The morning call., 1893-07-23
Andrew Manderson came to San Fran


cisco in the month Of April, 1879
What enables NE TO fix the date so
closely is the discovery in very ancient
file Of printed documents of an account OF
the arrival in San Francisco of the richest
man in tie world. 1t would seem from
this account that Andrew ManderSon
came to the Western shores from Chicago
and that he travelled not only in a private
car-as was the won't of many magnates
in those davs-but in whole private train
OF eight coaches.
l shall not incum per this narrative with
a description of the so-called luxurious
manner in which this parsonage Travelled.
In our day his way of journeying would be
deemed laborious and anything but luxu-
rious. Yet for the primitive age in which
he lived the ways Of Andrew Manderson
were luxurious. In that period the word
luxury denoted only the material comforts,
sucn as soft cushions, easy chairs. languOr-
Gus music or beautiful pictures. Whatever
was made for bodily inexertion and ap-
pealed TO the senses of seeing. feeling,
smelling and hearing meant luxury. Of
these things Andrew Manderson certainly
had surfeit, as those who care for such
less Instructive than entertaining studies
may read for themselves in the so-called
newspap pers of the day which have recently
been placed in the new historical library.
Previous historians have dwelt al length
upon the personality and the times OF
Andrew Henderson. but none of them
seem to have appreciated what appears to
NE to be the most glaring and most re-
markable circumstance connected with the
life and times of this historical character.
This is that Andrew Manderson's ac-
tious in San Francisco were directly re-
sponsible for that change in economic
thought which made our own enlightened
wealth possible. 1t was Andrew
Manderson. more than any other indi-
vidual, who paved the way for a state of
existence wherein love and human duty
took he place of justice and personal rights
In the scheme of daily and national life.
Nor are the historians to blame for any
lack of perception in this matter. for not
until the recent discovery of the printed
documents of that early time, known as
newspapers, has the data necessary to the
formulation Of this theory been attainable.
Heretofore the most that could be done
was to speculate on the character of this
man, or as much Of it as was known. and
Hf lle people and the ,imes in which ne
WAT l have now to do is to show the
reIaton between the advent of Andrew
MandersOn on the Pacific Coast and his
subsequent acts to the sociological changes
which came about in so short a time there
after.
The data from which my narrative is
compiled-axists only in the printed dOcu-
meuls alinded to. and have preferred the
narrative style of composition simply be-
cause il, limitations on the writer who
may Eave thoughts of his own on the SUBJ
Ject are not as exactiGg as those placed
upon the conscientious historian.
Yet have made DO priori statements
of faci, and those who may be disposed to
doubt the correctness of my facts or con-
clusions are invited to verify both by a
study Of the data from which they were
obtained.
Previous the advent of Andrew Mander-
son in San francisco there had been vague
mutterings now and again against the
prevailing belief in the sacredness Of pri-
vate property. But the people who gave
utterance to them were despsed by the
great mass of citizens and some times
prosecuted by the so-caled better classes.
and by the constituted authorities. They
were called socialists and anarchists, and
the tenets they sought to propagandize
were dismissed with sneer by those
better educated and more intelligent in
other than sociological philosophy.
Yet, once III while. when railroad
monopoly became too arrogant, or when
enc Of the landed propretors held 100
many fertile acres away from other pee
pie who had none and could get none, pro-
tests were heard to issue, sometimes from
very high sources. Stlii, no one thought
for moment of raising cry against the
then prevalent ana universally accepted
dogma of private, personal ownership OF
property-that is. no one but the so
cialists and anarchists" and it is fair
commentary upon the general ignorance
OF that period amoDg the educated classes
that with out any definite appreciation of
tie meaning Of either Of these words. they
were employed syuonymousiy and often
TO the same individual
SOclol Qgicaly considered this was about
the state of affairs when Andrew Mander
son came to the metropolis of tie Pacific.
And l think it is hardly mmodest in me to
press the claim of being thu only historian
of the thirtieth century who has discovered
an authenticated instance of the abuse of
the ancient dogma Of private property to
such an extent that the scales were removed
from the eyes of the people. and the
egreglousneSs of their way Of living made
so apparent that 1t was no longer possible
1or them to abide by the old errors.
Andrew Manders0n came originally from
SEQ land, though he had been a citizen Of
the United States Tor al least twenty years
before he settled in San Francisco To
all outward appearances he was a . ain and
unpIetentous man. The clothes his coach
man wore cast more money and were cut
10 the prevailing modes more closely than
his own. His butler was mure polished in
manner Of dress than the man who paid
him his monthly stipend.
The riches of Andrew Henderson were
computed by The thousands of millions of
dollars. There had been rich men before |
him in San Francisco. The scant records
of those times which are still extant tell us
that Coils p. Huntington, James g. Fair.
John W. Mackay. Mark Hopkins and Jay
Gould, all of whom appear to have been
contem poraueOus, were men who found
themselves able 10 enjoy. or at least hold,
riches amounting TO many millions of dol
lars, while thousands of their felowmen
llVe1 In want and poverty, and sometimes
actually starved for lack OF food.
. But none OF these compared fav0rably
In the matter Of personal accumulation
win Andrew Manderson, whose personal
wealth appears TO have been something
fealiy fabulous even for those days.
Alter lifetime spent in business and
financial activities Andrew Henderson
came TO San Francisco with the avowed
determination Of resting from his labors
ana enjoying the remainder of his years
in quletness and peace.
Of course the first requisite for this was
a home. Andrew Manderson needed
private residence. Though he was as
.sciturn On this as on all subjects people |