The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-01
AN EVENTFUL CAREER.
with Some Description of His Home and
what He has Placed In It-Hampden
Place. the Residenee of James RObb.
ICincinnatj Times. |

just DeyOn0 CneVlOt on the Harrison p1k8-
the traveller to and from tho city will 500. about
$50 yards south of the road. at ono end of q
handsome avenue. shaded by largo evergreens.
n story and a-half cottage. painted dark
cream color and presenting In it's exterior little
except its scrupulous neatness to attract moro
than casual attention; but within its walls he
who gains Ambulance. Is charmed with the
courtiy grace and dignfed hospitallty OF ts
owner and filed with SURPRISE at the rich and
beautiful works of art which surround him on
every side This is Hampden Place the resi-
dence Of James Robb, and OF the man and his
home we propose to talk.
Mr.. Lobb was born In Pennsylvania sixty five
years ago, and In those three score ana quar-
ter years he has had an experience accorded to
but few men At the age of thirteen he left his
mothers home on foot without money or in,
HIS fortune For eight years he lived a chang
ing life. bat at twenty-one no was mace csshIeI
of the branch bank at Morgantown. W. va. NJ
a salary Of $500 per year. y n four years he hold
the position aceeptably and Mt the end Of that
time removed TO New Orleans. making during
that period six voyages to Europe and fifteen
He began business in New Orleans as bank
er, and, from 1888 to 1851. was principal n estao-
fishing eight banking and commercial firms In
New Orleans, Philadelphia New York, San
Francisco and, Liverpool England. Under the
the Bank Of Jas. Robb." with paid up capital
of 5000 900 $4,000 of which was put in by him
self. This bank did not suspend n n the panic
Tn In 1s42 Mr. Robb was elected president Of tho
with paid up capital OF 81 100000
La 1a44 the Spanish Gasllgut company was
organized for lighting the tn, city n1 81 Hayana WIN
Robb subscribed himself and was made per
petual president. The capital of the company
was was s eansy divided batween Mr.. Robb and
Maria Christina. Queen Mother Of Spain.
In 1854 Mr.. Robb was compelled to sell his IN
terest TO meet certain engagements for South
ern railways, amounting to more than $1,000
900. The property was very valuable, ana no
| lost $500 900 by the operation,
In l85i Mr. Robb was made president Of the
railway convention at New Orleans and Mt this
time began the first successful ATTEMPT at rai u,
this year Mr.. Robb visited Nashville to solicit
| the co operation of Tennessee in works OF in
ternal Improvement and addressed the Legis-
| afure Of that State on the subject and In the
same year ne was elected to the Louisiana Sem
ate for four years. but only served one session.
| Orleans Jackson and Great Northern Hallway;
member OF the New Orleans City Council and
| its President, and IL he had listened 70 MS
| friends would have been sent to the United
states senate from Louisiana, but he withdrew
had warm personal regard. and who after
wards became Secretary OF State for the South-
ern Confederacy, and is at present one OF the
went at the close Of the rebellion.
When the panic Of 1887 game; It caught three
the lat OF January. 1853 their unqnidated la
biljties amounting to 90 s33525 were assumed by
him. and the final payment of principal and in
In 1889 Mr. Kobb came North. taking up his
residence in Chicago. when he was made re-
ceiver of the st. Louis Alton and Chicago Rail-
road, and in 1862. when the company was reor-
ganized, he was made president. which posi-
ton he held until 1894 when R ne we yas 70 me%
president Of the Atlantic and Great Western
Hallway, at salary OF 800 900 per year but gave
discovery OF the fraudulent purposes Of its pro-
] inctors In 1865. the Dubuque and Sioux City
5 Railroad Company made him Its president but
| = n fol uan
10 New Orleans. where he ESTABLISH In 1865.
the louisiana National Bank. with 2 paid up
1i w asd re eas 1857
0 In 1871 Mr.. Robb retired from business. with
diminished fortune but by no n means sas, e9o a
which be purchased md to his mother ether
y 1s47 aggregate 81 900, but to-day his sigma;
I, ture is not outstanding for single penny and
% be has large plenty to meet hii every want Con
the CARPET s EFT t. the tread and
n aed t to the aesthetic the visitor some Of Nj
Robb's possessions have been nslore dne pup
ing been on exhibition at the last exposition
and at the Loan Exposition this, year. There it
not a room in the house which does not contain
some work of value. In one room we found
magnificent water-color copy OF Correggioi
ID famous painting venus Mercury v ana H nd
/ befendIng Susannah Before the Elders" b.
LIE Brun and purchased In 1913 at the salt
10 beautiful blue Sevres vases. valued at $1,000:
very handsome; large Berlin yase pair OF da ea
usey carved ivory G9ps and vaass w vaSs
$1,000; fine Flemish flower piece on copper !.
large fruit picture In oil life-like portrail
n. supposed to be vandyke i9 another room;
large painting by Reubens and Snyder. formerl
the proper1y Of Charles Of England sold j. p
ne act OF Parliament and bought by Mr.; Robb at tn
at ng Rnnpparta nietuTpS
49, the picture Mr.. r. considers worth not less tina
m $4,000 In the same room IS picture Q, van AZ
actor In the next room Is portrnlt OF Gel
At Scott one Of Gen, Taylor and one Of Mr.: Rob-
IJy nietnre, a Four In Hand" by Carl vernet l
h This room is a number Of Sevres. Dresden an
,es Munich vases pair OF large Japanese =, vase
on a table In ono corner the pedestal only OF
ats magnificent gold vase, given TO MI f G,o I
rs certain English b9ndn2ders Oh tme en,c ea
DR. 5000 but Mr.. R0bb considered 1t too valuab
ort to keep in bis house so gave the urn 70 ms SC
ed in New York, and retains only tne pedsSte
es. which he has very artistlcally ornamented by
black and gold Seyres. The pedestal Is w o.
OF art in itself and has ms raaidsnt Of i
ib- Chicago and Alton Railroad by the followin
te, English bondholders, as a marx OF tnelr a,s a.
,ts probation Of his untiring efforts and success
de- demonstrating the said road, and for hi. ntegri
wn herein By Abraham Dairy. Foster B Sat,
was Ta,5e and ethrs
ma BY the above June. 1868" In tho rooms on
au- aecond floor other pictures OF the ValuaDle "
be Iections find places. In one room fS plctu
nts by Ieurae. called the Spanish Lady" III
ng, picture is portrait OF q beautiful BaItimo
yed woman. who was to pay the artist 1900 Sor .
work, but some Disagreement, arising. she I
:, fused to take the picture, and threw It. on ri
burse himself for his time and labor, until
threw a decately beautiful black vail over t
ted head and shoulders OF the Batimorean, a.
tor made her the Spanish lady. ana soiu ner 10
the good round sum- 49, -,
hat In Mr. Robbs own room Will Do louha 9eVel
ON old and valuable engravlDRS' one, d Heau y
also Spartan philosopher. Is especially noticea
for its finely wrought lines ana lllellKe dlStIh
and ness. Here also Mr.. Robb shows vase ne ~
chased In London thirty five years ago and
first one he ever owned. Its mate. in some W
cen was lost or destroyed. Mr. Robb bought
lras first pictures also about the same Time -,
of In addition to all these, Mr.. RoDD mas q llDr
he Of 1000 volumes among them books over