The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-01-24
IcnIn OF b. *. Collins.


Many travellers between this city and
Cleveland became:acquainted during the
Hat ten years with AT old gentleman who
spent much Of his time at the Wellsville
depot hotel, and who generally went out
oace day to his farm along the line OF
the Z. " +. road, a mile or two beyond
Yellow Creek junction. He was known
a, the man who had seen better days, and
who at one time had filled conspicuous
and important position in business cir
rIe4 in New York. lie had been the pro-
prieior Of The Collins line OF steamships,
the pioneer American line, and his name
n.el to often figure in the debates and
appropriation bills Of Congress. The
New York Iiznid has devoted many long
leaders to appeals TO Congress to grant
liberal subsidies TO his line for car
rying the maiIs, just aa the Brit
i.h Government granted liberal aid
To the Cunard line. But the iates seemed
to be against Mr.. Collins and his line.
Two Of his ships III we remember right
were lost at sea, on one Of which, the
Arctic, hls wife and one or two children,
returning from Europe, went down. Like
that i'll lated man "whom disaster fol-
lowed fast and followed faster" one cir
crlulstance alter another in the different
phases OF his life in New York occurred
to drag him down, until both pride and
reduced circumstances drove him to seek
refuge and seclusion on the country place
that he bought some fifteen years ago,
with the remnant OF his means, at the
point designated on the G. & P. road.
There he lived, part Of the time alone and
part Of the time with his second wife,
who, growing tired Of his seclusion, jour.
neyed back and forward between his
place and New York, 30 that he, to re-
lieve the tedium Of his life, spent nearly
every night at The depot hotel in Wells.
vile, going out again on the train every |
morning.
At the limo that. the excitement in iron
ores developed, itself in 1s7l.72, in the
vicinity of Yellow Creek, the old gentle
man wasl firmly persuaded that he had
found bonanza on his place, and his
whole talk 10 his acquantances from
Wheeling and other points along the
river was upon the subject Of iron and its
great future in this country and through |
out the world. He was as sanguine and,
perhaps, ns enthusiastic in regard to iron
"a lie used to be in regard to his steam.
ship. Poor man, he lived to sec his lat.
ter hopes and expectations perish along
with his earlier prospects, and The lamp
Of his life went out at last amid scenes
very different from those to which he had
once been accustomed. He died yester.
day in New York, anil so reduced and
necessitous were his circumstances that a
few days ago number Of his friends
made up purse for the purchase Of an
oil painting Of himself in his possession,
to place in the gallery Of the Chamber Of
Commerce.
He once related little circumstance in
connection with the loss OF his wife and
children on the Arctic. lie said that
81 hours before the news reached New
York, Judge Edmonds, the noted Spirit
ualisi, came TO him and told him Of the
Ios he had sustained. This circumstance
seemed to have 80 deeply impressed his
mind that ever afterwards he was a be-
lever in Spiritualisnl.