Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-03-22
THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1856.
s. Editorial Correspondence. -
GtRARD COLLEGE, AND ITS FOUNDER.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 90, 1856.

i In my last l promised description Of Girard
College, and a history Of its Founder, and al.,
though there are many other things which l
could write about, of more immediate interest,
such, for instance as the war question, the
freaks of Walker in arresting Col Kinney.
the Know Nothing Convention, &C., still, Il con-
slider the topic of sufficient importance to justi-
fly me in fulfilling my promise. 1t is true. the
fact is generally known that there exists such
a College; that Mr.. Girard left money to
construct it, but comparatively few know who
that benefactor was, OR to what extent his means
were given for SO noble an object. ! ct me
briefly inform the reader
SrEPHEN GIRARD was of French descent,
WHO, early in life sought the seas for liveli-
hood He was the odcs, of five children, and
was born in Bordeaux, on the 2lst Of May,
1850. His childhood was an unpleasant, one,
arising from the fact that he lost his mother at
an early age, and his father married again
this impclled him to leave his home, and at the
age OF fourteen years he became sailor, and
India possessions. During these voyages he
gained all the nautical information he could,
and was soon promoted to the Lieutenancy of
his vessel. At the age of "a, he was COM
mander, and from this time he turned his at
tention to the prosecution Of commercial mat
tiers in connection with the pursuits OF the sea.
Starting with goods to the amount of $4,000,
purchased partly on his own account and part
ly on that of his father, he sailed from his
home, and in the month of July, IVA, arrived
at the port of New York. having sold his car
60 to great advantage a, Port au Prince. Du-
ring the three years that followed, he employ
ed his time III trading between New York, New
Orleans aud Port au Prince, and while part
owner and commander of vessel, in the month
Of May, l777, he entered the waters of tie
Delaware and arrived at Philadelphia. Here
he abandoned the profession Of sailor and be-
came a merchant. He was shortly after mar
ried to a Philadelphia lady, but the union was
not a pleasant one. She became insane, and
was finally carried TO the Hospital, where she
died in 1915, having given birth to a child that
died some years previously. From this time
forward the West India trade engrossed the at.
tention Of Mr.. Girard, and from it lie realized
large profits. He began to accumulate a for
tune very rapidly, and with his means construct
ed several very large vessels, which he sent
to nearly all ports of the world. In the year
1893, the yellow fever prevailed very disas-
trously at Philadelphia. But few could be
found to extend helping hand ;-among
those few, was Mr.. Girard. He nursed the
sick and scattered his money to alleviate their
sufferings, and for sixty days he had charge Of
the Hospital. His kind and benifccnt efforts
at this period, called forth the warmcst thanks
of the stricken and almost forsakcn city. Sub
sequently, when the fever broke out again.
again he was found at his post-again minis
tering TO the sich-again contributing literally
to those who We're in need.
have heard it remarked, that he procured
most of his wealth from the Instruction and
massacre in St. Domingo, in 1893, large
number of vauables having been placed on
board Of his vessel, which were never claimed,
and consequently never called for. This is de-
MED by those who pretend to know ;-on the
contrary, they assert that he was loser and
not gamer by that insurrec,ion.
Passing from one step to another, Mr. Gil
rard finally became Banker of this city. He
was subsequently elected to represent his fell
low citizens in the Council of Philadelphia
and to their entire satisfaction. Soon after his
arrival in Philadelphia. he became a citizen of
the United States. and ever cvinced for our in
stitu,ions warm attachment. He loaned large
sums of money to the Government, and aided
very materially in keeping up the commercial
and financial conditions of the country. In his
habits he was simple and regular, avoiding
anything like strong drink, or unnecessary ex-
element and made the ''ove of labor his high
est ambition
In the winter Of 1890, while crossing the
street, he was thrown down by vehicle, and
received severe injury from which he never re-
covered. In December 1881, he was attack
ed by influenza, which soon Frustrated him, and
resulting in pneumonia, on the goth OF De-
cember, at four o'clock in the afternoon. he
ceased to exist and thus passed from the stage
of life one of the most active and benevolent
citizens Philadelphia has ever had.
Mr.. Girard was worth S7,000,000, nearly
all of which was given to benevolent purposes
So, SS7,6lS were reserved for the erection of
the College which bears his name, and which
was planned by himself previous to his death.
OF this College it is now my purpose to speak.
1t is a large ard magnificent building, over
mile from the noisy din of business, erected on
an elevated piece Of ground, and surrounded
by wall Of ten feet high. The general de-
sign is that Of Greek temple, having eight
columns on each end and eleven on each side.
counting corner columns both ways making in
all thirty-four columns. The columns are SIX
feet in diameter and filty-6ve in height. The
net amount Of marble in each column, includ.
ing the base and capital, is l ,346 cubic feet
the weight 1O3 tons and the cost SIP ,99i-
total, for the 81 columns --S43l 500. The ex.
terror Of the tody of the building measures one
hundred and eleven feet wide, one hundred
and sixty-nine fee. long. and filly-nine feet
IL Il L II 4