Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-10

Mr.. Ogden was born in the town OF Wal
ton, Delaware county, N. u. in 1905. His
father fitted him for college, but died when
. his son was only sixteen years old. The son
took charge of his fathers business and be-
came the main support Of the family. 1t
was not long before he had embarked in an
extensive undertaking, which was to cut
down the forests of Delaware county and
float them down in RATS to Philadelphia.
II cleared old Delaware county. he used to
say, "of all her timber and sold it to the
Philadelphians fo- 10 cents thousand, and
it came back to be sold at 60 cents thou
sand" In 1895. ten years after the Erie
canal had been opened. Nj. Ogden was
member of the State Legislature. his OBJ
ject in accepting this position being to ad-
yocat, the building OF the New York and
Erie railway. At that time, lrother-in-
law of Mr.. Ogden (Mr. Charles Butler).
was large landowner in Chicago. and
asked him to come to Chicago and take
charge of his affairs. Mr.. Ogden did so.
and also struck out in new enterprises oil
almost every kind. His first great success
was his lumber works at Peshtlso. in Wis
consin, which came to be the largest IN the
world. lie soon became well known IN the
West as a sagacious and public spirited
man, and when Chicago became an iucor-
porated city he was elected its first Mayor.
lie was afterwards a member o. the Illinois
Senate.
The plan adopted by the Pioneer of the
Northwest, as he was sometimes called.
was to buy up large tracts OF woodland and
other real property, and then open 1t up to
business centres by constructing railroads.
And what was very remarkable, every one
OF his undertakings seemed to result IN the
greatest success. His first railroad was the
Galena and Chicago Union. Then came
the Peninsula, ST. Paul, and Fond du
Lac and Chicago railroads. and finally, by
the union and extension of these lines. the
great Chicago and Northwestern railway,
stretching from the principal city on the
lakes to the heart OF Minnesota, since dc
yeloped into great State. But the scope
of these enterprises was not limited to the
Western and Northwestern States. 1t ex-
tended to the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Mr.. Ogden was one Of the chief promoters
of the Union Pacific railroad. and at one
time his liberality was probably the only |
thing that saved the construction of the |
road from an indefinite pOstpOnement. lie |
had presided r: the National Railroad Con |
vention held at Philadelphia in 1850, the |
object of which was to take measures to |
build the Union Pacific. and his confidence |
in the success of the enterprise never failed |
any more than his determination to see 1t
lie was President of the |
Illinois and Wisconsin Railroad Company, |
of the Buffalo and Mississippi Railroad |
Company in Indiana and director OF the /
Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rall-
road Company. In the legal steps between
the courts of the different States through
which this road passes it was found in
possible to obtain unity OF action at
a certain period of its history, and
Mr.. Ogden was rendered the receiver
ship with salary of S25, 200 per
annum, which he declined. but after repeat
ed declinngs he was forced by the necessi-
ties of the ease to accept, as no other name
could be found that was satisfactory. lie,
however. declined the large compensation
o lfered for his services. When the Union
Pacific Railroad Company was first organ
ICED MIR. Ogden was chosen its first Presi
dent, but his affairs obliged him to retire
from the position.
MIR, Ogden's lriendliness for all charitable
and educational institutions was well
known. Almost every institution IN the
Northwest. including the Rush Medical
College, the Theological Seminary of the
the Historical Society. the AGA
DENY of Sciences. the Astronomical Society,
the University of Chicago and the Chicago
W omen's Home. are all indebted to him
tor timely aid
The value OF the estate lett by Mr.