Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-10-24
A MERCHANT PRINCE.
Alexander T. Stewart.

Seventy years ago this month, Alex
ander T. Stewart, the greatest of mod
ern merchants, was born in the coun-
ty of Antrim, Ireland at a stones S
throw from the most fourishing city
of Belfast. Left without his father
and mother at an early age, "Alick, -
as he was then known, determined to
study for the ministry; but man pro-
poses and God disposes. His col
ledge studies were broken off with a
sudden abruptness. The frugal, clev-
er lad of sixteen had not been pinched
by poverty, as some people believe !;
on the contrary, he was reared in com
fort. and competence fell to his lot.
Alick was fond of classics, and
worked hard to improve himself, and
the same spirit which to-day raises
blocks of stones in New York and
cities on Long Island was then shap-
ing the lads fortune to a great end
In his sixteenth year Mr.. Stewart
landed alene in New York City alone
but full of hope and confidence. L
is strange fact, but he had not at thai
time any desire TO become a merchant
He was too fond of books to think Of
| the dry details Of trade, and soon af
ter we find him teaching school at No
| 7 Roosevelt street, then a respectable
quarter of the city. Mr.. Stewar
knew how to hunger for bread anC
never wished to borrow a dollar
though people will insist in their sto
ries Of him on these two supposed
dramatic occurrences. The first year:
of his life were passed rather quietly
and he made no desperate attempts tC
grapple with iron fortune. At twen
ty-one years a legacy was left the fu
ture merchant by his relations in Ire
land, and the young man proposed t.
return home to procure it.
How much has been left to you?
asked Mr. Chambers, a well know
auction buyer.
II think about ten thousand dollars,
replied Mr.. Stewart.
That's comfortable. What do yO
propose doing with it ?''
"Reinvest here in New York, an
live on the income
"You can do better"
"How can ?" asked Stewart.
go into trade" replied Mr.. Cham
Der.
Nonsense; I have a horrer o
trade I can't even buy hat or
pair Of boots without getting som
one to pick them out for me"
: ooh, that's stuff replied Mr. Chan
bers, imPatiently. $50 to BeIfest
and do as l tell you. Buy insertion
and scollop trimmings, and you'll doub
your mondy on them. Put all voc
money into the goods"
The young man went to Belfas
bought thousand pounds worth {
goods, and brought them back wit
him to New York. They came in
good time, for there were hardly an
Of that line Of goods in the marke
and large profit was realized upo
them at once. Mr.. Stewart refusing
= touch the profits. This was the fir
speculation of Mr.. Stewart, though
did not realize one dollar from Il
transaction personally. Forty nil
years ago Stewart started his fir
. store, without partner, at No. q
! Broadway. 1t was a small store, bI
Odh nun Glllo AALb1O oGOAAA Tx
grown, and developed into the mo
gigantic mercantile trees. During h
d lifetime Stewart has bestowed tt
enormous sum of $1O,000,000
charities, the most useful of which W
! be probably the hotel for working W
men i'll fourht Avenue, near Thirty-se
ond street. He still enjoys the be
), of health, looks to/be about fifty yea
of age, and his investments are t.
boldest in the country. The gre
cities of Europe know him as well (
), Chicago or Cincinnati for his ente
prise and charity, and no young me
at chant can do better than to study h
life as pattern for successful endea
n or. He looks the solid merchant
at every feature, " ith his straight for
blue eyes, brown hair, light brow
i, i, beard, without moustache, and so,
e. square head that so well indicate t
as aE clearness of the great merchants
tellect. heard man say the 9th
day:
= "a. T. Stewart is worth hundr
Z million of dollars. If he is spar
ten years. as bis constitution assul
us, he will'double his fortune" I
not doubt it, for he has the most p
feet mercantile system of any M
I chant in the world.
GoDoLPHIN BLAKE