CHAPTER XXV
WORKINGS OF THE HARRIS-INGRAM PLAN
A telegram received at Liverpool by Reuben Harris from Marquis LeoColonna, who at the Colonel's request went on to Amsterdam, verified thefacts as to Alfonso's death by drowning. Colonel and Mrs. Harris'sjourney back to America under leaden and unsympathetic skies was sadindeed.
George and Gertrude met them on the pier at New York. The next day atnoon, in deep mourning, they received the remains of Lucille from theyacht "Hallena."
Ten days with Lucille on the pitiless ocean, and unable to exchangewith her a word of love, had sunk deeply the iron of affliction intothe soul of Harry Hall. He often wished that he had never been born. Hedreaded every new sunset, as the darkness that gathered about hiscatafalque-yacht whispered to him of cruel fates, of rest in the deepsea, and of angels' songs. Like the silent vigils of certain watchfulplants, Captain Hall carefully observed his compasses, studied theweather, and often wished that he too might cross over and rejoinLucille.
* * * * *
Ten days went by before Colonel Harris visited the offices of theHarris-Ingram Steel Co. Then followed several meetings of the directors,at which it was finally decided to issue the following circular:
Official Notice, No. 27. Offices of The Harris-Ingram Steel Co., 400 to 410 Brough Building, Harrisville, O.--
_To Whom, it may Concern_,--
For the purpose of better promoting the harmonious workings of capital and labor, The Harris-Ingram Steel Co., Limited, has been organized, and its scope of co-operation has been planned on the following basis.
Capital Stock of the Harris-Ingram Steel Company $5,000,000 Total number of shares 500,000 Par value each share $10
The liability of each stockholder is limited to the amount of stock held. Half of the entire stock of the corporation shall be owned by so-called "capital," and half by the employees of the company, or so-called "labor." The stock issued shall represent the actual cash expended upon the plant, and employed as a working capital. It is the wish of the management that each employee in the steel company shall own at least ten shares of the stock, and more, if he so desires.
All the stock bought is to be paid for in cash. A loan at 4% interest, equal to the par value of the stock, can be made by employees, when necessary, to purchase a limited amount of the stock. Ten per cent of the wages of all such employees will be retained as needed, which, with dividends actually earned by the stock, will be applied on the amounts due for the purchase of stock and real estate for a home. The new model town will be known as Harris-Ingram.
Two thousand acres of land near the mills will be properly allotted and improved by the company for homes for the employees, and practical architects have been secured. It is further the wish of the steel company that each employee shall own a good home. The size of each lot is 50 ft. x 200 ft. and the price per lot is $50 which is in proportion to the original cost and improvement of the allotment, so that the employees in advance will thus secure all the profits that result from any increased value of the lots. This is only just.
A Stock and Building Bureau will be established, and money, at 4%, will be furnished the employees to build comfortable homes. This bureau created and officered by the employees will attend to the purchase and sale of stock, lots, the construction of homes, and the payment for the same. When for any reason, an employee desires to sever his connection with the steel company, his stock in the company and his home, if sold, must first be offered at a fair price to the Stock and Building Bureau.
By this scheme capital and labor will have equal interests in the Harris-Ingram Steel Co., also an equal voice in the management of the steel company's welfare. Should capital and labor disagree, then the matter in dispute, with all the facts, and before any strike on the part of labor shall occur, shall at once be submitted to arbitration, and the decision of the arbitrators shall be final.
Signed by George Ingram, _President of The Harris-Ingram Steel Co_.
In eight months George Ingram had spent of the five millions at hisdisposal 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 halfmillions was invested in call loans, and so held ready to loan in smallamounts at 4%, to aid employees in securing their quota of stock, a lotand house.
In twelve months, the $2,500,000 stock of the company, allotted tolabor, had been subscribed for by the employees, over a thousand prettycottages, costing from $1,000 to $2,500 each, were built or in process ofconstruction, and nearly three thousand lots had been bought by theworkmen.
A Co-operative Supply Bureau was organized and managed in the interestsof the workmen, to furnish food, clothing, and all the necessary comfortsof life at about cost prices. The profits of the bureau, if any, were tobe 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 weretabooed. Sewerage was scientifically treated by the use of chemicalsand machinery. Storm water only was sent to the lake. The valuableportions of the sewerage were utilized on adjacent vegetable farms. AtHarris-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 byelectricity.
A Transportation Bureau was organized to manage the electric railways inthe interests of the people, and the fare was reduced to two cents.Everybody rode, and the receipts were astonishingly large and quitesufficient to meet expenses and leave a profit, which went into the towntreasury. Thus the people received large benefits from the electricrailway, conduits for wires, gas privileges, and other franchises.
Electricity also propelled the pleasure launches and fishing boats. Thesmoke nuisance was a vexatious trouble of the past. Life for the laborerand his family ceased to be a burden. Eight hours were given toconscientious labor, eight hours to physical, mental, and moralimprovements, and eight hours to rest.
By the Harris beneficences all the employees became personally interestedin the profitable workings of the steel plant. The profits of thebusiness also were greatly increased by the valuable inventions ofthe Ingrams.
The money advanced to the employees was rapidly returned through thecompany's treasurer to Colonel Harris, and by him, and later by hisheirs, was again invested in other lines of practical benevolence.The act which gave Colonel Harris most comfort was his righting the greatwrong 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'sstock. He disposed of this stock as follows:--
To George and Gertrude, each $250,000 or $500,000To James Ingram, early partner 1,000,000Retaining for himself only 1,000,000 ----------Total $2,500,000
Since his return Reuben Harris had aged rapidly, his hair havingwhitened, caused probably by the loss of his only son and lovelydaughter. His joy on account of the success of the Co-operative SteelMills 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 GeorgeIngram in whom he had full confidence. He had seen much in his travelsabroad; and now he had learned a most valuable lesson, taught by theSavior 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 blueLake Erie, the life of Reuben Harris passed from sight. It was a strangecoincidence that the papers Monday morning should contain parallelobituary notices of both Reuben Harris and James Ingram. Togetherthey had labored earnestly for humanity, each in his own way, and nowreconciled, together they entered,--
"The undiscovered country from whose bourne No traveller returns."
/> The four thousand employees, in a body, attended the double funeral. Eachman had been the recipient of tangible assistance from both Harris andIngram, and each laborer felt that he had lost a personal friend. It wasa touching scene as the four regiments of employees, each wearingevidence of mourning on his arm, filed past the two open caskets. Eachemployee left a rose on the caskets till both were hidden from sight. Thethousands of roses were more eloquent than marble or bronze. During theweek, the employees each contributed the wages of two days for bronzestatues of their late employers.
George and Gertrude felt keenly the loss of their fathers. They alsobecome conscious of increased responsibilities, but each had courage, andgood cheer was imparted if either faltered or stood beneath gray skies.Their home life was delightful. Each possessed the art of controllingtrifles; thus troubles were minimized and joys were magnified.
Later twins, a boy and girl, entered their home, and the mother said, "Ifyou call our son George Ingram, Jr., I shall call our daughter GertrudeIngram, Jr.," and so there lived under the same roof George I. and GeorgeII., Gertrude I. And Gertrude II.
Gertrude proved a model wife and mother. The mystery of woman's love andpurity is no longer a secret when we watch the mother in touch withinnocent children. Gertrude gave home duties prominence over all others,with the blessed result that George found more attractions in his ownhome than in clubs or in the homes of his friends.
To do daily some little favor for his wife, as in lover days, gave himmuch pleasure. Every night George came home with a new book, rareflowers, or fruit, the first of the season, or some novel plaything forhis "Two G's" as he often called the little twins. Gertrude occasionallyrebuked her husband for spending the money foolishly, as she said, butthen remembrance of his family when down town gratified her. Wives missand long for appreciation more than for better dress or money. If, onreturn to tea, the bread is good, the thoughtful husband speaks of it. Ifthe 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 untiedlovers' 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 awedding present, who told her that if she wished to be happy in marriageshe must always keep two bears in her home, bear and forbear.
George and his wife were human, and not unlike other people. Now and thenGeorge would say to his intimate friends. "The Ingrams like most NewEnglanders did not come over in the Mayflower as the passenger list wasfull, neither do the Ingrams belong to that very large number of familieswho feel the necessity of saying, 'We have never had an unkind wordin our home.' Gertrude and I both have strong wills, and we often differin opinions, but as often we agree to disagree. In this manner we avoidsunken rocks that might wreck our ship."
One day, Irene, George's youngest sister, asked Gertrude for a paintingof 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 completelyunder his thumb, and you always act as if you thought you had Georgeunder your thumb."
Gertrude and George were strong and helpful, both educated, unselfishand ambitious; why should they not succeed? Gertrude had learned thatgood and great people are also sometimes selfish. When a little girl,she was present with her father who was invited to take dinner with adistinguished divine. The good doctor of divinity did the carving, andadroitly 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 hospitalityand blushed, remarking, "Colonel, you must forgive me for I believe I wasborn with a delicate stomach."
Business cares were locked up in the office desk down town, and Gertrudeforgot home annoyances as soon as George was seen coming up the lawn, andshe and the twins ran to meet "papa." He always brought home the latestliterary and scientific magazines and journals, while the reviews ofAmerica and London kept the family up-to-date on the latest books andleading topics. George's vacations were sometimes taken with his ownemployees, all of whom in the heated months, had two weeks off, somecamping along the shores of the lake, others taking boat excursions toneighboring groves, or enjoying the outdoor band concerts which werefurnished every other evening on the public park.
What concerned his employees, concerned him. When any of his workmenwere injured or sick, the company at once sent a surgeon or physician.Rightly, he thought it more important that an employee should be keptin good working order than even his best piece of machinery.
George Ingram was once heard to say that eleven letters covered a largepart of his religion, and that he wished he could write across the bluedome in letters of gold the word "Helpfulness." To assist an unfortunateindividual permanently to help himself, is preaching a gospel thatbetters the world.
The community of Harris-Ingram had little or no poverty. Everybody hadmoney in the savings bank, or accumulations going into pretty homes, andmill stock, and all respected law and order, hence few if any policemenwere ever seen on the streets. Everybody was well dressed, courteous, anddaily growing more intelligent. Taxes were light, and generalimprovements were economically and promptly made.
Both George and Gertrude believed that the tendency of the age wastowards more practical education for the people. London publishesmillions of penny books, penny histories and biographies, pennyarithmetics, astronomies and dictionaries, and penny books to teach goodbehavior, honor, and patriotism. In London and elsewhere, the people wereorganizing workmen's clubs, colleges, and institute unions, for mutualimprovement, and glimpses were already caught of Morris's "EarthlyParadise 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 ofeighty, will go a long way in solving the troublesome socialisticproblem.
George was familiar with the generous gifts and deeds of the Pratts ofBaltimore, and of Brooklyn, of Carnegie, of Lorillard & Co., of WarnerBrothers of Connecticut, and of the Messrs. Tangye of Birmingham,England. The latter firm provides for its thousands of workmen a library,evening classes, and twice a week, while the employees are at dinner in agreat hall, a twenty minutes crisp talk by capable persons on some livetopic.
George Ingram organized an Educational Bureau for the improvement of hisemployees and others by evening schools and public entertainments. Asrequisite for the success of such a bureau as he planned, he publishedthe 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 illustrated. Music that rests or inspires, and is understood.
6. Sell 5,000 season tickets at $1.00 in advance to secure a g
uarantee fund; this is sound business, as success is then assured, 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 ofhis fortune was left in trust with Mrs. Harris, George, and Gertrude,to be used for the public welfare, as they deemed wisest. The trusteesused $100,000 to build for the Workmen's Club a large and attractiveCentral Hall, that had steep double galleries, and five thousand operachairs.
Several necessary committees were organized and George Ingram's gospel ofHelpfulness found another practical expression. The Educational Bureauwas not a gratuity in any of its departments, as small fees were chargedin all the evening classes, which were crowded with old and young. Fortwenty consecutive Saturday evenings in the winter season, a four-foldintellectual treat was furnished at $1.00 for tickets for the entirecourse.
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, firstserved," which brought promptly the audience. Season ticket-holders hadthe exclusive right to the hall till 7:25 o'clock, when a limited numberof single admission tickets were sold. A large force of polite ushersassisted in seating the people, and in keeping order. At 7:30 all theentrance doors were closed, so that late comers never disturbed theaudience.
The musical prelude, or orchestra concert of thirty minutes closed at7:30 with a grand chorus by the audience standing; following this,precisely at 7:30 was the half-hour lecture-prelude on some scientificor practical subject. Among the topics treated were "Wrongs ofWorkingmen, and How to Right Them," "The Terminal Glacier," "Sewerage andVentilation," "The Pyramids," "Wonders of the House we Live in,""Architecture Illustrated," etc.
From 8:00 to 8:15 followed the popular Singing School, in which fivethousand persons heartily joined, aided by an enthusiastic precentor, andorchestra, in singing national hymns and other music. During the singingschool everybody stood, and with windows lowered, fresh air and musicswept through the hall and the hearts of the audience.
From 8:15 to 9:30 was given the principal attraction of the evening, apopular lecture, dramatic reading, debate on some burning question, or aprofessional concert. The entertainments always closed promptly at 9:30,as many electric cars were in waiting. During the season, free lectureson "The Art of Cooking," "How to Dress," "The Care of Children,""Housekeeping in General," "The Culture of Flowers," etc., etc., weregiven at 3 P.M. in the great hall to the wives and friends of all theticket holders.
The circulation of useful literature was another important feature of theEducational Bureau work. At each entertainment five thousand little booksof forty pages each, a wagon-load, were given to the owners of coursetickets, as they entered the hall. These pamphlets included "A ShortHistory of France," or "History of the United States," "Story of theSteam Engine," "A Brief History of Science," an "Essay on Early Man,""Great Artists," "Secrets of Success," etc. Each little book containedthe evening's programme, the words and music of at least two nationalhymns, and "Owl Talks," a single page of crisp thoughts, to whet one'swits. At the close of each season the twenty pamphlets, continuouslypaged, were bound for fifty cents in two volumes with covers of redcloth. Thus the people got much for little, and they were benefited andpleased with their bargain. Encores and the discourtesy of stamping thefeet and leaving the hall before the performance was concluded wereabolished. Palms and fragrant flowers were always on the platform.Everybody listened attentively to the kindly words of teacher, orator,or poet; new impulses were received, and all rejoiced in the supply andsatisfaction of their deepest and best wants. Feelings of a commonbrotherhood made hearts happier and lives better.
Workmen went home sober with their week's earnings in their pockets, asthere were no saloons in the town, a bright book to read, and a home oftheir own for shelter and rest. Thus also an improved citizenship wasobtained and the nation was made stronger.
George Ingram thought that all our cities should have large, cheerfulhalls, people's forums, where clear and simple truths on importantquestions should be taught. He believed that it would prove an antidoteto various forms of anarchy and communism, which under the aegis ofliberty are being advocated in our cities.
The trustees of the Harris estate set aside $250,000, to be known as "TheReuben Harris Fund," to assist in providing regular courses of freepublic lectures upon the most important branches of natural and moralscience, also free instruction to mechanics and artisans in drawing, andin practical designing, in patterns for prints, silks, paper hangings,carpets, furniture, etc. Free courses of lectures were given to advancedstudents in art, also lectures in physics, geology, botany, physiology,and the like for teachers, and the public.
Gertrude felt that the perpetuity and usefulness of such a fund ormonument dedicated to her father would outrival the pyramids. She greatlyencouraged among the wives of the workmen the growth of kindergartens forchildren, and the cultivation of flowers, in and out of their homes,offering valuable prizes at annual flower shows. Harrisville voted toannex the village of Harris-Ingram, hoping that the gospel of helpfulnessthat had worked such wonders might leaven their whole city.
George Ingram was now forty years of age. His great ability and practicalgood sense had arrested the attention and admiration of not only his ownemployees, but of the citizens of Harrisville, who demanded that heshould be chosen mayor of the city.