Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-03-01

EY[A< <4lyrSf~ttl to-day as clear a. the
9XTNt.Hfr@ Of Perpetual Youth.
NO Witch be seems TO
W. W. Corcor9a. have spped- HIS
body. barring his slight paralytic stroke, works
as well as when. years ago. he was one Of the
eest horseback riders in the District OF Coiun-
biA His digestion does not trouble him, and
he sleeps Ike plowboy He has q remarkable
head Large, full-featured and handsome, It's
forehead IS broad, high and intellectual. Its
nose Is straight and the mouth firm, but pleas
ant His Jaw is a. strong rs that OF sam Ran
dali but IS more clean in its cut and the lines
about IL are more gentle. Mr.. Corcoran's mus
taehe is OF frosted silver. and his features
show all the signs Of culture. He dresses In
exquisite taste. and there is no better picture
OF the fashionable gentleman OF to-day. His
clothes are OF the finest material and the latest
cut though there is nothing suobbish or strik-
ing about them. and his only ornament 10 the
coral pin n his dark necktie."
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE
Mr.. Corcoran was born in Georgetown His
father was mayor Of that village when Wash
ington had no existence. and Mr.. Corcoran held
among bis valued possessions the house in
which he first saw the light and Ia his will he
expressed desire that the old home be kept In
the family. He started business life very yoans
having had taste OF class cal education and a
short term AZ the Georgetown College At six
teen years OF age. when his father had been ap-
pointed by President Madison postmaster Of
Georgetown, he left school contrary to his
fathers wishes, and went into the drv goods
store Of his brothers. James and Thoma.
Corcoran- His ability became so ap-
parent that they established him two
years later In q store OF his own. and he
succeeded well until the panic Of iss3 when
on one day 5000 OF his bills receivable went
to protest The result was, he failed He was
at this time twenty-five years Of age. and be
compromised with some Of his ere iitors at rfty
per cent, and from Others received n discharge
in full. In 1877, however. he had made a second
fortune, and he then computed the interest due
from himself and his brothers To each OF these
creditors, and. adding this To the principal, he
paid the sum In full. which was then more
than double the original amount. From dry
goods he went to banking first as an employe
ana afterwards rs partner and for years the
| firm Of Corcoran s Rigs 81 od As high in
Washington, as that Of the Rothschliis in Lon
don He took charge Of the Mexican loans when
no one else would handle them and pl aced part
OF them in six OF the wealthiest houses in Lon
don He bought United ates securities him
SELF and made fortune out Of their rise VIII
the New York bankers predicted that the
country was gong to ruin. One OF his charac-
terstlcs was TO have an immed ate answer to
any proposition. business or otherwise, and Of
knowing his own mind and saying IT. In 1854
the firm Of Corcofan & Riggs was dissolved,
and at this time MFR. Corcoran retired from act
i've business. During the last generation he
has only attended 10 his own fortune, to the
cultivation Of his mind and to the disposi-
tion Of his millions to charity
He told friend one time: "I have known
all the Presidents since Washington I was
born, you knew. the year before Washington
| died and saw jefferson while he was In the
White House. His business agent Mr.. John
! Barnes resided at Georgetown, and Presiden,
Jefferson o'fen rode over TO see him. He sat
his nery b. q well, and he would gallop up
the street and throw the hridle over tho pos,
In front OF the store. afterwards visited him
AZ Monticello and became somewhat &C
4uainted with his great ability. I saw John
Adams At his home in Quincy, Mass. remem-
her he was lying on the lounge when I
came IN. He gave me his hand and, during my
chat with him, found his mind bright and
ciear- He referred TO his old age and. pointing
10 his weakened body, said: MY physical
house Is out of order. and the landlord has
warned me that he will make no further re-
pairs President Madison / knew well during
his presidency, and have visited him at Mont
pellcE. Dolly Madison and myself were &C
auainted for years. and John Quincy Adams did
his banking business with me As for such
young men rs Polk Pierce and Buchanan Of
course knew them, and during the tour took
through Europe in 1855. President Fillmore was
with me-"
The house Mr.. Corcoran occupied for the last
years Of his life was once owned by Daniel
Webster. II was bought for the statesman by
his Boston friends when he was Secretary OF
State. When Webster left the. Cabinet he
found that he could not afford 10 keep up so
expensive an establishment. and Mr.. COrcOran
became its owner. He also became Daniel
Webster's banker. and Webster went 10 Cor
coran whenever he was in need o. money. As
he grew older HIS debts became greater. and
one day. after he had made his extraordinary
speech on the Missouri Compromise in the SEN
ate, Mr.. Webster received a package OF papers
from Mr.. Corcoran containing the cancel
alton Of all his Indebtedness 20 him
The Corcoran mansion is grander
now than IL was when Webster dined
and wined the diplomats within IT, Wings
have been added to it, and it has been SO
changed that it appears more like the country
home OF some French nobleman. and ii Is one
OF the most beautiful private houses in the
United States Facing Lafayette Square, IL is
Just opposite the White House, and its mate
rial l. 6. red pressed brick and brown stone.
An iron fence, tipped with gold, incloses It's
front yard, and its walled gardens comprise
nearly q block OF the most valuable ground at
the capital. Though possessing intensely aris-
tocratic ideas, Mr.. Coreoran was proud OF
one unaristocratic Bit OF property-the bench
on which his father eoboled shoes in George
town
He was lavish giyer, and IS chiefly known
to the world through his oenefactions- Some
idea may be gathered Of the vast sums OF
money which he expended in public benefae-
tions by these figures: He gave 10 Wash
ingfon and the world the Columbia University
the Ascension Church and the Art Gallery and
Oak Hill Cemetery To the Columbia Uni
versity he gave an endowment fund Of No0.0oo
and 20 the medical college in connection with
II. t0u0o To the Ascension Church he gave
s50Ooo. and 10 Oak Hill cemetery $4,000. The
noted Corcoran Art Gallery building, which
faces The tremendous pile OF the State, War
and Navy buildings. oppG&te il and next TO the
White House. was begun in 1859 and
completed in 1871 The gallery was
opened in 1874 Tue cost of the building
and property was s250Oo0; the cost OF Mr.. Cor
coran's pictures and statuary sioo,0oQ. and the
endowment fund was seo tOOs. q total OF o. .25a-
90. The buildings and grounds OF the Louise
Home cost &1o.Ooo. The endowment fund vas
E2s00oo. making total Of ss50.Ooo. The build.
ing was pui up 1871. The total Of these bene
factions Is as follows: