The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-05-27

He is officially connected with about
seventy-five railroad companies, and is
conceded to be one of the best informed
men in his line in the country. He is the
vice. president of the Old Colony railroad
and director in the Old Colony Steam
ship Company.
To mention few of the things that en-
gage his energies: He is president of the
First National Bank of North Easton,
president of the North Easton Savings
Bank, and director in the New England
Trust Company, in the Bay State Trust
Company, in the American Loan and
Trust Company, in the New York Mer-
camille Trust Company and the Western
Union Telegraph Company. With all
this he retains his interest in the North
Easton factory Of his ancestors. He
works at easteight hours day and more
often ten.
He is five feet eleven inches in height
and weighs 175 pounds. He has strong,
large features, and he habitually wears a
look of cold inquiry. He is rather re-
ticent man, ordinarily, and there is moth
ing magnetic about him. have seen him
many scores of times, but few ever saw
him smile. He has reputation for
sententious utterances and you could
easily guess it from his picture.
In the winter Mr.. Frederick L. Ames
lives in his mansion on Commonwealth
avenue, but his real home is his summer
residence at North Easton. He has there
an estate which is one OF the most extern
sive and beautiful in New England, and
suggests in its park-like features the ba-
ronial estates Of which we read in the
books on England's great manors. I'm
like most OF the more famous millionaires
of New York, Frederick L. Arnes has at
tanned in Boston society position Of
recognized distinction. In this respect
he has been favored beyond any other
member of the family.
One OF his hobbies is for the collection
of precious ware, and you may see any
day in the Art Museum two vases of jade
the size of an ordinary jug. These vases
belong to Mr.. Ames and they cost him
$4,000 apiece. He has been collector Of
paintings, too, and of ancient tapestries.
He has invested hundreds OF thousands
in these fancies. He owns magnificent
specimens Of the art of Millet and Rous-
seau, Troyon and Dias, Daubigny and
Corot.
There are numerous collections at the
North Easton mansion of the choicest
flowers. Mr.. Ames is an unusually skill
full and well-informed horticulturist. He
owns what is certainly the largest and
most beautiful collection of orchids in
the United States. But, unlike most rich
men who spend thousands in such diver
sions, he knows as much about his fiow-
ers as his head gardener knows. He often
spends hours in his greenhouses, watch
ing the development of his ideas in the
arrangement and cultivation OF the
plants. A good many thousands of
people have visited the greenhouses at
North Easton.
One OF Frederick L. Ames' ambitions is
to be the landlord of Boston, as the As
tors are the landlords of New York, and
erect the finest and largest buildings that
can be constructed.
To-day Frederick L. Ames is taxed in
Boston 1or real estate that is valued at
nearly s6,Ooo,ooo. 1t must be remembered
that this valuation, which is that of the
city assessors, does not represent the or
binary market value of the property; it
is conceded to be much lower than the
market value.