The Harris-Ingram Experiment Part 27

In eight months George Ingram had spent of the five millions at his disposal three million dollars on the steel plant. A working capital of $500,000 was deposited in four banks, and the balance of one and a half millions was invested in call loans, and so held ready to loan in small amounts at 4%, to aid employees in securing their quota of stock, a lot and house.

In twelve months, the $2,500,000 stock of the company, allotted to labor, had been subscribed for by the employees, over a thousand pretty cottages, costing from $1,000 to $2,500 each, were built or in process of construction, and nearly three thousand lots had been bought by the workmen.

A Co-operative Supply Bureau was organized and managed in the interests of the workmen, to furnish food, clothing, and all the necessary comforts of life at about cost prices. The profits of the bureau, if any, were to be divided annually among purchasers, in proportion to purchases made.

Women in Harris-Ingram voted on several matters the same as the men.

Saloons, all forms of gambling, and corruption in politics were tabooed. Sewerage was scientifically treated by the use of chemicals and machinery. Storm water only was sent to the lake. The valuable portions of the sewerage were utilized on adjacent vegetable farms. At Harris-Ingram electrical energy supplied water free for streets, lawns, and gardens, and filtered water was delivered free for family purposes.

All the public buildings and homes were heated and lighted by electricity.

A Transportation Bureau was organized to manage the electric railways in the interests of the people, and the fare was reduced to two cents.

Everybody rode, and the receipts were astonishingly large and quite sufficient to meet expenses and leave a profit, which went into the town treasury. Thus the people received large benefits from the electric railway, conduits for wires, gas privileges, and other franchises.

Electricity also propelled the pleasure launches and fishing boats. The smoke nuisance was a vexatious trouble of the past. Life for the laborer and his family ceased to be a burden. Eight hours were given to conscientious labor, eight hours to physical, mental, and moral improvements, and eight hours to rest.

By the Harris beneficences all the employees became personally interested in the profitable workings of the steel plant. The profits of the business also were greatly increased by the valuable inventions of the Ingrams.

The money advanced to the employees was rapidly returned through the company's treasurer to Colonel Harris, and by him, and later by his heirs, was again invested in other lines of practical benevolence.

The act which gave Colonel Harris most comfort was his righting the great wrong done James Ingram, his early joint-partner, and father of George, his son-in-law. Colonel Harris held $2,500,000 of the steel company's stock. He disposed of this stock as follows:--

To George and Gertrude, each $250,000 or $500,000 To James Ingram, early partner 1,000,000 Retaining for himself only 1,000,000 ---------- Total $2,500,000

Since his return Reuben Harris had aged rapidly, his hair having whitened, caused probably by the loss of his only son and lovely daughter. His joy on account of the success of the Co-operative Steel Mills could not banish his intense grief. He had performed his life work, and the cares and burdens of the new enterprise he had placed upon George Ingram in whom he had full confidence. He had seen much in his travels abroad; and now he had learned a most valuable lesson, taught by the Savior himself, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

At the close of a long summer day, as the golden sun dropped into blue Lake Erie, the life of Reuben Harris pa.s.sed from sight. It was a strange coincidence that the papers Monday morning should contain parallel obituary notices of both Reuben Harris and James Ingram. Together they had labored earnestly for humanity, each in his own way, and now reconciled, together they entered,--

"The undiscovered country from whose bourne No traveller returns."

The four thousand employees, in a body, attended the double funeral. Each man had been the recipient of tangible a.s.sistance from both Harris and Ingram, and each laborer felt that he had lost a personal friend. It was a touching scene as the four regiments of employees, each wearing evidence of mourning on his arm, filed past the two open caskets. Each employee left a rose on the caskets till both were hidden from sight. The thousands of roses were more eloquent than marble or bronze. During the week, the employees each contributed the wages of two days for bronze statues of their late employers.

George and Gertrude felt keenly the loss of their fathers. They also become conscious of increased responsibilities, but each had courage, and good cheer was imparted if either faltered or stood beneath gray skies.

Their home life was delightful. Each possessed the art of controlling trifles; thus troubles were minimized and joys were magnified.

Later twins, a boy and girl, entered their home, and the mother said, "If you call our son George Ingram, Jr., I shall call our daughter Gertrude Ingram, Jr.," and so there lived under the same roof George I. and George II., Gertrude I. And Gertrude II.

Gertrude proved a model wife and mother. The mystery of woman's love and purity is no longer a secret when we watch the mother in touch with innocent children. Gertrude gave home duties prominence over all others, with the blessed result that George found more attractions in his own home than in clubs or in the homes of his friends.

To do daily some little favor for his wife, as in lover days, gave him much pleasure. Every night George came home with a new book, rare flowers, or fruit, the first of the season, or some novel plaything for his "Two G's" as he often called the little twins. Gertrude occasionally rebuked her husband for spending the money foolishly, as she said, but then remembrance of his family when down town gratified her. Wives miss and long for appreciation more than for better dress or money. If, on return to tea, the bread is good, the thoughtful husband speaks of it. If the table-cloth is white or if the arrangement of the meal is artistic, he speaks of it. A single word of honest approval makes the wife happy.

Sometimes Gertrude wondered why the marriage ceremony so often untied lovers' knots, and why after marriage love and esteem did not increase.

She never forgot the advice of an old lady, too poor to make her a wedding present, who told her that if she wished to be happy in marriage she must always keep two bears in her home, bear and forbear.

George and his wife were human, and not unlike other people. Now and then George would say to his intimate friends. "The Ingrams like most New Englanders did not come over in the Mayflower as the pa.s.senger list was full, neither do the Ingrams belong to that very large number of families who feel the necessity of saying, 'We have never had an unkind word in our home.' Gertrude and I both have strong wills, and we often differ in opinions, but as often we agree to disagree. In this manner we avoid sunken rocks that might wreck our ship."

One day, Irene, George's youngest sister, asked Gertrude for a painting of herself and of George. "Too expensive, Irene," replied Gertrude, "couldn't think of it for a moment."

"No, Gertrude, I want only a tiny picture of your thumb and George's."

"What in the world do you want of our thumbs?"

"Because, Gertrude, George tells me privately that he has you completely under his thumb, and you always act as if you thought you had George under your thumb."

Gertrude and George were strong and helpful, both educated, unselfish and ambitious; why should they not succeed? Gertrude had learned that good and great people are also sometimes selfish. When a little girl, she was present with her father who was invited to take dinner with a distinguished divine. The good doctor of divinity did the carving, and adroitly managed to keep for his own plate the tenderest piece of steak.

Colonel Harris observed the fact, and enjoying a joke, casually observed, "Doctor, how well you carve!" The good man saw his breach of hospitality and blushed, remarking, "Colonel, you must forgive me for I believe I was born with a delicate stomach."

Business cares were locked up in the office desk down town, and Gertrude forgot home annoyances as soon as George was seen coming up the lawn, and she and the twins ran to meet "papa." He always brought home the latest literary and scientific magazines and journals, while the reviews of America and London kept the family up-to-date on the latest books and leading topics. George's vacations were sometimes taken with his own employees, all of whom in the heated months, had two weeks off, some camping along the sh.o.r.es of the lake, others taking boat excursions to neighboring groves, or enjoying the outdoor band concerts which were furnished every other evening on the public park.

What concerned his employees, concerned him. When any of his workmen were injured or sick, the company at once sent a surgeon or physician.

Rightly, he thought it more important that an employee should be kept in good working order than even his best piece of machinery.

George Ingram was once heard to say that eleven letters covered a large part of his religion, and that he wished he could write across the blue dome in letters of gold the word "Helpfulness." To a.s.sist an unfortunate individual permanently to help himself, is preaching a gospel that betters the world.

The community of Harris-Ingram had little or no poverty. Everybody had money in the savings bank, or acc.u.mulations going into pretty homes, and mill stock, and all respected law and order, hence few if any policemen were ever seen on the streets. Everybody was well dressed, courteous, and daily growing more intelligent. Taxes were light, and general improvements were economically and promptly made.

Both George and Gertrude believed that the tendency of the age was towards more practical education for the people. London publishes millions of penny books, penny histories and biographies, penny arithmetics, astronomies and dictionaries, and penny books to teach good behavior, honor, and patriotism. In London and elsewhere, the people were organizing workmen's clubs, colleges, and inst.i.tute unions, for mutual improvement, and glimpses were already caught of Morris's "Earthly Paradise that is to be."

"Then a man shall work and bethink him, and rejoice in the deeds of his hand, Nor yet come home in the even too faint and weary to stand.

Men in that time a-coming shall work and have no fear For to-morrow's lack of earning and the hungry-wolf a-near.

Oh, strange, new, wonderful justice! But for whom shall we gather the gain?

For ourselves and for each of our fellows, and no hand shall labor in vain."

Free night schools over the country, for the child of eight to the man of eighty, will go a long way in solving the troublesome socialistic problem.

George was familiar with the generous gifts and deeds of the Pratts of Baltimore, and of Brooklyn, of Carnegie, of Lorillard & Co., of Warner Brothers of Connecticut, and of the Messrs. Tangye of Birmingham, England. The latter firm provides for its thousands of workmen a library, evening cla.s.ses, and twice a week, while the employees are at dinner in a great hall, a twenty minutes crisp talk by capable persons on some live topic.

George Ingram organized an Educational Bureau for the improvement of his employees and others by evening schools and public entertainments. As requisite for the success of such a bureau as he planned, he published the conditions as follows:--

1. Several study rooms and good teachers.

2. A large and cheerful hall, church or opera house for lectures, that the prices may be low, the audience must be large.

3. A capable committee or manager, enthusiasm, good temper, fertility of resource and sympathy with the people. Common sense coupled with determined perseverance works wonders.

4. Variety and quality in the entertainment, with no wearying pauses between the parts. The movement must be swift and sure.

5. Punctuality and business-like thoroughness in the management. Begin and end on the minute. Give exactly what you promise; or, if that be impossible, what will be recognized as a full equivalent. Ideas, not words, old or new on every helpful subject in the universe, spoken or ill.u.s.trated. Music that rests or inspires, and is understood.

6. Sell 5,000 season tickets at $1.00 in advance to secure a guarantee fund; this is sound business, as success is then a.s.sured, and it will not depend upon the weather.

7. Have prominent citizens preside at each entertainment, but pledge them to crisp introduction. High grade entertainments wisely managed, prove themselves of benign influence, and an agency more potent than many laws in the preservation of peace and the reform of public morals.

When Colonel Harris's will was probated, two-thirds of the balance of his fortune was left in trust with Mrs. Harris, George, and Gertrude, to be used for the public welfare, as they deemed wisest. The trustees used $100,000 to build for the Workmen's Club a large and attractive Central Hall, that had steep double galleries, and five thousand opera chairs.

Several necessary committees were organized and George Ingram's gospel of Helpfulness found another practical expression. The Educational Bureau was not a gratuity in any of its departments, as small fees were charged in all the evening cla.s.ses, which were crowded with old and young. For twenty consecutive Sat.u.r.day evenings in the winter season, a four-fold intellectual treat was furnished at $1.00 for tickets for the entire course.

By 7:30 o'clock in the evening the Central Hall was packed to the walls, no reserved seats were sold, and the rule was observed "First come, first served," which brought promptly the audience. Season ticket-holders had the exclusive right to the hall till 7:25 o'clock, when a limited number of single admission tickets were sold. A large force of polite ushers a.s.sisted in seating the people, and in keeping order. At 7:30 all the entrance doors were closed, so that late comers never disturbed the audience.

The musical prelude, or orchestra concert of thirty minutes closed at 7:30 with a grand chorus by the audience standing; following this, precisely at 7:30 was the half-hour lecture-prelude on some scientific or practical subject. Among the topics treated were "Wrongs of Workingmen, and How to Right Them," "The Terminal Glacier," "Sewerage and Ventilation," "The Pyramids," "Wonders of the House we Live in,"