Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-19
Daily Kenneter Journal.
RICH MEMS GIFTS.
THE BENEFAcTIONs OF GTRARD, PEABODY
CORcORAN AND OTHERS

had occasion the other day to find out
something about certain rich men. and 50
went to the Congressional Library.
/ wanted to find out how much these men
had given away in benefactions. looked
up Stephen Girard first. found that, ac-
cording to Parton, ''although he could
sometimes act the part of benefactor to
community, it is said that he never had
a friend. He died witEou. issue in 1881,
leaving property valued at about 80. 900,
900. and directed that q, DOC, 900 should
be applied to found q college tor orphan
boys, which was commenced in 1888 and
opened in 1S4S." So Girard did not seem
to have been a happy man. John Jacob
Aston died in 1873, his property being es-
timated at not less than $40. 900 900.
fltz Green Halleck, the poet. was his pri-
vate secretary. and it is thought that he in
duced Aston To give 300, 900 to found the
Aston Library. The son, William B. As
tor, subsequently gave a like sum to TIE
library. Mr.. James Lick, Pensylvanian
who made big fortune in California and
died there. left about 81. 900. 900 in bene-
factions. Nearly million was given to
erect an observatory in California and
purchase telescope, and half million
for the encouragement Of mechanic arts in
San Francisco. He gave also 100000 to
erect monument over the grave Of hey
the author Of the "Star Spangled Ban
ner.''
Geo. Peabody gave a million and a hal
OF dollars for lodging-houses tor the work
ing classes in London; 81 900 900 for an
institution Of learning in Baltimore $50.
600 for museum in Harvard College and
S2.0O0,000 for common schools in the
Southern States. Nearly all of these
amounts were given in wills and made
available after death OF the testator, when
he could no longer use the money. But
ittakes abrave man to give away the bulk OF
his fortune while alive and in the
best of health. Ezra b. Cornell founded
the Cornell University with don't know
how much money, certainly a large
amount. believing. no doubt, that he
would always be rich. Reverses came,
and he il now poor man. Suppose that
he had put it in his will, where would
Cornell University be to-day? jay Cooke
made some heavy benefactions, and gave
away hundreds of thousands of dollars
Reverscs overlook him and he became
poor.
But the greatest American philanthropist
that ever lived excepting George Peabndy
is W. w. Corcoran, Washington. and it was
about HIM that | started to write. He is
now ~ years old. and during his life he
has given away 81. DOC. 900 in public bene.
factions, and $1,000. 900 in private char.
tiles, or about three-quarters of his entire
fortune. | have seen the figures. and
knew. The Corcoran Gallery of Art, in.
GLIDING the building and endowment, cost
more than a million dollars. and is the
pride Of the city of Washington. There is
nothing equal to it in the country. The
Louise Home. for decayed gentlewomer
Of the South is a noble benefaction, and
the building and grounds are great orna
ment TO the city and the admiration Of
strangers, More than half million /,
represented here. To Columia Universit,
and lands. amounting to a quarter of mil
lion of dollars. A hundred thousand was
given to the Ascension Church.. To the
University of Virginia he has given hun
dreds of thousands Of dollars. and to the
City of Washington, in addition to hi.
many other gifts, he gave Oak Hill Gene
terry. and improved it mt a total expense o
$l20.000. Mr.. Corcoran's entire family
consists of three grandchildren through
his daughter l. uise. and three nieces ant
nephews. have now at the close of thi
rich mans letter. got to the point starteo
TO make originally. namely. that "a rich
mans life is not happy one. Mr. .Corcor
ans Is a case in point. He is now very
old and feeble. and is unable to attend t.
his own business. One would think tha
he had done enough to earn immunity
from personal solicitation. Yet the poo
man is worried nearly to death. His
confidential business man does much t.
keep the great philauthropist from per