The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-04-20

Tie ltttA Ot 10 - a. l. s-lCNlAN I eto
the second largest holder of New
York city property. We viii not
undertake to give the current ru-
mors concerning his vast wealth.
Suffice it to say that Cornelius Van
derbIlfs wealth is estimated at from
s75, GOO. 600 to s0,00O,OOO and Mr.
Stewart was said to be the richer
man of the two. We very much
doubt if there are to day ten men in
the world who could match him in
wealth, leaving out the house of.
Rothschild, which is a partnership
concern. HIS annual rentals and
profits probably amoansea 10 81,
100000
In 1869 Mr. Stewart was Presi-
dent Grants first choice for Secre-
tary of the Treasury, and his nomi
nation was sent into the Senate be-
fore the President or his advisers
became aware of an old law of 1898,
providing that no person engaged in
active mercantile life could hold that
Office. On this discovery, Grant in
duced Mr.. Stewart to make the offer
of retiring from all personal charge
of his business, but it was held that
so long as he retained an interest
in it, he would remain ineligible.
Still anxious to secure his great fin
ancial abilities, the President went
so far as to suggest the repeal of
the law of 1898, but in vain.
Mr.. Stewart was liberal patron
of the fine arts. His picture gallery
is one of the finest in the city. His
latest acquisition was the famous
new painting, by Meissonier, called
the "Charge des Cuirassiers, repre-
senting a body of cavalry charging
past Napoleon and his staff, who
recognize the involuntary burst of
enthusiasm from the men. The
painting is the largest that has been
sent from the studio of this artist,
being feet across by A feet in
height, and a human figure in the
foreground is eighteen inches high.
1t cost in France 10000 gold, and
with duties, expenses, gold premi-
um, etc, cost Mr.. Stewart $4,000.
Meissonier looks upon this picture
-"1S07," as he styles it-as his chef
d'auvre.
OF his daily life and habits, up to
a few short weeks ago, the New
York World, in a recent issue, gives
the following picture;
Among the many pretentious res
licences in New York, the pile of
white marble on the northwest cor
ner of Fifth avenue and 34th
street, which invariably elicits the
question, ''Who lives therep' from
strangers and others who see it for
the first time is the most pretentious
Should you chance that way any
morning at about 9 80 o'clock, you
will see a pleasant-faced, rosy
checked, smooChly-shaven, carefully
dressed gentleman of medium
height, little figure, and apparently
of middle age, come briskly down
the steps and Jump into a coupe
standing in front of the door, which
whirls away with him. Sometimes
on exceptionally fine days,he will
spare the time for a constitutional,
and walk rapidly down the avenue
at a gait which few men of seventy
three years-for that is his age,
though he looks twenty years
younger-would attempt to initiate.
This is A. T. Stewart, known at
home and abroad as "The Great
New York Dry Goods Merchant" !"
His daily life is that of a business
man. He generally arrives at the
Tenth street store about 10 in the
morning, stays till II, and then goes
to the Chamber street establish
ment, where he remains till or
$3.50. In summer he takes a holi-
day at Saratga, where his Grand
Union Hotel Is conducted on a scale
Of magnificence that no other sum
mer hotel can approach.