Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-04-03
SIR HUGH ALLAN.
World telling the story of
his Business life.
IFrom the New York Sun. I


MONTREAL, Feb. 81. Sir Hugh
Allan, the millionaire head of the
largest shipping firm III the world,
came before large audience here
last evening to relate, for the benefit
of the young mems society, the his
tory of his life.
With very little preface Sir Hugh
said that alter receiving q common
school education in his native Ayr
shire, Scotland. be entered, at 15
years of age. shipping house i'll
Greenock, where he remained one
year. By the advice of his father,
who was a ship captain engaged in
the trade between the Clyde and
Montreal. he went to Canada. arriv-
ing III Montl cal May 81, 1926. At
that time there was only one steamer,
a small tugboat. on the ST. Lawrence.
The aspect of Montreal was very dit
ierent 10 what it is at present, there
being no wharves. Shortly after his
arrival he was offered by fellow
passenger who was in the dry goods
trade III Montreal a situation as clerk
in his store, which was accepted. He
remained there three years, learning
and his savings, after the most frugsl
living, amounted to only 500. He
determined to return home, but be.
fore doing so he made brief visit to
New York and Niagara. At this
time there were no railways and only
one canal-Lichine to Montreal-il
The Dominion. On November 80
1880, he started from Quebec fol
Greenock, where he renamed during
the winter. He visited, early in the
following spring, Liverpool, M,n-
chester and London, and, in the
| course OF this tour, he saw the first
! railway in operation. 1t was from
Liverpool to Manchester, and was
the only one III the United Kingdom
On April 5, 1881, he set sail again
tor Montreal, and on landing was Of
fcrrd clerkship in the shipping off ce
of James Millar. AT first he was en-
gagged in the ship-building depart
ment, and subsequently, in buying
wheat for expectation TO England. In
1885 Mr.. Millar gave him a junior
partnership, and soon after sent him
to England to represent the firm
there. Soon after arriving in Eng
land he tonnd that one of the ships
belonging to the firm had been wreck
ed and an agent was applying for tie
insurance, with which he intended 10
pay his own liabilities. Legal steps
were taken to prevent his getting the
money land Mr.. Miilar was we'll salts
fed with the exercise of judgment.
The speaker said that he returned
to Montreal i'll time to join the vol.
unteers engaged in putting down the
rebellion Of 1887. In that year two
steamships crossed the Atlantic to
New York, proving that it was pos
sibie for steamships to carry coal
enough to make the passage. Being
anxious to learn the practical work
lngs OF steamer on the Atlantic, he
took passage Oh the Liverpool from
New York on Dec. IA, 1887, and, al
ter tedious voyage, having had to
make for the Azores to get coal, he
arrived in Liverpool after being
given up as lost. In 1888 he returned
again to Montreal, and shortly after
ward Mr.. MiIlar died. He was in
duced at that time by Lord Syden-
ham, the gevernor-geuerai,t to tender
proposals Tor building 4 steamship
for the royal navy, and he obtained
the contract
The vessel was sent home. and il
gave great satisfaction In 1916
Andrew Allan, his brother. CAME OUT
from Scotland, and was admitted in.
to the firm under the style of "A. &
A. Allau. After his fathers death in