The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-06-01
Death Of a Millionaire Merchant.

Stewart, the great dry goods rner-
chant Of New York city, on April
10th, says tho Scientific 1meticaa.
has called forth from large number
Of people variety OF curious and
often striking anecdotes relating TO
his early life and struggles, as well
to his habits after he had attained
his enormous wealth. Perhaps not
again in this generation viii any one
man accumulate by legitimate trade
so immense sum as he acquired
and it is natural curiosity which
prompts all to exnmine closely thoso
traits, customs and habits through
" hich the great fortune wss aDass-
ed. MIR. Stewart was born In Bel>
fast. Ireland. in 1903 Ills parents
were well-to-do people, but died
when he was quite Young, leaving
him under the caro- Of his grandMth-
er He was well educated, and had
begun 10 prepare for the ministry
when his graudia'hcrs death csused
him to change his p,ans, ani 1t .he
ago Of 20 10 embark !9r Amelics.
Here he started no eohcnl iercber.
and was pursuing tint ct'igy Hhen
he lent small sum to mend WHO
desired TO open dry goods store.
! he friend, and Mr.. Stewart, partly
from desire TO enter trade, and
partly in order to protect his invest
ment took charge of the store. Soon
after he returned to Ireland to OBJ
tain his patrimoney. some $4,000,
aud this he laid ont in cotton trim-
mings for dresses, which were then
very fashionable in New York. In
Belfast he purchased the goods at
two pence sterling pound, and af.
terwards sold them in this city at
two shillings n pound, and this
stroke Of success, no always stated
convinced him ''that money could "a
made in the dry goods business.
OF Mr. Stewart honest and rirdly
fair dealing in the little store ia
which he began, there ave abundaps
stories. "W bat do YOU mean b., pay.
ing what you know to be ,ahue
he once angiily demanded GA clerk
who was exercising all presibse pow
ers Of persulsi n to convince woman
that the colors in apieee OF calico
would not fade "ric calico won't
wash she'll b. righh 1 don't want
tho goods represented for what they
are not 1t was this perfect hons
cs,y toward al his customers
that was Mr.. S.eoart's most promi-
nent characteristic, aud it vas hisin-
variable custom, hen questioned as
to his explanation for his great suc~
cess, to reply with great emphasis
"Truth. truth is the talismanic words
and il | have one earthly wish or do.
sire greater than another it is thae
in this respect my example may bo
commended aud followed by young
men entering into business, and %.
pecially by young merchants.
On the finn basis of truth and
honesty he reared bis gigantic trans
actions: not by bold ventures or CO.
lossal sp, culations, but through
st' ady application, perfect orsaniza-
tion, and minute attention to every
detail The discipline in his estab.
lishment was rigid. "Do you see all
: these people about here Z he once
asked of air. Peter Cooper. pointing
: to the scores of statesmen and ushors
= in his great retail store. well
/ thoro ism t Il man of them who is al
loweththe slightest discretion. Ey
cry Que is tan ht to be precisely ant
= simply what he has heen told liz
is u machine working by rotc ac
' cording to rulj." Haggling owe,
!, prices was to i'm perfect abhorenco
, There was but ono price for every
;, thing AMI every body but on th'
other hand he was no believer il
# holding for high prices, when b.
lower ones he could sell promptly
4, An old employee Of bis recently tol'
" Us that Mr. stewart seemed to watcl
9 each individual class OF goods, ''as
:, fortune depended upon them ouls
y "if. in making tis rounds tnrougl
d either store, he noticed Gn unusua
i. quantity cf any material On hand, h
=. would question ihe slle 'men closol
u about il; aua II he 'o1ad its s-lc
to slow, he would maia DO u the lr!c
to such hgrres that iis yair cLeaI
ness would a;ttnct cnsuWo,5 4ti
said, mureoyo. La,t h. knew ha cor
tents U! his varohoD,o .et.gl 'ha
those in his oDFoY, w.i.c hewrtch
ed the latter mJre closely thnn the
ever Imagined. ! he saw TO
much jeweIry worn, he deemed it
suspicious sign, and placed the weal
er under special surveillance. "ii
never spoke to me but once, Say
an old clerk, "and then it was whe
tore piece OF wrapping pape
roughly across. He came and tol
me / shou!d have folded it and mad
/, oven edges. People" he said, "dl
! not like to get shiftless bundles
At another time, clerk wound
package with an extra turn OF cor
Before he could cut tho string, Nj
Stewart quietly took the bundle fro
him and unwonnd the extra tui1
i.. saving Never waste even a pie'
he he of sting waste is always wrong
Tt Ia hu thai