The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-18
JUSTICE TO A GREAT BANKER AND
DISTINGUISHED BFNEFAGTnR
OF NEW ORLEANS.

GRAF an article. under the head OF Queen
Christina and the New Orleans Banker.
which adopted the popular version Of an Incl
dent Of our local history and which we re
garded as Of romantic and morally lnstrue
tive interest,
The facts of our little story were derived
from good authority from the statement OF
persons who were contemporaries and who
had every oppoi tunty Of famillari6ing them
selves Herewith.
Our attention has been called 10 Inaccuracies
In several of these statements which we take
great pleasure In correcting, since they were
calculated todetract from the high esteem In
which gentleman who was a great benefae
tor to this city has been always held. The
subject, though involving an Intrusion Into
private or domestic history, was one which
the historian and cbronieler of local Incidents
involving valuable moral lessons might be
excused, II not fully Justified. In treating in
the manner employed by tho writer. Tho oh
1aot was to illustrate the danger and folly Of
alliances # our young women with members
Of the tffete atistocracy Of tho Old World,
aud 10 warn the daughters Of our wealthy
citizens, who visit Europe, from edlng to
the allurementa Of the ponp and deeeitfuI
splendor Of foreign courts
The main Incidents Illustrative IT tho In
felicity of matrimonial alliance Of tho
daughter Of distinguished and wealthy
banker Of this city with fayofita and Cnurtier
Of the court OF Qpeen Christina Of Spain. and
of the subsequent disasters and misfoftunes
Of the father. were not seriously inaccurate
or fictitious But that part of hestory which
assumed the fathers approval aud encour-
age,n emit Of this alliance that IL occurred IN
Madrid instead Of Paris. end that the father
had any relations Of business with Queen
Christina and suffered his great reverses from
this marriage of his daughter, and that the
lady referred 10 had ever since lived In soa-
tiun and unhappness In some retired part ar
The United States, and other unimpottant In
cdpnts related In this version we have
authentic assurance that we were misled by
INSTRUMENTATION Of persons who might be pre-
stunned to have tho best opportunity Of know
Ing automatically what they and we related.
| 1t is with great pleasure we correct these
| errors.
| The banker referred to was for long time
one of our most honored citizens Tono other
man are we more largely Indebted for the
success OF our great railroad enterprises aud
! for the rescue from ruin Of our Gas Company
and for the establishment and maintenance oi
| several OF our most prosperous banking In
sttutions There was no citizen In bis day
who exercised his large Influence and en-
ployed hls large means and credit more lber-
ally and beneficialy for our city than this
gentleman. 1t Is with great pleasure and
satisfaction that We learn that our former
distinguished fellow citizen Ia now living IN
elegant retirement at Gheviot. nsar Cineln.
natl, enjoying that quiet and tndulging those
| ta,t es which are appropriate to n gentleman
Of culture who has borne more than his
share OF active duty and enterprise in great
affairs. BY his numerous old friends and
contemporaries the following description
which We clip from tho Cincinnati 1imeR, will
| be read with interest, and will serve rs n just
vlndiceton OF his fame from the undiscovered
criticism to which. like nil leading public
men. he may have been subisCted:
just beyond Cheviot, on tho Harrison pike
the travel to and from The city will see
about $50 yards south OF tho road. ut ono enc
OF handsome avenue, shaded by large ev
ergrepns, u story and-a-haf cottage. painted
u dark cream color, aud presenting In It's OK
/ terror HILLS fSGfptltS SGtnpHibnS nphLHeSSS t1
attract more than casuul attention. but with
| In It's walls he who gains admitianCa l.
charmed with the cOurtly grace and dignfied
! hospitality of its owner, aud filled with sur
prise Mt the rich and beautiful works Of ari
/ which surround him on every Side. i his if
Hampton Place, tho resdenCe OF james
Robb, and OF tho man and his homo we pro
i pose To talk.
Mr. Robb was born In Pennsylvania sixty.
! five wears ago aud In those three score and 0
| ri no buq hu6 an q n
corded to but few men. At the age OF tbir
teen he left his mothers home on loot, with
ont money or influence. to seek in the great
world his fame and his fortune. For eight
years he lived q changing life, but at twenty
ono he was made caehier Of the branch banh
at Morgantown w. Va, at d salary OF s80t
per year For tour years he held the position
Acceplably, and at the end Of that time re
moved to New OrleAns, where hs lived f0l
twenty-oDe years, making. during that pc
rtod, six voyages y Europe and fifteen tt
Cuha.
He began business in New Orleans as
banker. aud from 1893 To 857 was principal II
estab shiug eight banking and commercial
firms, In New Orleans, Philadelphia, NeV
York, San Francisco and Liverpool, England
Under the Free Banking Law Of Louisiana
he established the Bank Of JAS. Robb," will
a paid up capital Of 5000, 900, S520,O00 OF whicl
was put in by himself. his bank did no
suspend in the panic Of 1867 and still exist
as the Merchants Bank OF New Orleans.
In 1912 Mr. K Job was elected president o.
the New Orleans Gaslight and Banking Com
pany, with II paid up capital Of 81 100000.
In 1914 the Spanish Gasght Company wa
organized for lighting the city Of Havana
with an original capital Of 100000. all 0
which Mr.. Robb subscribed himself, and wa
made perpetual president. The capital OF tn
company was subsequently increased t
, $1,000 600, which was equally divided betwee
MIR. Robb and Maria Christina, Queen Mothe
OF Spain.
In 1854 Mr.. Robb was compelled to sell hi
interest To meet certain engagements 10
Southern railways am ounting to more tina
3 81 100000. The property wa very valuable
t and he lost $500 900 by the operation.
r In 1851 Mr.. Robb was made president OF tn
> railway oonvention at New Orleans, and a
' this time began the first successful attemp
!; at railroad uilding III Louisiana In Novem
: Der Of this year Mr.. Rpbb visited Nashvill
, to solicit the cooperation Of Tennessee i
:; works Of nternalimprovemeht,a and addresse
! the Legislature Of that State on the subject
z and i'm thp ha elected To TN