Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-09-23
PARSEES.
Some OF the Wealthy and Influential Mem
bers OF n High Eastern Caste.

Some of the Wealthy and Influential Mem
bers OF High Eastern Caste.
Foremost in the catalogue is Sir
Jamshedji Jijibhai, the first native
Baronct, who was born in the Gaik-
wars territory in 1888 and died rich,
respected and honorcd in 1859. twill
be new to many persons that this gen.
tleman was on board an English mer-
chant vessel when she was captured by
the French man-of-war, tho Belle
Poule, in 1906. He suffered no small
hardships between June, when he was
taken prisoner, and December, when
he was landed, somewhat forlorn, in
Calcutta. His statue by Marochctti
adorns the Town Hall of Bombay, and
we should add that to Lady Jamshedji
is due the splendid causeway which
connects Bombay with Salsctte, exc
cuted at cost of some Els, 900.
With good reason did the late Lord
Elphinstone declare a statue to be a
fitting expression of the gratitude of a
community toward man who had
spent quarter of n million in great
public works. Sir Jamshcdji left three
sons, who inherited their fathers spirit
with his wealth. The title is now borne
by the grandson, member of tho
Bombay Legislative Council and G..
S. 1. The families known by the title
of Patel. Modi, Banaji and Kama are
scarcely less honorcd. Kavasji (vul-
carly spelled Cowasjee) Patel dug a
large tank in the last century and gave
I,t 10 a. Ax L..
moneys traded with China, and some
of them fed thousands of starving
people in the great famine of Guzerat.
Their cognomen is really derived from
two English words, and is not. as
might be imagined, distorted
Oriental phrase. The mem
bers of the Wadia family have
been known as shipbuildcrs for a
century and half, and have launched
such ships as the Salsette and the Min
den, and recently have fitted out trans
ports for the Abyssnian and other ex-
petitions. Framji Kavasji distinguished
himself by improvements in agriculture,
and his model farm excited the ad mira
ton of Sir John Malcolm fifty years
ago. His brother Rostamji, witt two
of his sons, was we'll known as lead
ing merchant in Calcutta, and aston
ished the Bcngalcse by giving enter
tainments ut which the ladies Of the
family did not hesitate to appear.
Members of the Vikaji family became
farmers of the land and sea customs,
imported Berar cotton into Bombay,
and administered large districts be-
longing to the Nizam Of HydcrabaI. OF
late years Parsees have filled with
credit appointments in the Legislative
Council, and have been high shcrifls,
justices of the peace, and charmcn OF
the municipal corporation. Practi-
cally there is hardly profession in
which they have not been conspicuous.
More of them are now seeking en-
ployment in the public service. and in
past times they have, when necessary,
shown they could fight. But their
greatest successes have been achieved
as contractors, bankers, merchants,
manufacturers, and middlemcn. They
have on more than one occasion fol-
lowed our armies tn the field, and have
sold their goods in camp at Alden and
Kabul. Their generosity has known
no DIST notion Of race, sect or creed.
While they have built fire temples and
Dokhmas for their coreligiOnists they
have assisted the deserving Of all classes,
have contributed to patriotic objects in
England and in France, and have
compelled the Shah to do some justice
to their countrymcn in Persia. Satur-
dag Rcricw.