The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-23
PALACES OF CHARITY.
Being Erected in New York by
Men WortE Sl50,000,OO
NewMETHoDsoF MISSION WORK
Benevolent Enterprises Of John 5. Ken
nedy, Cornelius Vanderbilt, y. Pier
pont Morgan aus Eibridge =. Gerry.


! white haired man, : ith such benevolent
expression of countsnance as one of the
| Cheervble brothers snight have worn, has
been accustomed digging the past summer
to watch the progress of construction of a
| building At Twer.9y-second street and
Fourth avenue, New York. This man.
riding from his ma1ision, which is a YER
| liable home of luxury. left his carriage at
the building which he was so fond of
watching, and his Snterest in it was SO
manifest that even che workmen noticed
it and spoke to one another often about it.
The buildings new nearly completed.
| 1t is a noble structure, of red sandstone
and brick, pleasing architecturally and
| built rather with Il view to the peculiar
| purpose to which it Il to be dedicated than
merely to please the Eye of those who de-
light in fine architecture. The beneyo-
| lent-faced man who has so often
| watched its construction in the early
! morning hours is John S. Kennedy,
| Scotchman, possessed of enormous
wealth, happy disposition, the Scotch
| mans business craft and an idea that the
| charities and benevolent efforts of past
| wears and many of tsose of the present
| time, while noble in Soirit are unfortunate
| in some of their resutss. This new build
| ing is designed to carry out some of Mr..
| Kennedy's new ideas3of true social econ
omy and of practicaf and therefore sue
| csssful benevolence; q fact to make some
experimental effort involving radical
changes in philanthfppic work in great
| cities.
| Across the street frsm this building the
| foundations are being laid for palace of
| benevolence which VIII cost nearly 81 co.,
600, and with its endewments will repre-
| sent more than that nsoney. This, too, is
| to be dedicated to a ce5tain line of charita-
BILE work, different from that which has
characterized the usuaS performance of the
city missionary, the sIhildren's Aid So
cieties and other charitable efforts for the
| poor in great cities. Two men of such
wealth that they are zclassed among the
leading multi-millionsires of New York,
have contributed Hle greater pro-
portion of the money seeded to build this
structure and to endow it. They are Cor
nelius Vanderbilt and ]. Pierpont Nor
| gan. These men, like SIR. Kennedy, have
| felt for a long time thar much of the char
liable effort in our great cities goes to
| waste; that some of it IS positive detri-
ment, and that radical changes in the
methods of philanthro1ic work are needed
| and the time is ripe tosbring them about.
| On another corner OF the block on which
Mr.. Kennedy's building is situated a beau
| tiful structure is about completed, costing
more than $500,00O and this will be the
home of an organization unique of its
kind, which has dons great good, and
| which is known as the society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty t. Children. The
building is to be paid fer by subscriptions
| from wealthy men. chief among whom is
Elbridge T. Gerry, who Is better known as
the president and controlling spirit of this
society than he is as a Fan of great wealth
| or as a lawyer and enthusiastic yachts
| man.
The combined wealth. of the four men
who are interested in tEese noble under
takings is probably not Ear from $3.50, Co.,
900. Utterly unlike in temperament, in
habits of life and to solae extent in their
social surroundings. AZ these men are,
they have common purpose, out of
| which it is quite likely may come a re-
formatory movement in The way of public
benevolences which MAJ be of incalcula-
bic value What their ideas are may,
| perhaps, he inferred by description of
the men themselves.
John S. Kennedy is in some respects the
most successful Scotsman who ever
gained great fortune ia America. Not
so well known as Andrew Carnegie or
Alexander Mitchell, he has perhaps been
as great power in thu financial world
| as either of these meig. In his private
relations, Mr.. Kennedy Il the most COM
! panionable of men. Il cannot be said
| of him as it used to Ee said of some
Scotchmen that he h9s no apprecia-
I t,@, 0f syf-n II
with wit in it better than ne loves to eat.
His iollitv, while dignif-ed. is infections,
an d he mas a capacity tor playing a practi-
| cal joke. if there be no rnaIice in it. His
most conspicuous effort II this kind was
| made few years ago. Mr Kennedy has
! a natural liking for Scetch help. Scotch
| gardeners. Scotch iaralers He has
| brought many Scotchmels to this country
! and started them along IN careers which
| have proved prosperous. But there came
time when the law pug its heavy hand
on him for doing this. lie employed
| Scotch gardener 10 come 10 America and
! take care of his beautifls summer place.
The United States officers stepped in
They told Mr.. Kennedy tfat he was vio-
lating the contract labor Jaw, and that his
| gardener would have 70 re shipped back
| 10 Scotland. Mr.. kenEedy's sense of
| humor is great, but he sasg no humor in
| that. He declared with some vehernence
| that be thought such Jaw was absurd,
| and he SAID that he wou]zs prove its abb
surdity at the first opportunity he got.
| Young DIR. stephen Tynsg having builded
up hourshing Episccz,a parish and
erected beautiful church., came in con-
| tact with some Of the l-alousles which
| successful ministers meg, and feeling
that his burden was greatey than he could
bear, resigned The Churcn officers looked
| about for a man capable Of continuing
III z = IL
| cord upon Rev. f. WalI.,le Warren, of
/ London, a great preacher .ni the son OF
/ great novelist. Samuel Warren. Rev
! Mr.. Warren accepted 2 CAL NJ salary OF
I $1,000 vea-, and thus > contract was
/ made with him. The newspapers pub
/ lished this news and the *ve OF M Ken
/ nedy falling upon IL one .aorning at the
| breakfast table, he said: s'ah. nv time
has come 20 show the ah@.trdity Of some
/ q the interpretations Gf re contract la
/ Dor law. Ii IL is not r:gisz ,ur me 10 hire
! An ACCOMPLISHED gardener ~ Scotland IL
/ : also illegal for Holy I-i@.ty church TO
hire an accomplished rT,ac@er"
There was a comical sfne. on Mr.. Ken
. nedy's face when he Went - his LAWYER.
( ana INSTRUCTED him 70 % tHa things that
. were necessary 10 BRING Hoy Trinity and
Mr.. Warren lnto court. These things
! we're done and for the t-s.& NE in history
/ = church found Itself prosec@i;et Tor hiring
! minister OF lis own fa.th. Mr. kennedy
! greatly enioved this iitlea==on. He sent
! word 20 Holy Trinity re"P.& that II they
| were f5und guilty and fne5 the penalty OF
| 5000, he would pay Il, AID ne would also
l&y a. the EXPENSES of the litigation. He
s. $50 sand that he brought ti:zs sujt not 10
I. 3 g b.. 81 = -