, thing in a charitable way. be approached if. m.ii.hthim because, as he expiaineo. "1 noticed cn the trip that you spent your i whole -time In seeing that the oiner ioia. thomselves.

and I knew that you were th right mn to distribute charity." Said Mr; Higlnbotham in speaking oi me -flition! "After BVUVU bullt.the south addition he naked the board of trustees to furnish the buuaing ana senu him the bill. This was done at a cost of approximately ilO.000. Tn.n ne reque.v months on tho cost of maintenance. We did so, and thereafter untU the time of Un death he maintained tne aaai- of IJ.000 semi-annually. More na v- during hi lifetime Mr.

Tonng gave each of the Inmates of the home 5 In gold rery Christmas, and his widow continues to do this." r' I The Toung addition 1 for th car of tubercular patient, and wa erecreo. memory of a soh of tho dono, who was a victim of th white plague. On his death Mr. Toung provided to mala-tain tho building in perpetuity by tho do natio of a lump sum of $109,000. Tho two central buildings ot tho Institution were tho first to be erected, and were bnllt out of donations received by the board ot trustee from various aoureea.

The original homo waa launched on tho nm ot fttO donated by public-spirited cltisoa at tho request of Mr. Hlglabothaa aad th other membors.of the tlrst which consisted ot. K. B. Washburne, personal trtona of General Grant; Xrsktao 1C Fhotps, Chart.

H. Schwab; th Rev. C. Q. In Romance of Philanthropy in Foundinq and Maintenance of I.

Chicago Home for Incurables, Whirh Harlow N.Hiain- ri botham Is President and Generous Benefactor. f-HE Caliph. Haroun Al Raschid'a baggy this Mm the unusual, and 1 m. I breeches and candy colored turban times the bizarre. ba played their parts I have long been drawn up.

Into In the development f' i I the realm of Allah. No more doe. his stance, one of the later addition, tothe royal majesty blunder along n.jnu Mr HIri. Higln alley, brlngipg.Joy and accord former ltd P. B.

Shipman, former to hi. sultanic Kismet has called n.min hrr own: vet do the Winds of fame continue to speak his celebrity and many tether caliphs have risen In his stead. A jew Of um live im vuku. If at any time you should happen to be nf the city', tborough- fares not one of the wide and shaded t- nrntnrlt holds iWIT." but buCSWi n. of the choked passages known chiefly i.

Mr and vou should chance to hear Che noisy chug of a big, black automobile. quickly for. you may eaten a giimpao one of Chicago's caliphs, the particular erne we have In mind. And he will be In earch, as was the habit ot his predecessor pf Bagdad, of some one ve -will not be attended by aa executioner; win na with him. and vui a "thongs there are some who may not draw distinction, yet la there a difference.

The occupant of the automobile will ITI.tutllatll probably uanpn uariow president of the Chicago Home lor in surables. Fifty-Sixth street ana ejus i- aiM ri- W. P. Goodsmltb. They will and Dr.

W. P. Ooodsmitb. They will botham Chicago me how eaos'pend a million dollars, Mr. Higlnbotham?" asked Mr.

SLlp-man of the president of the Then he explalsed further: "I've got a. million dollars which 1 wish to -will to worthy causes; yo ought to know which cause. I 'J- I 'C-'--' '-I almost entirely In the hand, of the president and the superintendent. The home la remarkable la many ways, aot the least amoag them being the fact that It baa absolutely no rules regulatlng-tb conduct of the Inmate. Vf haven't a rule and bar nvevef regretted not ha vine them.

said Mr. Hlgla-botham. "Always w. have found rule to be BBneeeaaary. They havethe free nm of the whole place unhampered, aad I do not believe that there Uf happier net of Pr-sons in Chicago than taose in the homo.

"It seems a Strang thine to aay. but some of our people, despite the fact that they are suffering front incurable maladies, live to a great age. At one time our oldest Inmate waa 10 years elder than our vouaa-est and the youngest waa 4 year of I 4 1 a. Our oldest inmate is years oi age. v- CX'-S M.

dell, superintendent of the Chicago Belief Society, which baa sine been merged with the Associated Charities; General Henry M. Strong," and Dr. Charles H. Hammlll. The wives of several of the members also served.

Mrs. F. W. Brswley is given credit by Mr. Higlnbotham for having first thought of the plan to build tho home.

"It was she who kept after mo until I consented to take part In the work, he Bald. "The first movement to erect the home was begun In 187. and I believe that Mrs. Brawler first suggested it- I suppose that she came to my office twenty or thirty times before I consented to taka part, want oa the board of trustees during, th Utter day. U7f, soon after it was or ganised.

Soon after Mr. Washburn re-aiaA aa areaident and I was chose la hia stead. I hav beea oa the Jo aTt sine. "Th first Inmate who cam wa Sr. inhn Tavlor.

who wa rSttsTeriag from aa exaggerated cas of angina poctorla. At that time tho operating staff of tho horn consisted of the matron and twelve ser-lvats, none of whom were trained aursea. "During' the 'period betw.en tho fffuhda- tioa of the homo and 18S0 wo had bara sledding, owing to frictions of various sort, which came up, among the governing committees. But la reason Ot a bequest whieh was made to tho homo hy riariasa a widow, we were en abled to remove from the old quarters Into our on buildings oa tha Sooth Side, and maoth oolnar followed. The will proviaeo for a board ot trustees ot nine person, and aamed the first board, ambng whom were, ainart an Hsuv Ksn.

Henry J. Willing, Dr. Charles Oilman Smith, K. J. Avenn and Charles M.

Henderson. Jtr. Higlnbotham said that immediately upon its organization Henry Keep resigned and Mr. Hlgtnhothaak waa chooea la his The on which the present buildings of Ut homo are situated were purchased. Srvm Marshall noli, who araaeatod th homo wrtb a largo plat of land fa the rear, to ho need hy taamatoa a a pJeaaar gardots.

r. D. hfitehall. superiaUadoat ot tho bona, has oeeayUo! tho position sine lit and came to the homo from tho Boston City hospital. Miss Hattie Miller, matron, has been with the, Institution tor twenty years.

Mr. Higlnbotham declares that the home Is now caring for 260 Inmates, TO per cent of whom are vnpaylag guests. The management of the home is lodged with board ot trustee made up of the following members: Marvin 1 Hughltt, Chaunfiey Keep. John J. Mltchelli Byron U.

Smith. Henry A. Blair, Frederick K. Raw-son, Edwin Bay ley. Eugene S.

Pike and Mr. Higlnbotham. In discussing his long tenure of service with. tho homo Mr. Higlnbotham "I helped bury twelve of the trustees ot th original home and am the only one of) th original organisation who Is alive today." Mr.

malnhothaxB has beea a ministering angel In more ways than -one to th mate, ot tho horn. There la a legend at th homo that ho has closed la death th eyes of hundreds of those who hare died vltata tho walls of the institution. Aad ho spends much ot his Mm at tho homo- and ta always la close touch with it. Tho xee-trv maaagessent ot tha.tnstltnttoa Is fcxft Thi. condition, explain.

Mr. Hlglnboth- 1. due to tho fact that tho inmates hava nAthinn- to worry them. They know that they will be well housed and well fed as long as they live- "la many Instances I have known our delicate Inmates to outlive their stronger brothers or sisters who kept on battling with the world," said Mr. Higlnbotham.

"This shows what mental worry will do sometimes." It is an Interesting fact that tho first homo for Incurable, wa. founded more than to years ago, near Dinan. France. This homo 1 called the Home of Wisdom, and was founded by tho Count and Countess do la Garaye as the result of aa accident which crippled the Countess for life. Mr.

Higlnbotham visited the homo years ago 77! and declare that It is on of th best man aged, institutions' of tho sort In tho world. Tho story of now tho first homo cam to bo founded Is. a romantic one, according to Mr. Higlnbotham. "Tha Cnnnt and Coantesa do la Garay." sail Mr.

Hfgln botham, "were member of the eld French nobility. Daring their early married Ufa the ware exceedingly fond of the frivolities of existence sad paid but small attention to serious things, not or them were passionately fond ot horseback riding. "Upon oae occasion the Count and Count ess, were riding aear their ehateen la th environs ot Dlnaa whoa tho Coast's mount leaped a deep chasm. Th nobleman. was fearful that- his wife's" horse could not make the jump, aad he whirled quickly to prevent an accident.

However, ke turned too late, and tho Countess and her horse went tho bottom of th chasm." vv "Th Coostoss survived tho aoeldeat tor many and It was during thl. time that and her husband determined to devote their live to caring for Incurable unfortunates. Th coupl gave up practically all their social life, th Count went to Paris, studied medicine and surgery la the Sarboane aad returned to his chateau to establish the Home of Wisdom" at Dlnaa and a laboratorv at the chateau! Practi cally all ot the home for incurable In th worla are fashioned after the home at Dlnan." Mr. Higlnbotham Is years old and was torn on a farm' near Jollet, III. He eame to Chicago at an early date and en--gaged la'tbe mercantile business her for year, before the Civil war.

He enlisted in the United States Army and nerved through out the great struggle. He relates with pride the fact that a of the first funds for tho erection of the homo was collected by him while wearing a. pair of cavalry boots brought 7hack? by him after the sur-render of the Confederate armies. Mr. Hiidnbotham declares that, his service la i fie Army eured him of tuberculosis.

I enlisted aad went down Into Virginia I Jbad said Mr. Hlrinbotbam. VI frail and delicate snd felt that I might lust as well be killed la defense- of my country as to die slaving over office The pine wood, and a good, horse between my leg wrought a miracle In me and I came back home a Veil Mr. HIainbotham was with the Marshall Field Company for-forty year, and latterly became a member of th firm. Mis.

Eleanor Quia, secretary to Mr. Hig lnbotham, declares that her chief Is stilt sble to transact an amastng amount of work every day, and that hi. grasp on current events and business Is as clear and firm as that of a much younger man. Touching upon the eligibility of person. to the borne.

Mr. Higlnbotham Say that aay person suffering from aa Incurable dis ease that la not contagious 1. eligible. It Is the custom generally for the applicant to call at his office In tho Fine Arts build Ing. U.

And now. If at any time you should hear the sonorous ehaa--a-chux-ehur of a long black automobile as It darts here and there about the streets of Chicago, look you around oulcklr. It yon ret a glimpse of a frail and -atooped little man with white -whiskers and, with a golf cap pulled well down -over a pair ot keen blue aad If beside thl. figure sits a rather heav ier man, also with whit know vou that the caliphate and his grand vlsier are out oa Important business, and also knew yoa that there Is more real romance springing out of essential goodness of heart in Chicago than ever old Haroun Al Raschld and hi. executioner dreamed ot la ancient Bsrdad.

'r0m" mil 'ii-e-'j -W.