The Press., 1890-01-02
Correspondence osa sap1ngaeld Republican. ONE or HA1TfORD,S Bk6f CITlzRHs.


 ONE or HAKffORD,s RE6F CITIZENS.
 People who, know ,Harsford only in general way, think of 1t as the home of Senator Hawley, Charles Dudley Warner, Mark Twain and J. e. Patterson, and the former home. of Marshall Jewell But there are score of men, not known out side the state, and some perhaps but little known within the city, who have done as much for the solid ipterestsEof, Hartford as either of these men of national reputation. It IS well established fact that the genn- inc, warm hearted, non office-seeking man seldom has his worth in . community recognized before he dies. One of the foremost of this class in Hartford is Steph- en A. Hubbard, for nearly 30 years man. aging editor of the Courant, although ill., health has compelled him to give up much active work for the past year.. He comes before the public this week in character istic manner, that is working in the inter- est of some, other man. That has been his favorite role. He has brought before the Hartford public the case of Eliphalet KimbaN, aged 90, poor and dying; vet eran of Texas in it's struggle for freedom from Mexico. MT. Hubbard has been his chief supporter for the past five years, or ever since his attention was called to the case. He has endeavored to have the Texan legislature, with it's million dollar surplus, do something for the old soldier, but without success. But when he made his appeal to the public over his own name there was a prompt and generous response, and there is no doubt that Mir. Kimball's last hours will be relieved by kindly. hands. -.
 :. MT. Hubbard is native of Sunderland, Mass. about 60lyears old. He is of revo- lutionary stock, and is one of the managers of the Connecticut society of the Sons of Revolution. He early learned the print er's trade, and somewhere in the 50's, m company with E. O. Stedman, the poet, he started the Winsted Herald, which he conducted for nearly 10 years and made power in that portion of the state. When the war broke out in 1861 he was making but received telegram from Joseph R. Hawley, then editor of the Hartford Press, asking him to come to Hartford and take care of the Press while he (Hawley) went into the army with the hope of suppress ing the rebellion Tn three months, Hub- bard came to Hartford, and, after talking the matter over with Hawley and Warner, decided that he would assist in conducting he Press and leave Hawley free to go to the war. Except for this, Hubbard would have gone out as an officer to the 2d Con- necticut heavy artillery. and no one who knows him doubts that, had he done so, he would have gone up higher, for he IS oatural leader of men, fearless and indom- ltable and judicious. But he Loyalty &C., cepted the situation, and the work he did IS stay -at-home was work more to the union cause than the worth of any one of three-fourths of the brigadiers in the field. There was no more earnest union worker anywhere, and the record of the important part taken by Hartford during the war would be very incomplete if his labors were omitted, although with characteristic self lf-repression he always preferred to keep himself in the background, even when do- l ing very largely the essential work.
 And so he has always been ever fore most in promoting every good cause, but content with taking the laboring oar and leaving to others the honors. Few of the readers of the Courant know how much | hey owe to hlm, debt certainly not less than that owed to its more famous editors, although he has always kept himself out of sight. As managing editor he has written infrequently, but when occasion required he has written with 8 clearness and force symbolic of the man. He is born work CT, the sort of man who when put on com mlttee does the wolk k and let's the chairman report it. And if he is not rich to-day it IS simply because his heart and purse have been open to every needy cause. His sympathy for persons in misfortune-some of whom have proved unworthy-has taken hundreds of dollars out of his pocket, but never with any complaint from him. The influence he has exerted, politically and otherwise, is beyond the knowledge of most of those who have casual acquaint- ance with the man-and that influence has always been wholesome and uplifting.
 For the past year he has been a semi invalid, suffering with bronchial trouble not apparently of serious character, but making it necessary for him to take rest from active managerial work. His friends have faith that with such rest and care he will yet have many years in which to en- joy his one pastime of helping his less for tunate brothers. During his absence from his desk it is in charge of William A. Ayres, who has for years been an efficient member of the Courant editorial staff.