The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-08-01
OUR LETTER FROM BROADBR,M
Failure of John Roach, the Shtp-builder-
A Solar Wave-lsush for the Seaside
Criminal Notes - Midsummer Opera
Death fGen. Grant.

fatIuro Of John Roach, the Shtp.bu1ld0f-
A Solar Wave-ltush for the Seaside
Criminal Notes - Midsummer Opera
Death ofGen. Grant.
NEW York, July 25, 1885.
EDITOR CHIEF:
One OF the sensations of the week has
been the failure of the great ship builder
John Roach-a failure that will bring sad
ness to many homes. Though John Roach
was born in Ireland, and is an honor to the
land that gave him birth, he was reared in
our midst from boyhood, and was a splen-
did example to the poor and industrious
man of the wonderful possibilities of our
American life, and in heart and feeling was
as truly an American as any son of the soil
born within the limits of the Union.
1t is hard to understand what satisfaction
any one can feel at the downfall and mis-
fortunes Of such man; yet certain class
of papers in the city gloat over his ruin as
if he were pirate and thief, instead of
man who is held in the highest honor by
those who know him best-a working man
and the friend of working men-a consid-
crate employer and generous patron-a
man whose word was his bond, and whose
paper was discounted by millions at the
banks at the lowest rates because they knew
John Roach was an honest man. The fierce
competition of business has brought him
in constant conflict with men in the same
line as himself, and he generally came off
victorious; and that American ship-build-
ing was not utterly crushed out of existence
is as much due to John Roach as to any liv-
ing man. Five hundred vessels of various
classes have been turned out of his yard g,
three hundred of them being of iron; many
of which are as noble specimens of naval
architecture as ever sailed the sea. The re-
port of his assignment fell on the commu-
nifty like thunder clap, causing eensa-
ton that would hardly have been felt if we
had recorded the news that Jay Gould had
been blown up on the Atlanta or Wander
bilt had perished in railroad disaster.
It is only few months since attended
meeting where Mr.. Roach spoke and told
the story of the struggles of his early life,
and of the possibilities that the United
States offer to the man who is persevering,
industrious and honest. On that night he
could have drawn his check for a million Of
dollars, and there is not bank in the land
which knew the man and had the money in
its vaults, that would have hesitated to cash
it. To-day he is bankrupt, hunted down
in his old age by men who have bounded
him for years, and who at last have sue
ceeded in comprising his ruin. Mr.. Roach
is an old man, and it is possible that the
cruel blow which struck him down is irrep-
arabic and fatal; but the misery of his
downfall will not be felt alone in the sor-
rowfol shadow of his own home; the thou
sands of skilled mechanics and laborers
who have depended on him for support will
feel it more grievously than he, and for
them and their suffering families can not
but feel the deepest commiseration. We
have known John Roach for many years
IN New York; he has grown up in our midst,
and his failure is regarded by all who know
him in the light of public calamity.
The last week has been simply terrible
the thermometer climbing to the nineties
every day and frequently getting in danger
GUS proximity Of two O0s. 1t was torrid
heat, against which it was impossible to
fight, and before which all nature wilted
limp and helpless. People fed from tie