The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-05


to the West indies, 70 our Pacific coast TO every
quarter Of the globe these mercantile adventures
were carried. In such field Young Taylor set 10
work. Quick vigliant and always ready ana zeai-
he Drought to the performance Of his duties tnat
industry, steady application and intelligence that
soon attracted the notice OF his employers. Unlike
many clerks OF the present day. no did not clanor
for privileges or tmmunlties from toll. nor did any
additional work NIL him with dismay Rapidly
passing through various gradations OF counting
house promotion, new spheres OF duty ana actlviV
were open to him. At the present time, when the
commerce OF our city has attanol such vast pro-
portions that each particular branch OF II constitutes
IN many instances separate business by ITSELF and
brokers who make them the objects OF their especial
occupation, 1t IL dinlcult Tor young gentlemen
VINO now aours ana day ~ Of abor
which Mr.. Taylor as clerk had 10 perform: MS
place was no sinecure: Inc separate entry me oia
complicated system OF duties 30 as TO admit OF their
ready disposal ut home under debenture. OF car
goes embracing every variety Of foreign product IN
products the purchase OF outward cargoes In every
detail OF assortment and their repackng Tor con-
yenent carriage iadng Invoicing ana sasro an.
trusted to outside agents involved an amount OF
labor OF which CLERK OF the present can nave no
idea, and yet they constituted portion only OF the
everyday work young Taylor had TO perform. II Is
not to DO wondered that tho candle upon Ms desk
the bells OF old Trinity sounded forth the nour OF
twelve upon the still midnight air. Inc day was
. % e 10
recording what nad been accomplished during the
day and 10 the necessary preparations Tor the NOR
row. Notwithstanding these severe demands on Ms
industry yet found time TO test tile value OF MIS-
mercantile education BY methods wnich not only
confirmed the lessons he had learned but which also
AFFORDED some remuneration for the dillgent faithful
ness he had bestowed upon them. After while,
with the concurrence OF his employers ne frequently
engaged in small ventures upon his own account.
Acting on his own judgment he would MAKE up con-
sgnments which he would entrust under lnstruc-
the house, and these sold BY them and tneir pro-
ceeds invested in foreign products frequently
yielded him double profit. These were the lore
runners OF his subsequent mercantile success. Tney
yielded him the capital wnicn enabled nun after
wards to enter on large sphere Of business on ms
own account. Always exact and orderly, ne opened
at this early day set OF books III which all OF these
adventures were recorded by douoie ENTITY. They
OF nealness and accuracy, for MIR. Taylor, with
special Erde still preserves these nrst recoids Of MS
BEGINS BUSINESS ON HIS OWN ACCOUNT.
The dream OF his boyho0d days haunted young
Taylor still. Ten years OF assduous and lncessant
devotion to the interests Of his employers had lifted
HIM to do business on ms own sccount-ntted
hun to carry out tho great purpose OF his early e
out pay, and ne only received $500 . year the re-
naming three years. Those were times, however.
na ~ sMa
With capital OF SIS 000, the product mainly OF
the private ventures to which we have referred,
with the respect and good wishes Of hts late
employers, although deeply regretting the loss OF
his valuable services to them, and with the conf
dence and esteem OF all who knew him, Mr.. Taylor
In 1882 set up IN business on his own account he
was now twentysix years OF age The good reputa-
mon resneca s for n nv s casss.
people with wnom he mad been thrown IN contact,
and his excellent traits OF character, had secured
him large circle OF friends, and gave him from the
first the best OF credit IN business circles lie felt,
however, that whatever Of success was in store
energies aud by the employment OF his own unalded
powers. While he was slnyuiarly selfreant ne was
" Wer s u a @
kept his credit good by never using It tic opened
MS first store at No. IS South street, where Messrs
Rowland Aspinwall now carry on business He
remained here but only temporarily. Hts really nrst
place OF business was ut No. a south street, winch
THE CHOLERA sCoURGB AND GREAT FIRE
1t 80 happened that Mr.. Taylor entered upon his
| The year 1852 Will be remembered as tue season
when That fatal scOurge tile cholera, ragged 10 this
| city with fierce and unexamped viruence. Every
not the concerns OF life, occupied the thoughts Of
men. But nauspici0us a. the time was for Dusluess
ing mis- plans into execution. Whe others lied the
city in frantic fright he remained BteadIast and un-
business with SO much energy aud diligence. with so
| much capacity and Judgment, that very soon his
passed. ana his business was under prosperous head.
way. Then came that memorable devastating are
OF December, 1885, that reduced TO ashes 30 many
stores and dwellings, and from afiuence " sudden
| poverty SO many leadag business men. On that
| cold winters night, when the streams OF water
! from the fire engines were turned to ice in tue
presence OF the mounting flames OF the abide
vourlng fire, his store, with all its contents WAS
destroyed, involving him III the loss as he then sup
posed OF ali he possessed. on his way homo, after
night exhausting toll, In which he had been ali Q
II am ruined, he said to his father. any store Is
burned and everything in 1t except my booAs OF
s.Never mind, Moses,n said the father. "you arc
| young aud have good health Try 1t again."
| II wiz, sr,n replied the resoute son.
RESUMING BUSINESS
Throwing aside all feelings OF dependency the
same day OF the fire saw Mr. Taylor &C work again.
his dwelling, in Morris street. where he resided and
which ne kept there until he could secure temporary
accommodation In Broad street. lie kept his ac-
there to be discounted.
shave my notes been discountedGn he asked Mr..
"No. sir. we discount no notes. We do not know
who is good, y answered Mr.. woodward;
"I'm good" replied Mr. Taylor and the notes
This terrible disaster, which created so great a
disturbance OF ali the business concerns Of the city,
merely served to call forth In greater degree exCr-
clse OF the powers which were necessary 70 over
come them. The result was that
by the storm Of circumstances unhroken.
as It always will be with those strong and deter
mined characters who do not permit themselves to
be suDdued by circumstances he averted rum by
decision, those traits 90 prominent Ia his cnaracer
through all the years OF his life, he at entered
upon new adventures and made importations to
supply deficiencies In the market The profits re-
sulling from these judctous operations more tnan
counterbaian ed the losses he had sustained lie
belongs 70 tnaC Orucr OF energetic men who nOt only
strike when the iron Ia hot. but when occasion re-
quires strike the iron until II becomes hot. AS
CHARACTERISTIC circumstance, showing his energy and
pr0mptness 1t may be mentioned that the very day
after the lfe Wnle Inc ruins OF his store yet
aglOw with It's smOulderlng combustion, he went to
his landlord Mr. John q. Coster, and made arrange
ments for It's reconstruction. The present building,
No. A South street, was owing TO this promptness OF
his among the 1rst to arise or the ruins OF the
great con1aGraton. Upon It's completion Mr. TAYLOR
entered 1t again and afterwards became It's owner
and ever since mas carried on his mercantile bust.
paa
chant was the trade with Cuba He was also at one
period Of his career o considerable snlpow ner
ana extensively engaged In that branch Of
commerce. AT the time he carried
on other important mercantile operations but these
all SUBSIDIARY to the business to which he prn-
cipaly devoted himself. As We have said his main
ield was the Cuba trade, and in that HIS mercantile
reputation was principally acquired. Upon this he
concentrated his renQrkabe powers 10 this ne