New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-10
OBITUARY.
HARVEY FISK.


Harvey Fisk. of the firm Of Harvey Fisk d Sons,
bankers and dealers in United States bonds at NO.
% Nassau-st died on saturday at his country home,
In wIburtha N. j. after protracted Illness, In TIE
sixtieth year Of his age Mr.. Fisk was born April 49,
1881, In Vermont and was the son OF the Rev. joel
Fisk, Presbyterian minister, who at one time occu-
pied pulpit and held passionate In Montreal Canada
While In Montreal, Harvey acquired such knowi-
edge Of French that he secured place as teacher.
giving lessons in French in payment for instrnc-
ton In other branches OF learning In THIS way he
acquired good grammar school education, ana was
placed In drygoods store when ne was seventeen
years old, In Trenton, N. j. After serving his ap-
premiership there as clerk ne came 70 new orh
and secured place In the American NATIONAL bahR.
lie soon Secame thoroughly convcrsant win the pank
ing business and was afterwaN for some time with
the Bank OF the Commonwealth, and In March. 1862,
started business for himself, In partnership with a.
S. Hatch, under the style of Fisk Hatch pankers'
and began business In Wast.
At this time the country was torn by lnternai
dssensioEs, and In the midst OF the civil war inc
expenses of the Government were growing win
frghtful rapdity, the banks OF the lana were us
playing only a weak patriotism. customs duties were
falling OF, and sales for public lands dwinded pfac
cally to nothing Although the country possessed al
most boundless wealth. there was no Government
machinery in operation to render 1t available imme-
dately by taxation, and the Government was forced
to use every cxpedlent TO raise the sinews oil war;
and Government bonds were issued to meet the de-
mand.
The great popular war loan was the "Fivetwo"y'
six per cent loan of 1862" issued in denominations
of $50. 300, $500 and 81 900. The loan was placed
directly with the people of New-York through the
firm OF Fisk d Hatch. Mr. Fisk was warm lte-
publican true hearted American and had flii iaith
I'M the ability Of the Government to make good its
indebtedness and In every way he tried 10 estaplsh
public confidence in Lincoln's Administrator. ING
firm appealed for the cooperation OF patriotc Dank
officers and bankers in the effort to popularze the SAFE
of these bonds and bring the loan to the atteh'oh I'll
the people throughout the country.
The enemies OF the Union in New-York city, ana
there, were many OF them, felt that the sale OF thesc
bonds would strengthen the Government more Una"
An army of soldiers by enabling 1t successfully W
prosecute the war and they strove in every way 10
DESTROY confidence In the National credit but not sue
ceedng in this, personal violence was threatened 10
those selling the bonds. With Characteristic holiness
Mr. Fisk had his banking house f'stooned with amer
lean sa and though his footsteps were logged ana ne
was the recipient Of many threatening letters he con-
timed to push the sale OF the bonds anu urgeo AZ P
otto citizens to help float the loan.
From this time forth Mr.. Fisk Became an earnest
strdont of National finance, and whenever ways anu
means of raising revenue, plans OF setting the pubic
debt disbursement OF moneys or management OF Iile
ri
a,n authority to be sought When the hnanciai eA
baratiop that followed the war, was over ana crsis
resultlng from over-production threatened 10 wrecA
the financial system of the country, ana the spec.o
~ renudiat0n spread its wings over the lahu' MI
pis,, Joined his counsels with those brave mch VIM
courageously met and fought the repudiauhe spri'
% tho death and entailed upon the people the price
loss inheritance of boundless National credit.
Mr. Fisk was not invariably successful ho"csot'
lint met with several reverses In 1873 the HIN o'
uo oreatlv embarrassed on account OF large loans
u.do 70 the Central Pacific and the Chesapeake ana
Ohio railways which they failed to meet at the proper
Time hut the firm pulled out of this squeeze nhaiiy
and continued to do business till 1884, when tne pato
pershin was dissolved. Mr. Fisk then went ih'o ouSi
ness with his sons. n,.I,
lie had been suffering for many years from b.is"s
d,ase and during the last year had been uhaoie ~
ttcnd TO his business, spending most OF Ills I'nc ~,
,.yl or at his country home. He was man ". VI
modest nature and, though on terms Vi im.'s
many great political leaders, had no pohe"hh H., Pns;
tens NJ his own His life was devotea 70 ma itb
ness and his family, While ms maa ,rhich ba ever
Measure the success Of the Nation OK wtn no nth
i, ~roud lie was for many years identined WIN
,he Efth Avenue Presbyterian Churcn anu "%' a.,
member of the building committee az tne 'U snt,no
erection. Mr. Fisk leaves w,to all a Of mature age
Vi rho fnerai will take place on "Wednesday as ue
country home in Wilburtha, ana the puriai VIII w Nv
Ewing Church ard, near by. 49,, ,... haap cop
Ss,O NV his sons Harvey c., Charles J Pnny anu
Edward Alexander the youngest SON. mas Deem t bnt
mo care ~ his father during his illness anu, sis J
lately left college, has not yet ldenie are Miss
uertba Miss May and Miss Eva Their father leaves