Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-26
TRENOR ". PARK.

TRENOR ". PARK.
A Poor Peddler Boy, After Busy Life,
Dies Worth $7,OOf,OO
Washington Star.l
Trenor w. Park, president Of the Panama
Railroad company, took passage for Aspin-
wall on the Pacific Mail steamer San Bias,
which sailed from New York, Dec. 10. A
dispatch from Aspinwall, published in
Wednesdays Stor, said that Mr.. Park died
on the morning of the 18th, two days after
the steamer left port. The Immediate cause
OF his death was paralysis. The remains
have been embalmed, and will be brought to
New York by the same steamer. Mr.. Park
was born in Bennington, VT, and We
fifty mine years of age. His family pos
sessed no wealth, and his early surround
ings were of the most humble character.
His education was self-acquired and his
fortune was of his own making. As
youth he drove peddler's wagon over the
Green mountains, and when young man
he studied and practiced law in his native
town. In 1852 Mr.. Park went to Califor-
mia. He had married daughter of Hon.
Highland Hall, who for several years repre-
sented the Bennington district in congress
and afterward became governor of the
state. During President Fillnore's ad-
ministration Gov. Hall was appointed
second comptroller of the treasury, and
was sent to California to investigate and
settle land titles. Mr.. Park accompanied
his father -in-law to San Francisco,
where he established himself in the prac-
tice of the law. He speedily became
one of the most prominet lawyers in that
state, and during the ten years he remained
in San Francisco there was hardly case
of any Importance, especially if title to
real estate was involved, in which Mr..
Park did not appear as counsel. He won
great distinction at the California bar and
also acquired great deal of property.
He became interested in the Mariposa aud
other mining companies, some of which,
including the Mariposa, he disposal of to
eastern capitalists. At one time he was
member of the law firm of Hallock, Poechy,
Billings & Park, and afterward of the firm
of Shafer, Park & Hydenfeld. In 1868
Mr.. Park came to New York, where he
had resided about half of each year, spend
ing the balance of his time at the palatial
home which he had built for himself
at North Bennington. AS railroad
manager, Mr.. Park is best know n
by his connection with the Panama
railroad. He invested largely in the stock
of that company about twelve years ago,
when its market value was about $11O to
$115 per share. For several years past he
has been president of the company. He
owned about $4,000 shares of it's stock,
which, with other stockholders, he sold
about two years ago to the De Lesseps'
Panama Canal company for $3.50 share.
BE received about s., 10000 for his stock,
as we'll as about 5000, 900 of the undivided
cash in the treasury of the company at the
time the sale was made. His first railroad
experience, however, was in connection
with Hon. Russell Sage. About twenty
years ago they jointly bought a majority
of the first mortgage bonds of the Western
Vermont railroad, when it's finances were
in demoralized condition. Sage subse-
quently sold out to Park, reorganized
the road as the Bennington & Rutland
railroad. Mr.. Park was president of
the company at the time of his death,
though he recently sold the road. He
came most prominently before the public
in the suits brought against him by the
English stockholders of the Emma mining
company. He sold the mine in England
when Mr.. Schenck was the American
minister to the court of st. james. rs
the mine did not fulfill the expectations of
the purchasers, they sued Mr.. Park, and a
long litigation followed, Mr.. Park settling
all claims against him on account of the
transaction, and at the time of his death
he was the principal owner of the mine,
and expressed himself as confident of its
being valuable property. He was large
ly interested in the Lebanon Springs
railroad, which is now in the hands of a
receiver and involved in litigation. Mr..
Park was one of the active directors in the
Pacific Mail steamship company, presi-
dent of the Arlington bank and direc-
tor in other Vermont banks. He
was largely interested in and an officer Of
the Hudson River Tunnel company. OF
late years he was large operator in Wall
street, both as an investor and operator,
and made and lost large amounts. His
fortune is estimated by those most likely
to know at about 81 100000. 1t is believed
that he has provided literally in his will
for certain charitable projects of which
he spoke with interest during his latter
years. Last summer he provided for the
vacation in the country of large number
of poor children of this city. He contem-
plated building home for poor children
and old people at Bennington, in memory
of his first wife. He gave the town mag
nifcent park. His first. wife died
in 1875. By her he had two
daughters, Mrs. J. G. Mccullough and Mrs.
F. B. Jennings, and son, Trenor L. Park,
who is studying in Harvard university.
About year ago he married a daughter of
A. G. Nichols, a prominent merchant of
San Francisco. His wife and his secretary,
Mr.. @. G. Lincoln, were with him when he
died. Mr.. Park was of small stature, and
possessed of great activity of body as we'll
as of mind. His smooth, pale face, small
sharp eyes and firm, thin lips would attract
attention in any gathering of men. He was
of sanguine and speculative dis position
and shrewd and persistent to an extraor-
dinary degree. He had been in failing
health for several months.
A Puzzle Solved.
Congreve, in his comedy ''Love for Love,''
makes Valentine say, it would puzzle an arlth-
metican:. TO tell whether the Bible saves more