The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-04-14
THE DEATH OF At. STEWART.

Mr.. Alexander L. Stewart, the leading
dry goods merchant of this country, died
yesterday at his residence in New York
For nearly q month he had been con-
fined to his room by illness, but the re-
ports that were permitted to reach the
public were so guarded that there has
been only the vaguest intimation that
his life was considered in danger. The
deceased was Of Scotch Irish parentage,
and was born i'm Belfast in 1903 He
came to New York at the age of about
twenty years, having first received a
liberal education at Trinity College,
Dublin. He arrived in New York pen
niless, and earned his first wages in the
New World as school teacher. But
the bent of his mind was in the direction
of mercantile life, and after brief
and not over pleasant experience as a
teacher, he opened a small retail dry
goods store at the corner of Chambers
street and Broadway, where in 1913 he
erected an immense marble structure,
which stood for many years the leading
mercantile building in New York. This,
in time, gave place TO Il still larger and
more imposing building on Broadway, a
few blocks below Union Square, where
it covers the entire square between
Eighth and Ninth streets, the largest
mercantile establishment in the world.
Mr.. Stewards reputation has been due
wholly to his success asa merchant. In
his business he was a model of all the
acquisitive virtues. Not even the small
est detail was neglected. he knew
every thing, saw every thing that was
going on in that vast temple of trade.
As man he was a strange mixture of
hard, practical shrewdness and princely
benevolence. He eXacted the most faith
full service from every employe, but he
built palatial home for the working
women of New York at a cost of a mil
lion dollars. When he opened his first
little dry goods shop in lower Broadway,
his first customer was a young lady, who
came on the morning of his opening and
purchased a generous bill of goods.
Years afterwards, learning that the lady
had lost Ler property and fallen into
misfortune, the opulent merchant sought
her out, purchased for her handsome
house, and installed her in it with
competence for the remainder of her
life. He was a-sharp man in an every
day bargain, but he outbid the Kings of
Europe for Meissonier's superb painting
of the ''Charge of the Cuirassiers." He
had all that wealth could give. His
marble palace on Fifth avenue is d home
that Prince might covet, but it is
home without children, and its owner
has left no heir of his own blood to in
herit the gains of his busy life.
Mr.. Stewards public services have
been few but highly creditable. During
the Irish famine of 1917 he chartered a
ship and sent it filled with provisions
a gift to Ireland. In 1867 he was one of
the American representatives at the Paris
Exposition, where his high reputation
secured him great respect. He was
throughout the war and since an ardent
Republican and a strenuous upholder of
the Union cause under all circumstances.
In this respect his influence among the
business men of New York, many of
whom were soured by the loss of their
Southern trade during the rebellion,
was most valuable, and when. in 1869
President Grant organized his first Cab
met, he nominated Mr.. Stewart for Sec
retary of the Treasury. The appoint
ment was applauded by the country,
which thought that a self trained and
REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL DuslHtsS ludu
would administer the Treasury more
ably than politician, but Mr.. Stewart
was found by the Senate ineligible by
reason of an old law forbidding any per-
son engaged in commercial pursuits on
his own account from being placed in
charge of the Treasury. Mr.. Stewart
offered to retire from business and give
bonds that the profits of his establish
ment during his term of office should be
devoted to charitable purposes; but the
Senate thought best 70 adhere 70 tie
strict letter of the statnte, and ais nom
ination was withdrawn. The fortune |
of Mr.. Stewart is probably the largest |
ever amassed by one man in the legiti- |
mate pursuit of trade. He never specu-
lated in stocks or other chance invest |
ments; his success was purely CONNER
cial one. The most interesting question
left by his death will be 70 many people, |
what will become of the colossal fortune |
which is left as the fruit of his busy life.
Leader.