New-York tribune., 1877-10-11
OBITUARY.
HENRY MEIGGS.

here rs in the history of his lfe sufficient OF star-
| ing incident to furnish ordinary drama, and IN
the two most striking features of the story there Is
the contrast between great depth of disaster and
surprising pecunary success: between an extreme
moral debasement and high ard widespread honor
His is epitome Of modern enterprise IN It's
triumph over natural obstacles, aud it is also
dazzling illustration Of the possibility of overcoming
the nest adverse circumstances by superior energy.
Henry Meiggs was born at Catski in this State,
July 7, 1911. Some of his biographers assert that
he began business merchant In Bos-
ton. He came to this city about the year
1885. When speculation was at its highest
point, pnOr TO the crisis of 1887. Mr.. Meiggs
was swimming with the tide, being engaged in the
lumber business. with which he had become fa-
miliar IN CatsIl With the crash of 1887 came his
first disaster, and he bankrupt. The extraor-
dinaTy energy OF the is shown IN the fact that,
although the period succeeding the panic was one
of a depression in business that had never been
equalled In this country, he recovered from the
losses of his bankruptcy and again prosperous
citizen, within two years from his failure He had
in 1888 a large lumber yard, in what was then
called Williamsburg. and he at one
time President Of the Board OF Trustees of
that village. Among his contracts there was
one for building ST. Marks Church. which he com
pleteG. La after years. he sent S2 900 from South
America TO assist in relieving that church from debt
In 1912 he again failed in business, end once more
returned TO this city. His fortune here
was for time uncertain, but he has
left his on record IA among those
of our citizens who have assisted the cause of
art He gained the reputation Of being q connos-
seur aud foI several years the president of one
Of our chief musical societies.
Mr.. Meiggs was among the earliest to be attracted
1 ~ -
ceiye TIE opportunity Of advancing his fortunes
there. A vast numhcr of adyenturers had
gone thither in 1S4s-the year when the
first considerable shipments Of gold were made
and there Was great scarcity among the new
population on the Pacific coast of all the ordinary
means and comforts of civilization. Especially was
there want of the materials for dwellings, and
sore spectators made handsome profits by sending
thther iron houses, shipped IN sections
ready 20 he set up on arrival Mr.. Melggs'
on this occasion, kept closely in the line
Of his ordinary business lac shipped. not iron. but
lumber with which he loaded vessel and went 10
the land Of gold. He il said to have sold his
lumber on arrival for twenty times IT'S cost and
he SON became prominent figure among the
bustling business men OF San Francisco. He was
elected a member Of its municipal council. lie
owned saw-mills and numbering establishments in
frlling trees for single saw-mili on the
Bay of san Francisco. As years rolled on,
he built fleet of sloops and schOOners
ENGAGED IN conveying lumber from different points
ON the coast In 1884 he had ordered propeller
10 be built in Philadelphia, to be used for towing
his vessels out to sea. There was commercial
crisis gathering at san Francisco. The affairs OF
Nr Meggs were widely expanded and bankers
began to refuse to him needed accommodations
His firm had provided most Of the lumber
tor municipal works, including the plank
ing Of the streets the city of San Fran
cisco having been engaged IN carrying through vast
schemes of improvement IN real estate. With The
approach of crisis in finances. there was a great
depreciation in all kinds of property. Mr.. Meiggs
lived in A handsome mansion on San Fran
cisco's Broadway. His loans from bankers-among
whom were General w. T. Sherman ana his part
ners-were chiefly obtained on the pic ge OF city
warrants. The pinch for money grew tighter Mr.
Meggs represented that lie had only one more pay
mont Of $4,000 to make 90 secure the de-
livery of the propeller at Philadelphia. The condi-
ton of his affairs was stated to the representatives
Of Hamburg firm Of bankers; they lent the needed
ruoury and also -honldered $4,000 of Mr. Meiggss
indebtedness to Sherman's bank. Within three
months after this transaction, Mr.. Meggs was de-
faulter and fugitive from justice
The details of Mr. Meggss default and flight have
never been fully ascertained. He took successful
paiu. at the time 10 conceal them wholly HAVING
= scbooper at command. he secretly loaded
n with everything which MS mansion In
san Francisco had contained - everything.
oven to the mantel ornaments Of the
n,rlors And one morning San Francisco was aston
isbcd to learn that Mr. Meiggs, with all his chattels
aud his family. was missing lie had sailed for
narts unknown. The city grew wild with ru-
/ r,ors The debts of the fugitive were found
I'm lie nearly a million dollars. The street improve
,nent bonds. upon which his loans were obtained.
were discovered % be ~ great part fraudulent Is
SIC II has been aad tha; some OF the signatures TO
! the bonds were forged but thar particular feature
seems doubtful and il not credited by General Sher-
| man OF the ovcr-issuc there - no douOt.
| When next heard from. Mr.. Meiggs was builder
! of b,iGges on the Valparaiso and Santiago road IN
| Chii. lie again on the upward ROAD OF lor-
time By 1893 he had elected contract
f"r railway building with the Chan
Government. by winch he cleared a profit
| of 81 BOO. 900. Thenceforth he was South Aneri-
cas- great railway contractor ana ne transferred ihe
scene of his riumphs to Peru one OF thc many puoc
works which he undertook in that country, was the
Improvement OF the envlrons 0l Lima Inc cry was
| surtoundei by rampant OF fith and rubbish,
H. ,rru,uuated refuse of many generations. Dir.
Ne;r, replaced this hy paI h. elegantly Ornamehed
/ of more than seven milee length; ana ne TOOK
/ gcnd care to provide for his own fortune
/ ~ securing and afterwards selling the adlon-
/ iry uroperty for building l0ts. lie contracted
fr the construction of Eoi lcSs than SIX railways In
/ Pm OF these three are finished. and the rest ap-
/ preach completion, The most remarkable is tue
| ,'aIIao. Lima and Oroya Railroad, work
! ,.bich unst rank among the most daring achieve
/ ment of modern engineering. II Is successful
attempt to connect the Atlantic and Paciiic Oceans
| by a railway across the Andes. IRON Calao to me
| beod Of navigation on the Amazon. The
! height ascended by this railway Is within l3o
! f.ef of tnat of the summit OIL Moht
! me- Tho road bends upon itself with sharp an
gI1s as il acends the mountain sides, Ike stair
/ case with many turns. lt pierces tho obstructing
| - IL. tl,irtu-fUn funncls. MhCh often