yed public looked on the G.I.C.S, with
decided favor, and its shares were bought up pretty freely. Conducted on
strictly honorable principles, keeping carefully aloof from all such
damaging connection as the _Credit Mobilier_, and having its books
always thrown open for public inspection, its reputation even to-day is
excellent and continually improving in the popular estimation. Holding
out no utopian inducements to catch the unwary, and making no wheedling
promises to blind the guileless, it states its great objects with all
their great advantages, without at the same time suppressing its
enormous and perhaps insuperable difficulties. People know exactly what
to think of it, and, whether it ever meets with perfect success or
proves a complete failure, no one in the country will ever think of
casting a slur on the bright name of its peerless President, J.P.
Barbican.

For a few years this great man devoted every faculty of his mind to the
furthering of the Company's objects. But in the midst of his labors, the
rapid approach of the CENTENNIAL surprised him. After a long and careful
consultation on the subject, the Directors and Stockholders of the
G.I.C.S. advised him to suspend all further labors in their behalf for a
few years, in order that he might be freer to devote the full energies
of his giant intellect towards celebrating the first hundredth
anniversary of his country's Independence--as all true Americans would
wish to see it celebrated--in a manner every way worthy of the GREAT
REPUBLIC OF THE WEST!

Obeying orders instantly and with the single-idea'd, unselfish
enthusiasm of his nature, he threw himself at once heart and soul into
the great enterprise. Though possessing no official prominence--this he
absolutely insists upon--he is well known to be the great fountain head
whence emanate all the life, order, dispatch, simplicity, economy, and
wonderful harmony which, so far, have so eminently characterized the
magnificent project. With all operations for raising the necessary
funds--further than by giving some sound practical advice--he positively
refused to connect himself (this may be the reason why subscriptions to
the Centennial stock are so slow in coming in), but in the proper
apportionment of expenses and the strict surveillance of the mechanical,
engineering, and architectural departments, his services have proved
invaluable. His experience in the vast operations at Stony Hill has
given him great sk