The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-12-11

J~ASA NtOAA IL tuC OAuCO VI u WuOl66dl6 QFy
goods firm, and remained there, keeping
books for three years. Getting tired of his
employment, he made trip through Ontario
and went home to Scotland.
AT this time there were no railways and on
ly one canal--Lachine to Montreal-in the
Dominion. On Nov. 80, 1880, he started from
Quebec for Greenock, where he remained dur
ing the winter. He visited early in the fol-
lowing spring, Liverpool, Manchester and
London, and, in the course of his tour, he saw
the first railway in operation. 1t was from
Liverpool to Manchester, and was the only one
in the United Kingdom. On April 5, 1881, he
set sail again for Montreal, and, on landing,
was offered clerkship in the shipping Office of
James Millar. At first he was engaged in the
shipbuilding department, and, subsequently,
in buying wheat for expectation to England.
In 1885, Mr.. Millar gave him junior partner
ship,and soon after sent him to England to rep
resent the firm there. Soon after arriving in
England he found that one of the ships belong
ing to the firm had been wrecked, and an
agent was applying for the insurance with
which he intended to pay his own liabilities
Legal steps were taken to prevent his getting
e-O AAVoOJg ouN MI EAllldE WAS W6ii SdJlbQ6Q
with his exercise of Judgment. He returned
to Montreal in time to join the volunteers en-
gagged in putting down the rebellion of 1887
and attained the rank Of captain. In that year
two steamships crossed the Atlantic to New
York, proving that it was possible for steam
ships to carry coal enough to make the pas
sage. Being anxious to learn the practical
passage on the Liverpool from New York on
Dec. IA, 1887, and, after a 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 Montre-
al, and shortly afterward Mr.. MIlIar died.
He was induced at 4hat time by Lord Syden-
ham, the Governor General to tender pro-
posals for building steamship for the royal
navy, and he obtained the contract The yes
sci was sent home, and it sgave great satisfac-
ton. In 1916, Andrew Allan, his brother,
Came out from Scotland, and was admitted in
to the firm under the style of FL. & A. Allan.
After his fathers death in 1851, he resolved on
building steamships of iron, fitted with pro-
pellers. The Canada was the first, and she
made hsr first trip in 1853 In the following
summer he received the Canadian mail cop-
tract, which has been retained up to the pres
ent From that time the firm continued
building iron steamers, until at present there
are in the Allan fleet 26 first-class steamers,
I6O,O0o tons burden, and twelve iron ships
For ten years past the firm has been its own
Insurers, and has derived great profit from
being sv.
He was the promoter of that most successful
and national undertaking, the Montreal Tele-
graph Company and he was also an original
shareholder, and Director of the Atlantic
Gable Telegraph Company besides being large
~ interested in the Western Union Telegraph
company. vi the successful local Canadian
enterprises OF which he has been an original
promoter and President and was, at the time of
his death, interested in, we NAV mention the
Canadian Inland Navigation Company, with
their hne line OF steamers between Montreal
and the west, Cornwall Manufacturing Compa-
ny, Acadian Coal Company, Mulgrave Gold
Mining Company, Vermont and Canada Mar
Bile Company, Canada Rolling Stock Company,
Lake Memphremagog Navigation COMPANY.
Montreal Warehousing Company Citizens
Insurance Company, Merchants Bank Per-
manent Building Society, Montreal Elevator
Company, Adams Tobacco Factory Hudson
Cotton Company and several other associa-
tions In Montreal, which with their shipping
line have materially tended toward the devei-
opment of that place, making it the first citv
OF the Dominion in wealth, business and COM
mercial importance. In his half century of
mercantile pursuits he has never had to ask
any extensions, offer compromise, or suspend
payment.
SIR Hugh was a man of most active habits,
never missing day at his office, and proven bi-
ally puDctual in attending all the meetings of
companies over which he presided or was inter-
ested IN. In 1871 he was knighted by the Queen
IN London for his efforts in establishing steam
communication between Canada and the moth
Or country. During the visit of the Prince of
wales, Prince Arthur and other members of
the royal family, he entertained them in
princeiy fashion. He had the finest residence
IN the city, and his hospitality was unbounded
Being staunch member of the Old Kirk of
scotland, he strenuously opposed the union of
PresbyterianS in Canada, and contributed lib
orally to the legal proceedings connected with
the great temporalities law suits before the
priVy council in England. He never took part
In politics, and resisted all efforts made to get
him to come forward Being devoted solely TO
business pursuits, it was said he was dragged
into the great Pacific railroad scandal in which
MS name was SO prominent, and which cost
MIN $780, 200, against his own judgment, and
Ior Wnlcn ne never got one cent in return.
Deceased married Matilda, second daughter of
the late John Smith, wholesale dry goods
merchant, aud had thirteen children.
twelve OF whom survive, eight daughters and
four sons. -Four of the former are married to
British army officers and live in England
Lady Allan died over year ago. Sir Hugh
left for ENGLAND about month since in order
to raise money on bonds for the Colonization
Railway in the Northwest. He was successful
ln his mission. AS usual, and was about to leave
Liverpool on the Sarmatian Saturday for home,
but deferred his departure for week
The deceased brought up his sons to his own
business, and all are most promising young
men, His surviving brother, Andrew Allan,
who resides In Montreal, will now be the head
of the firm. An elder brother died short
time ago in Glasgow, but there are still two
surviving in that city. They have limited in
terests in the firm. but the deceased and An
drew were the principal owners Sir Hugh's
loss will be mourDed all over the Dominion,
and in that city he cannot be replaced. His
capital, energy and enterprise, in an admitted
ly great measure, built up Montreal. He was
great patron of the drama, and built an ele-
CANT academy Of music costing 100000 which
has never paid the interest on the outlay. He
was generous to every charitable and good
work going on; he took great pride in the city,
which he witnessed rising from hamlet into
commercial metropolis. About year ago he
delivered lecture on bis "reminiscences, from
which much of this sketch is takns