New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-10


which Mr.. Dodge wont to relate
about this period of his career indicates how
etronclv even then was developed in him tDat
.union of enterprise and helpfulnoss which was so
marked an element in his character till the ehd'
Three Connecticut peders coming in the store
with their packs, he, TO the scahuai
of his partner, invited them to make the STORE their
headquarters for the shipment of purchased goodS'
writing of letters and examination or DIS agree
Sng to ship their purchases whether mace al MS
store or not. The offer was accepted the pedlers
became excellent customers of the new business,
and grew up to fill prominent places in
commercial and social circles one becoming New
England bank president, another extensive
Connecticut manufacturer and the third one of the
pubic-spirited men of Ohio
About the year 1880 Mr. Dodge married the
second daughter of Arson G. Phelps, Daniel
james, the father of ID. Willis James, having
married the elder daughter Mr.. Phelps had
founded the manufacturing towns of Ansonia and
Birmingham, and with Elisha Peck had built up
very important business in the importation
of metals The firm in New-York was
known as Phelps Peck; in Liverpool
the style was Peck & Phelps. The firm had just
built new store at Fulton and Cliff SITS, when in
March, 1888, the foundations gave way, the build
ing fell and seven persons were crushed to death.
Among them were two bookkeepers and con-
fdental salesman, whose loss crippled the
firms working force. Mr.. Phelps then turned to
his sons-in-law, and Mr.. James and Mr.. Dodge
were invited into the office There they remained
year or more, when the business was reorganized,
and the house of Phelps, Dodge & Co. was estab-
lished. Mr.. James went to Liverpool and
took charge of the English branch,
known as Phelps James Il Co. The
partners were Arson G. Phelps. William L. Dodge,
I,,a., IS
the house, already of some magnitude when the
change was made thrived under the keen. wise and
energetic policy of Mr.. Dodge, and for long time
it has been one OF the largest firms in
the country. Mr.. Dodge was the last of the origi-
nal partners TO die, and he retained an interest in
the house until January l, 1881. Mr.. Stokes, like
his young colleague, sOn-in-law of the senior
partner, and though the number of partners has
since then for a period numbered nine. they have
all been sons and grandsons of the original MEM
bers.
The old firm was dissolved on January l, 1870
but Mr.. Dodge remained associated with the pres
ent partners, d. Willis James and William L.
Dodge, r., as special partner for two years there
after. During all the years Of his active COM
mercial &c he almost daily at his Office. being
found usually at his desk as early as O'clock in
the morning Energy, cearness OF purpose direct
OF method, order and grasp OF detail were among
his characteristics "a a business man. tie handed
vast interests bur always had time 10 devote TO the
multitude of religious aud phllanthrOpc works III
which he interested.
More than forty ago Mr. Dodge bought a tract of
timber land on Pine Greek, Penn. and built saw
mil at jersey Shore. This was the beginning
of his operations in lumber, which
ne extended into Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia
TexaS. West Virginia and Canada, IN ali OF which
he owned tracts ranging IN extent from 100000 to
300 600 acres. He was for twelve years director
of the Erie Railroad the early period of the his
tory OF that road, aud originated many enterprises
of equal magnitude. In a lie ter written il 1870 Mr.
Dodge described the circumstances under which he
assisted in the organization of the Lackawanna
Iron and Coal Company and the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna aud Western Railroad, as follows:
My Tecollectons OF the early efforts Of the MesSrs.
Scranton which resulted IN giving character 10 what
the 6ourshing city OF scranton. are very vivid.
was then of the Erie Railroad ana the supply
OF rails Delaware Division, then almost
sibe. very serious problem The Mc~srs scranton
then had small furnace ana rolling mil at what was
then generally known as SOcums Hollow" They made
proposition TO the Erie Railroad 10 furnish the rails Tor
part OF the rad at given price and distribute Them along
The line provided the company would advance them
100000 TO enable them 10 enlarge their works offering
OF which were coal lands Mr.. Benjamin Loder and my
and report We made Journey there taking three
days passing over the old 900 . bunker Turnpike and
mainly OF wJrkmen. We were greatly pleased with all
we saw and particularly with the prospective value of
arrange their works in time for us; and fearing
appointment the proposition was declined
Having then formed the acquaintance of Mcssrs.
George W. and Sedcn T. Scranton and seeing the i'm
pOrtance OF their location and the value Of Il cir prop
ery. invited them 10 come TO the city and having
ranged plan for charging their works aud increasing
their capital invited some thirty gentlemen To
INV Office. where plan presented and the pro
posed subscribed that day and the
panY formed under the name OF the Lackawanna Iron an
Coal Company, my late partner MI Arson g. Phelps.
heading the list followed by myself and the fun amount
was made up by the of Mcssrs LOGcr, Datcr
Miller sIagne sturgcs, Buckley, Phelps. Rogers How
land Blair Murdoch and others. The present extensive
iron works tells the rest
\ few years later Colonel Scranton undertook 10
the capital to build the Lequett Gap road 10
tend from Scranton Great Bend; again invited
nifty gentlemen meet Mt my office to consider the pro-
pany were present who with Others started sub
scipiou. which before was headed by Nh Phelps. This
secured success, the iron company taking large
amount of stock and also furnishing the rails.
Soon after this under way plan for road from
the New-crsey Central to Scranton started by
Scranton. he having secured an old charter IN Penn
sylyania and Mr. Blair having also secured that Of the
Warren road. meeting called and It's great I'M
portance 10 the city was set forth III one OF Colonel
scranions very best addresses Inc result was me com
mcncement of the Delaware and susquehaDn8 Railroad,
wanna and Western which has than met the most
sanguinc predictions Of It's early projectors.
Nh. Dodge was elected a trustee OF the Atlantic
Mutual Marine Insurance Company in 1917. lIe
was one of the founders of the Mutual Lie Insur-
ance Company, becoming a trustee III 1896, and Tor
wears was a trustee OF the United States Trust Com
pany. lie a member Of the boards of direction
of the Delaware, Lackawanna aud Western, the
New-York, Lackawanna and Western, the Morris
aud Essex, the Oswcgo and syracuse, the Utica,
Chenango and Susquehanna Valley, the Cayuga
and Slsquehanna, and the Syracuse, Bngl anton
and New York railroad companies, and the Ldcka-
wanna Iron and Coal Company.
Mr. DOdge's wealth at the time of his death was
estimated at about S0,OOOOOO. On this point an
intimate friend said yesterday Mr. DOdge's
holdings in railroad properties have been heavy at
times, but do not belIeye that they will be found
to form an important part of his es ate. HIS inter-
est in Delaware, Western and Lackawanna and its
kindred properties was small at the time
of his death, he not interested III other
railroads when he died, and lie never held heavy
amounts of bank stocks or other securities. | estl-
mate his wealth at between S3,00O,OO0 and
So O00. 000 His property consists principally of
pine lands in Georgia and the lands IN Canada
which he took when he settled the affairs Of his
sons firm after it failed. The land III Georgia is
in Dodge County, named after him."
In politics Mr. Dodge was Republican. He was
amember of the Union Defence Committee, organ
lied by the Chamber of Commerce early in the war.