St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-25
business TO occupy himself with his own
large property and

business 10 occupy himself with his own
large property and
LIFE OF BENEVOLENCE.
The house was still continued under
the firm name of Riggs IL Co. Mr.. Cor
coran now made large investments in
real estate in Washington, which since
have immensely Increased in value. He
also speculated in government and
other securities, thereby further EN-
HANGING his fortune. The Arlington
house and numerous other buildings
and grounds in the capital belong to
him. Mr.. Corcoran'S gifts, private and
public, have not been large, numerous.
and varied. They have not been linn
tied TO race or place, or to party III
either the church or the state. He is
rare instance of prehumous liberality,
having given away in his lifetime, 1t is
said on good authority, at least 5000,
600. There is no man in the United
States, nor perhaps elsewhere, who has
in his lifetime devoted so much to char
ity. Ii is doubtless Slroke of wisdom
in him to have not waited till death
should release his hold upon his prop
erty, deyiSing it then by will. What
may have been lost in further accumu-
iatlonS has been more than made up i'll
his own satisfaction.
III T. E1oNOM1,
and certainty of appropriation. No man
or body of men coming after him would,
or even could, do as we'll as he has done.
Though he has given away so much, he
Is still millionaire, perhaps retaining
as much as he has parted with, prob
ably more. and carries the distinction
of being the richest man i'll Washing
ton. Between himself and his old
friend, George Peabody, there was re-
markable difference in dispensing their
liberality, though doubtless each re-
acted upon the other. Mr.. Peabody
gave to the London poor by providing
for them cheap and comfortable dwell
ingS, and to the South of his own cOun
try fund which was to be for the edu
cation of its children of the poorer
classes. Mr.. COrcoran devoted his
means largely, though far from wholly,
to relieve distress in the higher classes
and to promote the higher education.
Among his deeds of benevolence the
following are some of the chief: Beau
tifying and extending Oak Hill Gene
terry, where his own loved ones repose;
building and founding the Louise
Home"-an institution SO named in
cOmmemoration of his wife and daugh-
ter-devOted to the maintenance of
ladies of the district who have become
reduced i'll circumstances. The editice
MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE,
was begun in 1869, and opened for the
reception of inmates in 1871. In 1859,
Mr.; Corcoran erected at art gallery,
which was to be his own private prop
erty. 1t was comparatively small
affair. Soon after he commenced the
present large one, converting, after its
completion. the smaller building into
medical museum. 1t was nearly ready
for occupation when the war of the
union broke out. and it was lent to the
government for the use of the quarter
masters department. After the gov
eminent ceased to need it MIR. COrcoran
resumed occupation, and in 1869 he gave
a deed of the property to trustees for
the public use, together with claim
upon the United States for rent due for
Its use the whole time of their posses
sion. This money was used for the pur
chase of works of art. Mr.. COrcOran
further provided funds for the fitting Of
the building for its future use, and set
tied 100000 year upon it for its further
increase and maintenance. The Cor
coran Art gallery, Oh the corner of Sew
enteenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue., is built of brick and free-stOne, and
EMBELIISHED WITH INCHES,
in which are to be placed statues of the
great artists. The collection of paint
IngS and statues is a large one and Sc
lected with good Judgment. There are
many excellent representatives of the
modern French and Flemish schools of
arts. Of not lesser Importance are
the portraits of past American worthless,
the work of cOntempOraneouS artists.
There are numerous statues and a col
lection of bronZes. Perhaps the best of
Bridgman'S pictures, The Procession
of the Sacred Bull" takes conspicu-
place in the Corcoran gallery. In an
educational sense, as far as art is con-
cerned, Mr.. COrcOran may be said to
have been the first American who de-
voted his means for this notable pur-
pose. For three days in the week this
collection is open to the public. Column
bian college. located in Washington,
has received largely of his benefcence.
In the aggregate that institution,
which his father helped to found, has
received from him 100000. These col
lege gifts began to be made after the
war, and through the Rev. G. W. Sam
son, d. D., then president, and who
was his trusted friend and his religious
confdant. The institution is Baptist,
while Mr.. Corcoran is an Episcopalian.
He used to say when giving thus to this
denomination that he
COULD TRUST THE BAPTISTS.
Through the same friend, DR.. Sam
son, now president of Rutgers female
college, New York city, he gave the
Baptists a site for Ladies' home. He
also lately built a new Episcopal church.
His smaller gifts have been distributed
in every direction, taking wide range
in their object. In some form, his aid
has ever been available for the deserv-
ing. He has known no North OF South.
A few years ago he caused to be brought
from Tunis the remains of John How
ard Payne, the author of Home, Sweet
Home" In politics Mr.. Corcoran has
ever been a Democrat. He was an
ardent Union man, but took no active
part in the war for it. His hands, how
ever, were OutStretched in patriotism
and philanthropy to soldiers and their
friends and to the needy in those times.
A part of this period he spent abroad.
He served the public in various ways
privately. as in his service done in con-
nection with the Washington Monu-
ment association. He was a man of
artistic and literary tastes, cultured
gentlemen and hospitable to the good
and refined.