New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE LATE ROBERT Is. MINTURN.
A TRIBUTE TO his MEMORY FROM MR. THURLow



To The Editor OF me Tribune
STR In your appropriate obituary notice of the
sudden death of John w. Minturn, with an histori-
cal tribute 10 the character of the old and reputable
commercial house with which he was connected,
there is a missing link which desire to supply. Ex-
cellent and estmable az were the several members
of the old firms of Fish & Grinncll Grinnell, Min
turn & Co, the master spirit was Robert Is. Mntun
who was in its best and broadest sense " Merchant
Prince" an enterprising citizen, practical phlan-
thropist and devoted Christian. Nearly forty years
ago, when emigrants plundercd by boarding
house keepers. runners and railroad agents. Mr.
Miutum responded to an appeal for their
protection. He efficiently aided me in establishing
Castle Garden as an emigrant depot That bencvO-
lent enterprise encountered violent opposition from
Mayor Wood, the Almshouse Commissioners and
other leading politicians, who had been using the
emigrant head money in the elections. MI. Mintun
was named with Gulian c. Verplanck
William +. Havemeyer. Gregory Dillon. Jacob
Harvey, etc. etc, Emigrant Commissioners
duty TO which he devoted himself during the first
wear of ship fever with all the and ten
derness of a Sister of Charity. From that day
hundreds of thousands of emigrants have not only
been protected in Castle Garden from robbcrcs
extortions and every other conceivable wrong but
have been furnished with needed information and
with steamboat and railroad tickets at the lowest
rates and in other ways facilitated and cheered on
to their homes i'll the West.
When our citizens first realized the necessity Of n
park pronlotive of health and happiness Joncss
Wood was deemed suitable locality. But attrac-
tive as il was Mr.. Minturn believed that one more
central with larger was needed, and after
sharp Legislative conflict between the rival inter-
csts Mr.. Miutum's idea adopted. The Jonoss
Wood project was strongly supported 10y the late
James W. Bcckman then in the Senate. Tho Central
Park plan had the cordial support Of Governor
Morgan who was then q Senator. Mr.. Mninn was
urged to allow his name to be- placed in the bill as
Park Commissioner lint having been active in it,
support sense Of dclicacy prompted him to decline.
Good men, however were found for Park Commits
soncrs and that great enterprise, oruamentlng and
blessing our city aud citizens, was an inspiration oil
Robert b. MutuTn.
When the encroachmcnts Of docks and wharycs
were narrowing tie channels rapidly 20 endan-
ger the commerce of our city Mr.. Miuturn asked for
the passage of law appointing COMMISSIONERS 70
establish an exterior line. As large pecuniary inter
est and rights were 10 lee affected. II was important
that fine Commissioners should be men Of high intel
lgence great frnneSs, and Of proyerbial integrity.
The Commissioners appointed with the approval Of
Mr. Minturn were, if l remember rightly, James
Bowen. of this city: George W. Patterson. Of Chau-
tauqua County; Elias W. Lcaycnworth, Of SYRIA
cuse Preston King. of Ocdensburg and either
Edward Dodd of Washington County, or John Van
derbilt of Kings County Thcirduty WAS faithfully
discharged. and thenceforth harbor encroachnentS
ceased.
In the palmisst days ~ Ncw-Yorks commercial
prosperity our merchants were distinguished alike
for enterprise intelligence public spirit PATRIOTISM
berality and last. yet by means least for their
| bodntiful and refined Inequalities. or the class
known as merchant princess half a century ago
| prominent among whom were Philip Hone \. a e..
! Criswold Samuel and John Ward, Jonathan Good
| hue Gardner Rowland. Jonathan Sturgess. Isaac
| Carew. William II. Aspinwall, Moses H. Grnn"H'
etc. etc. the venerable Charles II. Russell, with the
somewhat more youthful Moses Taylor are. as far AS
| / remember. the only survivors. 7. W.
Neto- York. May /, 1881.