Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1886 — WM. T. PRICE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WM. T. PRICE.

The Late Congressman from the Eighth Wisconsin District. Congressman William Thompson Price who died recently at his home at Black River Falls, Wis., was born in Pennsylvania, June 17, 1824, and was bred a lumberman. In 1851 he emigrated to Wisconsin and engaged in the same business. He

was elected to the Legislature the same year. He was elected to the State Senate in 1857, 1870, 1878 and 1880, and was Judge of Jackson County in 1854 and 1855, and afterward Under Sheriff" and Collector of Internal

Revenue. Since 1882 he has been the Representative of his district in Congress. Several interesting stories are told illustrative of the grit of the ex-Congressman. About thirty years ago Price shipped some pork from the North to La Crosse on the old War Eagle, which Captain Harris was running in a way to suit himself. The boat pulled up at La Crosse, and Price was anxious to unload his pork. In those days steamboat and dockmen were invariably ready for a fight. The Captain said he’d bo damned if he was going to hold his steamboat at La Crosse all day to unload a barrel of pork. Price declared that he would. Captain Harris signified his opposition by leading out with his right. Price pitched in and gave the Captain a sound drubbing. When this was brought to a close Captain Harris said Prici was a pretty good man anyway, and he would hold the steamer there as long as Price wanted it. The river men never tackled Price again. Mr. Price had sent his son to college, and the young chap had a fine education and soft white hands. Price said to him one winter: “Boy, I’m going to Washington, and I want you to take charge of a lumber camp this winter.” Mrs. Price remonstrated, and argued that Piice, Jr., had now a fine educat on, and was just fitted nicely to go into society, and it w ould be a pity to send him up into the woods. “By , he’ll go up into the woods,” Price, Sr., replied, determinedly, “and if he makes anyth ng I’ll give him a quarter of all he makes; if he don’t make anything I’li kick him out o’ doors.” So the young fellow started for the woods, and Price charged that camp up to profit and loss, depending upon his other foreman to make it up. When the season was over and Price returned, all his foremen rcpoited with a better than average successful logging. The son reported, and his figures showed that his camp had made fifte n per cent, more than any other. Mr. Price said: “Here, boy, you’ve done pretty well; 1 give you the whole thing. You can now take that camp for yourseli, and see what you can make of it,” turning over to his son the entire outfit, including about eighty teams. The o'd gentleman especial delight in telling the story. “The boy has money of bis own now,” he said, “and he can go into society anywhere.”