, 1874-02-08
CORCORAN.
The Noted Ex-Banker Of Washing
ton,
Sketch Of His Career.
How He Made His Money, and How He
Is Disposing Of It.

Is Disposing Of It.
From Our O1on Correspondent.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. !, 1874.
Several matters Of local interest with national
! re1e1 have occurred in the City OF Washington
within the past fortnight. One was the final
opening Of tho great gallery presented to tue
city by n. n. CoEcoran, tho retired bunker.
This gallery vas commenced in 1859, and grew
out OF 1lr. Corcoran'8 taste for the arts and
company Of artists, and his desire, in the ab-
sence Of any large postority, to leave some
durable memento OF himson and his success in
life amongst his fcllow-citizeps. Ho sent for
Rcnwick, native architect, whose mother
kept a boardiDg-houso at ono time near
the Capltol-gate, and who had designed
the Smithsonian Institute, Mr. Corcorau's
OWL mansion, and some churches, depots, md
so forth. Ronwick made q fre-proof building Of
brick dressed with free-stoue which cost, it is
said, ::6oo,o0o aud sas 125 by 104 feet, with
tsee-stone stairways 10 feet wide, d pictnro-gal-
lery sc By Is feet, sculpturo-hall 81 By 25 and,
in oil, ebout fifteen e1hibition-roons- This wes
erected just opposite the War Department
Building, and it vas still unfinished when the
Civil War broke out, and Ntr. Corcoran, who had
then retired from active lie, and was more
friendly to the South than otherwise, re-
solved to SO to Europe and not return
during hostilities. He took with him very
large sum OF money, and, while abroad, patron
i2cd our artists without regard to politics and
I ron,cmber ono dny walking with Larkin Meade,
in Paris, about 1868, who told mo that he had
received m order from Corcoran, tho first time
ovor heard his name.
WAR-TRou7sLEs.
The friends Of Mr.. Coccotan claim that he
never had sectional feelings, and TINT his jour
ney to Europe WAS induced by declining ycare,
aversion to seeing his neighborn al w1rfaro and
the city Of his childhood the great object Of
contention, and particularly by the e1ile Of his
beloved grandchildren, whose mother, his only
child, had married George Eus.is, OF Louisiana,
an ax-A.crabcr Of Congress, and Secretary Of
SGdell, the Confederate enissary to Europe
OF thus hereafter. At any ratc, the Quarter
master-GenerA seized tie great Art-builoing
for IN office; and a1r. Corcoran's 1:ansion would
havo been condscated hut for its prompt occu-
patton by the French Minister, who claimed that
he had rented it. Tho owners farm, called
" Harewood." :" on the boundary Of the city. was
taken. however, for an armJ-hospstaf; and be-
Of it. While abroad, Dir. Corcorans interests
wore chivalrously pleaded to Mr. Lincoln and
others By resident Republicans OF tho moro
magnanimoua school, and Mr.. c. prudently abb
stained from saying, printing, or giving any
thing, during the conflict, in tho inter-
ests OF the insurgents At the end Of the War
be came home infrm and with poor oyesight,
and quietly sct about arranging his affairs, 60
that the large legacies which ho meant to devote
to public use should be left il no uncertain con-
dition.
These we're the Cemetery Of Oak Hill, which
he had presented to the two corporations Of
Georgetown aud Washington, through Board
Of Trustees, aud endowed xi:h $40, COO; tho
Louise Home named for his deceased laug1l-
ter, endowed with $4,000, inclusive OF the
edifice; the Columbian University, endowed with
$3.50, 600 conditionally; and tho Corco1an Gallery
OF Art, muuifcentfy endowed with real estate,
stock, bonds, and cash, already amounting 10
and so regulated that the interest," within three or
four years, will insure 500, 600 per annum,-a
sufficient sum to put this gallery ahead OF any
other III the country.
It was q tedious and diaheartening business
for 80 old ma1l, however patient to meet tho
ALTERED CONDITION OF THINGS,
the obduracy Of tho victorious section, md the
status effected oven in his cndoyments by their
prolonged tenuro II strange hnuds-
The beautiful cemetery, in the centre Of which |
repoee Lis father, brother, wife, daughter. aud I
pcphews, WAS now in the hands of Trustees,
who guye him iitt1o welcome, and SO outraged |
his feelings that be applied to the lot-holders |
the common obligation was SO plain that nearly |
the whole number camo to his support. Tho con
sequence is, That Oak Hill Cemetery, besides its |
superior natural beauties CONTAINS some Of tho |
best biography OF both tho North aud the |
South: Stanton. Reno. Chase. pIummcr. Van |
Eees, Count Bodisco, Gems. Eaton, Mciss. Pc |
tc1s, Towson, Churchill, the CAROLS, Nicholson,
etc. The Louise Home ia designed for gentle {
women Of education ard refinement reduced to |
poyerty,-a cfes, as may bo supposed unusu-
a1y large in an official city. IL present, tifty-
Eve ladies oceupy this new and palatal building.
yhore they have many Of their former modes Of
recreatiou. ape cared tor bY lady Trustees supe-
rior to them only in fortune. and the donor
aines with them frequently.
THE concoRAs GALLERY Il
Eaa returned to tho Trustees after many
Tears. and Congress paid rent. severely I
estimated for the Years Of it's occupa-
ion. After thorough renovation. 3fr.
Corcoran removed to it about $1,000
worth Of paiutiucs. busta. and gtatuary which
lad long made lis private residence enjoyable;
lmonget them tho original Greek Slave. which
mr. in Po,rnrs' raputation in ENGLAND md an mn