The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-31
The New Chief of the Irish 0rganiza,
ton in America

ton in America
Very little has been said, otherwise
than q mere mention of his election TO
the high and honorable position. of the
new president of the National
Irish League He received the Office
during the great convention held in Chi
cago ten days ago. at which Rock Island
was so ably represented, and sketch of
the distinguished gentleman will be in
tercsting to many.
John Fitzgerald. of Lincoln, Neh, is
tifty-seven years old. He was born in
Limerick, and was driven out of Ireland
by one or another of the numerous forms
of English coercion which has lmpOVGr~
ished the population OF that country for
decades past He landed in New York
with nothing that had the power to buy
bread, That was forty-twO years ago.
In the interval Mr. FItzgerald's fortunes
have mended It'would be more correct
TO sly that he has mended them, and
that in the immigrant boy of 1874 there
have developed rare qualities OF organs
zation, administration and, above all,
rare talent for the accumulation of wealth.
Today Mr.. Fitzgerald is three or four
times millionaire, and in more WAYS
than one would dispute with dir Egan
the position of the first Irish American
in Nebraska He made his beginning in
very humble way. Mr. Redmond, in one
of his speeches TO the convention, stat
ed with much complacency that many
of his countrymcn had aided in
building up the railroads and other
great institutions OF America. Mr. FItZ-
gerald was one of the legion to whom
this compliment was paid; his were of
the thousands of brown arms that were
barred in the rudest labor, which is 50
necessary factor in the construction Of
many of the railroads of the east. Ex-
ceeding his fellows in thrift and shrewd-
ness, he laid by from his small earnings
and began to take small contracts on his
own account. His undertakings pros
pered, and continued to grow until the
laborer had become great contractor,
with hundreds OF men under his control
Today-for the work still continues-Mr
Fitzgerald pays a weekly wage to no less
than two thousand men engaged upon
numerous enterprises. The wealth he
has accumulated has been put forth in
many directions. He has virtually built
up the city of Lincoln, Neb. into winch,
on his way westward, he at length drift
ed. He is the principal owner Of banks
in half dozen Nebraska towns, besides
owning stock in nearly every important
business enterprise in the state. Such is
the power OF wealth, wisely admins
tered, that he owns even a newspaper
the State Democrat, at Lincoln.
In all his prosperity Mr.. Fitzgerald has
preserved unchanged many of The quail
ties which make his name welcome in
every Irish American home. First of all,
he is an Irishman still, of the most robust
and unrelenting character. During the
Fenian troubles of 1867, it is said
that Mr.. Fitzgerald greatly embar-
raised himself to raise fund OF $75,-
900 for the purchase of arms for the in>
sur gents. Since that time until The es>
Establishment Of the National League he
spent large sums annually upon the cause,
and since the founding of the League his
purse has always been open to its needs.
Mr.. Fitzgerald is said by his friends to
have taken on none of that arrogance so
often displayed by the parUenu rich. OF
the pride of wealth, which forgets an
humble part in the intoxication of present
prosperity, he knows nothing. He is John
Fitzgerald Lstill-plain and easy of APP
proach. Sensible of his own defects-foi
he never was permitted the benefit of an
early education-he has reared family
without false pride and with no ambition
greater than to be able to carry well the
position to which their fathers success
has entitled them.