Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1891-09-18
BOSTON LETTER.
A Noble lnStitution--Tardy Re-
Cognition of the Pilgrims.
The Centennial of the Insur-
ance Business in Boston.


rious useful occupations to which their
condition is adapted, such as broom
and brush making, Gaming chair seats,
upholstering. etc, industries which
enable them 10 earn living
when they leave the place,
and also serve to pay their en-
penscs while they are securing an
education. Heavily handicapped as
they are by the loss of sight, it is
wonderful how patiently some of
them struggle for existence in the
business world, and how little they
are appreciated by those who could |
give them the aid Of their patronage |
without bcstowing farthing in
charity. For the past dozen years
have almost daily met man who
learned his trade at the Perkins Ihsti-
tuition, that of broom and brush max !
ing. lie regularly visits the busi-
ness districts of tho city with
his merchandise, and although we
along in wears and totally blind, he
plies his avocation with an energy
which, in the case of one who could
see, would meet with n success such
as it deserves; but in his case. fear,
his dnlly sales are barely sufiicien to
keep him. The great good the Per-
kins Institution is doing cannot be
computed in money, and it will stand
for ages n grand monument to its
| founder, Col. Thomas II. Perkins.
/ ,t,bA -, En
was derived from his free aud con-
stant private charities. Col. Perkins
! was one of the old time Boston mcr-
chants who acquired princcly fortune.
| in the East India trade He had three
sisters aud two brothers, and after
the death of the latter he retired from
active business life and devoted his
remaining years to doing good.
Among the many incidents of his life,
which illustrate the beauty of his
private character, is the active part he
took in the erection of Bunker Hill
monument, and subsequently in
urging forward the completion
of Washington monument The Per-
kins family WAS the most conspicuous
one. perhaps, in New England. The
two brothers of Col. Perkins acquired
great fortunes; one sister was the wife
of John p Gushing, who became u
millionaire in China; another sister
was the wife of Dir. Benjamin Abbott,
for SO years the famous principal of
Phillips Exeter Academy at Exeter,
n. H. and the third sister was the
mother of Captain Forbes, who COM
mandcd the jamestown on her mission
of charity to famishcd Ireland in the
year 1917.
see by the cable dispatches from
Europe that the city council of Plym-
Outh. England, has decided to erect u
memorial tablet on the Barbican Pier
to commemorate the departure of tho
} Mayfowcr. The whirligig of time
, brings some queer changes. The Pill
grim Fathers left their native land
nearly three centuries ngo, to
escape religious persecution and
to found homes in this wild
western continent where they might
7 worship according to the dictates of
their own conscience, and now
perhaps il is the descendants of their
persecutors who are TO commemorate
: tho event of their departure rs above
: indicated As it is somewhat late
f for those who drove the Pilgrims
, from their homes across the sea to OK
claim: "Return and all will bc for
given" tablet commemorative of
S their bigotry and contemplate mean
ness ia probably the next best thing
New England will be glad to learn Of
this action on the part of the city
. council of old Plymouth, and while
l we never can forget, we shall now be
= ready to forgive those who were in
It strumcntal in sending our forefather'
,, 10 Barnstable county.
Speaking of our old time business
= men reminds mo that the present yea
d should furnish an occasion for insur
% ance men here in Boston to celebrate
as it is just one hundred years sine
-, Peter C. Brooks left his home in Med
"a ford, Mass, and came here Il
engage in business. He am
here to accept subordnat
a, position in n mercantile house, bu
~ he soon discovered that there were II
insurance companies in Boston an
% had the sagacity to see the need of
III substitute. He therefore establishc
10 himself as an insurance broker, par
~ ticularly for marine policies. Th
great capitalists at that time had sue
- confidence in his judgment that the
In became underwriters in his offic,
W With the rapidly increa'
r. Ing commerce of the cour
ou hy the business of Mr.. Brook
" :, became so large and lucrative that a
u' most before hc was aware o: il he WI
Iy rich man, his estate long before h
en- death being estimated at 50, ,000,00t
q. The same good sense manifested b
Mr.. Brooks in his business affairs WI
~ carried into his domestic life. He G
Ial pecialy desired his daughters
of select wise and good husband
,d instead of heartless and brail
" less shadows of manhood, an
w as q result If his advice he had
on pons-in-law Rev. Nathaniel l.. Frot
Mt, ingham, D. D., Hon. Edward Evcre
-. and Hon. Charles Francis Adam
- father of our present Charles Fra
Nv " Gle. Mr.. Brooks possessed busine
all talents of the highest order, and the
re. were united with great modesty and /
tly tegrity that never received from you
IN rine old ACE single bier