Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-10-15

for the owners to the property, but very few
claimants ever appeared. and it was trans
ported to Philadelphia to swell the store
and increase the power of the one eyed cap
italist, who commenced the building oi
those large ships engaged in the trade with
China and Calcutta, which were at the
time the pride of America.
In seventeen hundred and ninety-three,
a fearful pestilence broke out in the city OF
Philadelphia. The yellow fever left whole
streets tensntless; the hearse was the We
hicle most frequently seen in the streets;
those who were the badge of mourning on
their arms were avoided even by their
| friends: and the fumes of tobacco and cam
phor filed every house in the city. While
the pestilence was at its height, square
repulsive man boldly entered one Of the most
crowded hospitals, and bore Oat in his arms
victim in the last saffron colored stage of
the disease. For days and weeks this man
continued to perform the same terrible Of
fee of attending upon the sick and dying,
dischargfBg the most painful and dangerous
duties of the lowest servant Of the place
This repnisige looking Samaritan was StePh-
en- Girard. with his strong will, his bodily
energy, his stout heart, and his one eye
The hard, gripping trader was not SO selfish
after all VIII en- all the attendants, all the
visitors OF the poor were either dead, dying,
or had fed; when no offers of money would
purchase that labor which was required for
the reorganization of the pest house hospit-
al at Rush Hill, two men nobly volunteered
for the forlorn task-Stephen Girard and
Ill N eft nf 10
same day on which he offered his services,
Stephen Girard, merchant Of known wealth
and influence. foreigner with ties of coun-
try between him and the afflicted city, en-
tered upon his dangerous task with all the
perseverance and decision of his character.
He soon established order and cleanliess;
provided accommodations. and procured sup
plies; and for sixty days con ntinued to dis
charge his duties at the hospital-
In neighteen hundred and twelve, Stephen
Girard, the one eyed cabin boy of Bor-
deaux, purchased the banking premises of
the old Bank of the United States. twhose
charter was not reDewed,) and started the
Girard Bank, large private establishment
| W hich not only conferred advantages upon
the community greater than the State insti-
tntion upon which il was founded, but Whsbe
the public credit was shaken, and the Cow
ernment finances were exhausted, by the
war. the Girard Bank would command large
subscriptions of loans, and put itself in the
position of the principal creditor OF the
country. In eighteen hundred and fourteen
Girard subscribed the whole Of large Gov
ernmen, loan from patriotic motives, and in
eighteen hundred and seventeen he con-
tributed, by HIS unshakeD credit, and uDdi-
| minished funds, to bring about the sesumP-
ton of specie payments. In eighteen hun
dred and thirty zone his operations were so
extensive, that when the country was placed
! in extre me embarrassment, from the scareI-
ry OF money, by reason of the balance OF
trade being against it, he was enabled, by a
single transaction with an eminent English
frm, to turn the exchanges, and cause s2e-
Gle to flow into the States.
Stephen Girard began his remarkable ira
ding career with ONE object, which he stead
ily kept IN view all his long life-the ma
King Of money foF the power it coaferred.--
| He was content, at sSaFllng with the small
profits Of the retail trader, willing to work
in any capacity TO make those profits secure.
He practiced the most rigid personal econ
omy; be resisted all the alluremeDts OF
pleasure; be exacted the last farthing that
was due to him; and he paid the last fartbing
that be owed: he took every advantage that
the law allowed him in resisting a claim,
he used men just so far as they would ae-
complsh his purporse; he paid his servants
no more than the market price; when a
faithful cashier died, he exhibited the
utmost indifference, making no provision
for his family, and uttering no sentiment OF
regret for his loss. He would higgle for a
penny with huxter in the streets; he
would deny the watchman at his bank the
customary Christmas present of a great
coat To add to his singular and deficient
character, he was deafin one ear, could on
speak broken English, never conversed up'
on anything but business, and wore The
same OLD coat, cut in the French style, fol-
five wears together. An old rickety chair
remarkable for its age, and mirked with the
initials 'sS. Co." drawn by faded horse, was
used when he rode about the city. He hae
no sense of hospitality, no friend to share
his house or his table. He was deferentia
in appearance to rank aad family. Violent
and passionate, only to one man-an old
and faithful clerk named Roocpot. His
theogical opinions were heterdox Ia the
extreme, and he loyed to name his splend,t
vessels after Voltaire and Rosseau. He
was devoted to the improvement of his adopt
ed city and country; be was aetermi4e{
follower of ostentatious charity. No mar
ever applied 10 him for large public gram
in vain, while the starving beggar was inva
| eso hl1.ie oSrf h n d
from his bed every morning before the lark
and unceasing labor was the daily worship
81 his life.
Thus he attained the eightF-secopd yea
of his age. In eighteen hundred and thirty
he had nearly lost the sight Of his one eye
and used to be seen cropping about his banl
disregerdiIg every offer of assistance. :
f Crossing one of the Philadelphia roads, b
was Knocked down by passing wagon, hil
face was bruised. and his right ear wa'
nearly cut off. His one eye, which before
opened slightly, was now entirely closed
he gradually wasted away, and health de
, clined. On the twenty-sixth OF December
Stephen Girard expired in the back room OF
a the third floor of his house, in Water street
q Philadelphia, leaving the bulk of his larg
fortune, upwards of million sterling, t
found charities and to benefit the city an
: countr7in which he had acquired it.
4 He left his monument iu the "Girar
= College, that marble rooted palace for tn
education of the orphan children of the poe
which stands, the most perfect model of al
ehitecture in the New World, high above th
e buildings Of Philadelphia. visible from ever
a emnence of the surrounding county. 'RS
cry detail of the external and internal al
! rangement of this Orphan College was 81