WAS ONCE A HATED BOSS--
HIS MEMORY IS NOW REVERED

Shepherd's Tomb

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.—The remains of “Boss” Shepherd, whose career was one of the wonders of Washington, have been placed in an imposing granite meusoleum in Rock Creek cemetery. When Shepherd left Washington, a quarter of a century ago, he was bankrupt and went into exile, with the abuse of thousands of Washingtonians ringing in his ears. When he was buried here last summer, he was given all the honor that could have been paid a great chieftain. Civic and military organizations turned out and the streets were filled with one of the greatest crowds ever assembled at funeral in this city.

Alex. R. Shepherd was territorial governor of the District of Columbia in the early seventies. Washington was then without improvements and one of the greatest malaria it resorts, in the world. Shepherd made improvement by the wholesale. Hills were cut down, swamps filled and streets paved and straightened. All of this cost a good bit in taxes. There was a popular outbreak. The loudest howls came from people best able to pay the increased taxes. Confident in the future of the town, Shepherd had gone deeply into realestate speculation. The load was too heavy for him to carry and he lost everything. One of the things he was obliged to surrender to creditors was one quarter interest in a local newspaper that is now making about $300,000 a year.

Shepherd went to Mexico, engaged in mining and became a millionaire. A dozen years after his departure it dawned upon people here that the far-seeing plans of the reviled “boss” had served to make Washington one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Thereafter there was nothing too good for Shepherd. When he visited here there were great public receptions. When he died the people were proud to do him honor.

Shepherd's method of dealing with a railroad company was characteristic of his way of doing things. The company ignored repeated orders to remove its tracks from a Street bordering the capitol grounds. One Saturday night Shepherd placed 1,000 laborers in action. On Sunday morning the tracks had disappeared and the street was paved. There was more or less rearing around by red-faced railroad officials, but they never regained the tracks. In changes made in street grades Shepherd left some houses on bluffs and converted the first stories of others into cellars. It was aggravating at the time, but folks realized afterwards that it was all for the best.

The vault erected at Rock Creek by the family is of Grecian-Doric design and constructed of granite quarried in large blocks. The interior is lined with polished marble.

An association of Washington men is collecting money for the erection of a monument in memory of Shepherd, to be placed in one of the parks. The fund amounts to $10,000, but will be greatly increased. This is the “Boss” Shepherd who was exploited so grently in several presidential campaigns twenty-five or thirty years ago. Few public men lived to secure such sweet revenge on their enemies.

JACOB WALDECK.