Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-05-14
Cakes AmeS.

Cakes Ames died at North Easton, Mass.
last Thursday evening. His disease was apo
plexy which came upon him while be
was already suffering from pneumonia.
Cakes Ames was born in 1904. His father
Oliver, was blacksmith who turned his
hand to shovel-makipg. Cakes and his
brother Oliver, on growing to manhood wen
into their fathers shop which had then
grown into a mandatory. Finding in due
time that he had moderate wealth at his
command, Cakes specialized largely, and
ultimately lost about $l,O0O,0O0 by the
| failure of California merchants. This disas-
ter, however, did not discourage him
"Ames's shovels" had attained world
wide reputation, and orders poured in from
Australia, as well as from all parts of the
Union. Every shovel was as perfect as good
workmanship and careful inspection could
make it, and although foreign manufactur-
ers produced a cheaper article, there was
something about the American implement
which commended it to the Californian
miner or the Australian pioneer. The de-
mand consequently improved with the
growth of the country, and when the civil
war began the Ameses were worth about
s. 900 900, of which sum Oakes's share was
a large one. Oliver Ames. the father, had
continued in the business and died about
this time, leaving his interest mainly to
Cakes and Oliver. 1t is to be recorded of
Cakes that he did not lose faith in the
Union. When many persons boarded their
wealth or sent it to Europe; when others
closed their factories, expecting a general
collapse. he kept his workshops busy, and
evinced undoubted conf 1ence in the tri-
umph of the national cause. He had nearly
attained his Goth year without taking an &C
tive part in politics or holding office. when
Gov. Andrew invited him to seat in the
Executive Council of Massachusetts,. His
duties therein were discharged satisfactorily,
and in 1862 he was elected to seat in Con-
gress his fifth and last term expiring on the
4th of last March
Soon after his entrance to Congress the
Pacific Railroad charter was granted, and
Ames secured large interest in the compa-
ny and became really the leader OF tee enter
prise. The means he took to build the road
were successful and his control of e5islation
in the premises perfect. His public career
closed by the censure of Congress for tue
means employed by him to forward this I'M
dertaking, but on his return from Washing
ton his townsmen gave him hearty wei
come. His neighbors eviieOtly liked the
man and could not see the damage he had
wrought in his lavish use of money in ways
that were dark.
In 1870 the Ameses failed with liabilities
amounting to IS 49S ,000-larger than any
other Americ IN firm ever had who suspend
ed payment. Singular to say it was their
good luck which led to this result. Ddriug
the past 20 years, and notab y during the
war period, they accumulated wealth rapid
ly. They supplied the Government with
vast quantities of shovels and swords,
realizing therefrom large profits ; they en-
g eyed in max NJ plows, and became proprie-
tors OF machine cJmptny- All these
transactions absorbed large capital, but still.
the tirm met their obi CATIONS promptly un-
I'll Cakes Ames was induced to invest In
Southern railroads.
Encouraged by the easy terms on which
he acquired these highways, as well in
PEELED by the persistency with wni;h they
were forced upon him, he purchased largely,
and suddenly the Ameses, fJr his transact
tlons were entangled with those OF the firm,
found themselves unable To meet their en-
gagements. They met their creditors frank
ly , had committee of the first merchants
of Boston appointed to examine their aftlrs,
who (Jan. 9, 1917 daily reported that the
liabilities of all the c1ncerns--O lkes Ames,
Cakes Ames & Sons, Ames's Plow Co, and
klnsley Iron and Machine Co., were $ 49,
075, whereof Cakes personal share WAS tn
Immense sum of s. 1856, us The commit
tee announced at the SANE time the gratiy-
ing fact that the assets OF all were Sl5,-
237 ,l64, leaving a balance of S6,139, Oe9,
IN favor of the esttte. Oakes's snare OF
these assets was $40, 7Sl 1856, showing that
the old Spectator was worth So ,395 SOY
more than he owed. Yielding to the advice
OF the committee, the creditors granted an
extension of E, II, Is, and 81 months, and
the business of the Ames S went on as usual.
The confidence thus evinced was not mis-
placed. In a brief period of tIme-iess than
granted more than half the liabilities Were
settled, and the remainder rendered absolute
y secure.