The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-19

The Ex-Mayor OF Brooklyn ut the Point
of Death.

Martin Kalbfeisch, ex-Mayor OF Brooklyn, who
laid IN ectrenfs ut the point OF death at midnight
last night, has filed very important part in the
history the county Kings and the city OF Brook
Ign during the past twenty-four years. He has dis
charged the duties OF very many and
high trusts from, that OF supervisor OF
the town of Bushwick to that OF Mayor OF Brook
Ign and member OF Congress and gained the
esteem OF the community and of circle OF friends
which is almost OF national extent by his frmness,
probity, honor and honesty. He has been pru-
dent and industrious man. Although almost con-
stantly engaged by the necessities OF public liie
he found time to attend carefully during
Il long period, to a large and rapidly extending
business, which developed into an immense manu-
featuring establishment. This was managed with
skill and Judgment, so that the veteran citizen OF
Kings became very wealthy man, and has con-
tinued so. He was blessed by nature with vigor-
Gus constitution, but during the past few years his
health began to fail, and he has allied and recov-
cred at intervals but not to any very serious ex-
tent, for some time prior to the advent of the
assault OF disease which has almost terminated
probably has termnated-hls earthly career, in the
siXty-ninth year of his age.
Martin Kalbneisch was born in the Netherlands,
at Flushing, on the Sth OF February, IN the year
1904. He was sent to school at an early age and
received thorough, solid useful education in his
native town. His mind OF enterprising
turn; the local surroundings oid-iashioned and
dull. He found no home opportunity for the culti-
walton or exercise of his commercial genius.
Consequently he determined to go abroad. In
the year 1922 young Kalbneisch embarked for Pa
dang, on the coast of Sumatra, in an American
vessel the Ellen Douglass, OF Salem, Mass. On ar
irving at Padang he found the Asatc cholera raging
and therefore re-embarked Tor Antwerp, where the
vessel was sOd and at the request OF the captain,
an American; accompanied him to France, where
| they engaged In commercial operations together,
| for four years. During this period his inclna-
| tons led him to look upon the United States as
s be IN S me-
| he found himself obliged to accept of any en-
poyment that offered, until 1885, when, hav-
| ing accumulated sufficient means, he was
| enabled TO establish color mandatory at Har-
lem, where he then resided. The high prices at
that time paid for property induced him to sell his
| place and locate In Connecticut. This move now.
ever, proving unsuccessful, he was induced to re-
| termined to locate at Greenpont Long Island, as
Offering the best facilities for the prosecution OF his
business. He settled there in 1S41. His family be-
ing numerous, he found the want of schoOlhOuse
| to be a serious drawback and Immediately applied
himself to remedying the want. He organized the
district comprising all OF GreenpOnt up TO the line
of Remsen street., got the use Of an old school.
house near the Bushwick church, repaired it, and
drews He soon had the satisiac ton OF seeing new
school erected at Greenpoint AS Mr.. Kalbneisch's
| business expanded the want of room compelled
| him, about twenty years since, to remove his
factory to its present location, between Met
| r0pOlitan and Grand avenues Brooklyn For
many years he has made the manufacture
of acids specially and has continually in
creased the extent of his works until they now
embrace several acres and are the most extensive
OF the sort in America The business-cOnducted
for some years under the firm style of M. Kalb-
helsch 4 Sons-some years since passed into
the hands OF the latter-under the firm style of
M. Kalbneisch's Sons-M. Kalbnesch having
amassed sufficient fortune to enable him to
retire. He has always taken lively inter-
est In politics. and, although for many years
hard worker IN the democratic ranks, did not
him, In 1851, candidate for the Superyisorshp of
the old town OF Bushwick, to which Office he was
elected, and which he held until the town was con-
sodated with the cities Of Brooklyn and Williams
burg. In 1858 he was appointed one OF the Com
missioners to draw up charter for the proposed
consolidation OF the cities OF Brooklyn and VIII
liamsburg, and acted President or the Board.
In 1854 he became the democratic candidate
forMayor of the consolidated city, but was defeated
by George Hail. In 1855 he was elected Alderman
OF the Eighteenth (BrOoklyn) ward, and served in
that capacity until NAV, 1861, when he became
Mayor OF the city. He served three years as Presi
dent or the Board or Aldermen, and at the last time
he was elected Alderman received all the votes but
| one cast In his ward for that Office. In 1862 Mr..
Kalbnesch was elected a Representative to Con-
gress from his district and in 1867 was reelected
In the year 1869 he was again nominated by his
party, and ran against William Mayo Little, who
| contest about seven thousand votes ahead of the
Street Commissioner on the same ticket with him.
democratic candidate. In his last term Of ONCE he
gave great satisfaction to the taxpayers of the city,
but as his administration led to desperate strug
gle between himself and the Brooklyn Ring,
growing out OF the extravagant expenditures, to
which he was resOlutely opposed and more par
ticulary his determined opposition to the new
Hampstead reservoir, when his term OF Office ex-
PRED his party set him aside, and, running on an
independent ticket, with Samuel Booth the
publican and the present incumbent OF the Mayer
atty, s. $. Powell, as the democratic candidate,
he was defeated. His defeat, IL was said,
was due TO the fact that he came
late into the field, hesitatng somewhat about de-
thus encouraging the republicans TO hope that the
division would enable them to run in their man be-
tween the Two democratic contestants. At the
close of this campaign Mr.. Kabheisch retired
to private life, taking care OF his extern
sive pecuniary interests but at the same time
keeping sharp eye, as usual, upon public al
fairs. Previous to the recent state election his
name was mentioned for Governor as candidate
of the democratic party, but his old-time oppo-
nents In Brooklyn would not hear OF this, and his
name was not brought before the Convention At
the last election large number OF his fellow citi-
zens Of the Eighteenth ward OF Brooklyn urged
him to allow the of his name for
the Aldermanship Of the ward. To this
he gave his consent, but dread of having him in
great that everything was done to defeat him,
and as his years were 80 far advanced as TO pre-'
vent a vigorous campaign on his own part he did
not succeed and he has lived In sort OF easy, yet
watchful, retirement since Mr.. Kalbneisch has
been a genial companion in private life, and his
presence on the grounds OF the Jerome Park race
course has been always hailed with Joy by his many
friends among the active patrons OF the American
turf
CUBAN SLAVERY.