The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-07-22
OF JOHN BURNSIDE.
by his First BOOk.Kceper in New
Orleans.

by his First BOOk.Kceper in New
Orleans.
Many and various accounts OF the
Lille and antecedents of the subject OF
this sketch have appeared in the daily
press of this city, some very wide OF
the mark, Othcrsapproaching nearer to
truthfulness, but all more or less defec-
tive.
The object of these "reminiscences IS
to give true history of the man SO far
az it fell under the eye Of tho writer
during service with him of over four
years, including his career in Virginia
and in this city.
In the summer of 1884 the writer
found him in the town of Union, Mon
roe county, Va, doing business under
the firm name of Beirne & burnside,
his then partner being Andrew Beirne,
Jr. The latter was plain farmer, TAX
ing no active part in the conduct Of the
store, which was OF the usual character,
Mr.. burnside being the sole manager.
He appeared then to be young man
of about 35 years of age, very active,
industrious and economical, an aPpar- |
emit lover of money for simply moneys |
sake.
The writer left him in December of
the same year for Now Orleans, and
remember to have said to him at part
ing: HCome to New Orleans MIR.
Burnside, where l am going there you
will have fine open field for the dis
play of those qualities of money maxi
| ing which you possess. You have
ample means and an old and splendid
credit in New York and Philadelphia,
made and sustained by Col. Beirne be-
fore you formed this partnership; good
| h1,o (t>,,,o IN Na%y nr}nQ I thOnOftt
no more Of it until one day late in the
summer of 1886, who should call upon
me in Poydras street, but the veritable
/ John Burnside. He said he was merely
prospecting along down the Mississippi,
looking in at Memphis, Vicksburs,
Natchez, Baton Rouge, etc, and would
return by Mobile and take notes at
that place also.
The writer heard no moro from him
that summer. In the fall, however,
lae returned with stock of general dry
goods and opened at No. 80 Charities
street. In the spring and summer of
1887 the writer was solicited again to
take charge Of his books, which he
assented to, and there remained till the
year 1871, leaving the firm to accept tho
position Of general book-keeper in the
Bank of Louisiana, but still attending
to tho books of the firm and holding
their per pro. until the arrival home of
Mr.. Burnside late in the fall of that
year, bringing with him my successor,
n Mi. Howard. The firm was then as
it was at the beginning, but Oliver
Beirne, Jr., had taken the place of his
brother Anlrow Beirne, Jr., some two
years previous to 1911. The years 1881,
1899, and 1871 were years of terrible
financial panics in this country, and
0rcfaY of
magnitude succunbed to their fury.
Bcirne & Burnside sustained them
selves admirably by the timely and
r ample assistance offered them by the
+, wealthy family of old Col. Andrew
Beirnc and tho Bank of Virginia, pre-
sided over by sOn-in-law Of Col.
Beirnc. Scarcely II solvent house was
left in Now Orleans in those days re-
ferred to. Gasquets, Tulane, Slocomb,
Whitney and Stark, and a half dozen
more, perhaps, were tho only ones
whose credit remained unimpaired.
In the year 1871, when the writer left
Beirne & Burnside, Mr.. Burnside had.
surmountcd all his difficulties, the
firm was making $20O,00 in press pro-
fits, and from that time his fortune
rapidly increased and to use his surplus
money bought up lnortgagcd paper of
such wealthy sugar planters as Preston,
Manning & Co., until by the necessity
of the case he had to buy their planta-
lions, and hence his career as Il sugar
planter of Louisiana. This is we'll
known. He became immensely wealthy
before the war, but lost heavily by
slaves, etc. as many slave holders did.
The secret of his wealth lay in his sim
pic abstemioils labitsa and close personal
expenses. He had no bad habits indus
trio,,s and economical to almost peruri=
BUSINESS; he grew rich in spite of him
self. He had no friends in II social
sense ; never joined in festive scenes of
any kind.
No wife, no children, no relatives of
any degree that tho writer ever heard
of, he lived apart from the world, hav
ing no sympathy in common with its
great heart. He lived for himself
alone. He had what might be termed
II hard heart. not touched by the most
tender appeals for charity, yet he was
Kind to his employees ana just toward
all men. He was strictly honorable
and honest in his dealings with all
men.
1t is mete and proper that he left
Oliver Beirne. Jr., for his executive and
lcgatec. From that family hc received