New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-14

s.
death was officially connected with some forty ran
roads and was conceded to be one OF the p'S' j"
formed men on all matters pertaining TO inns o'"
OF enterprise in the country. lie had pe'" -, J,
president of the Old Colony Railroad ana "'o O''
COLONY Steamship Company, and active III the
directory of the Western Union Telegraph Noi"-
pany. He was also a director in the General hlec
tric COMPANY besides at least forty railway Coli-
panies and several trust companies. Many ol 'io
monetary institutions of Boston claimed a part U,
his attention and he was Identified with seVera
charitable institutions being president OF the Home
for Incurabes and trustee OF the Childrens nos
pital. OF the Massachusetts General Hospital, ana
of the Mclean Insane Asylum He gave time ana
money also TO the work OF the kindergarten LOT
the Blind Unitarian in religion, Mr. Ames at
tended the First Church, OF which the Kew. STOP
ford w Brooke is at present pastor, and here lent
his strength both moral and financial. For many
years he was chairman Of the Standing Committee
and much that the parish has been able to do In
its charities has been due to his openhandedness
He also took active interest in the affairs In the
church at North Easton. He member OF the
/ corporation OF Harvard. His holdings Of real estate
In this city very large, and one OF the city =
most notable structures is the Ames Building at
Washington and Court SITS This Is monument in
strength size and architectural beauty
Mr.. Ames took little interest I'm politics, but In
1872 sat in the State Senate, where his excellent
| judgment made him valued member He was "A
liberal patron of art and his homes, both at North
Easton and on Commonwealth-ave.. are filled with
exquisite paintings rare china and tapestries In
1850 Mr. Ames was married Rebecca Blair,
daughter Of James Blair. Of st. Louis, who origi-
nally Nirginian. They had five children
Helen, Angler. the wife of Robert c. Hooper;
Oliver 2d Mary Shreve Lothrop and John Stanley.
In the financial world Mr. Ames was wluely and
faVOrablV wealth made him
most desirable man for large corporations to have
as "A friend. and the extended experience which he
possessed in consequence of his varied interests
gave his views as expressed financial meetings
unusual weight and value. The chief character
istics that he displayed at such meetings were
demeanor Of absolute and unfaling courtesy, an
unusually tenacious memory and clear and terse
manner of stating his opinions. No matter how
heated the discussion might become, Mr -Aiilcs
never forgot that he gentleman. ana IN
variaby bore himself one. He carried IN MS
head all the more important matters connected
with the numerous boards of directors. trustees
and other officials in the doings Of which ne was
Interested and took part and ii matter or
frequent remark among the officers and clerks or
the different institutions and corporations with
whom he in contact that he was aoie 10 re-
call A fact or a circumstance which had been for
gotten by them. His opinions on all matters con-
nected with the finances and administration OF the
various corporations Of which he was a member
We're eagerly sought. and In a large measure con
trolIed the decisions of the different boards lie
never spoke at any great length in support OF MS
views but seemed content to put them forWaru
In a concise and lucid form, and let them as IL
were do most Of the talking for themselves.
or all the many companies in which he in
terested the Union Pacific Railway received, per
haps. the largest share of his time and attention.
1t was the corporation. indeed, in which he had
more at stake than in any Of the others ana ne had
been connected with IT more actively ana ior
greater length OF time having become directly inter-
ested in il at the time Of the death Of his father,
Oliver Ames. in March. ls71. In 1850 he took an
active and prominent part in the consultation Oh
the | n0n Pacific and the Kansas Pacilc INTO the
present Union Pacific Railroad corporation ana IL
is said that since he took his seat in the Union Ia
cnc Board OF Directors ne had not once been absent
when any of Importance was upon IT'S
passage His interest in Union Pacific was largely
In the companys bonds. but director he gave
close attention the smallest detail and was at all
times a tower OF strength for the corporation tnan-
callv. Mr. Ames also prominently idehtned
with the old Oregon Short Line, now known as the
Oregon Short Line and Utah Northern. which was
constructed as a branch OF the Northern Pacific
This road perhaps the most important prahch
line that the Union Pacific has ever carried through
Mr Ames is said to have had the ambition to be-
come Boston's greatest landowner. like the Astors
~ WORK and his real estate in Boston Is as
scsscd for more than sG,eoWo, all OF which mas
been acquired since 1915.
Of an the many quarters in which the loss OF MI
Ames will be- felt. IL is safe to say that there Is
none i'm which IT will be- NOR" kccnv felt than In
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. The dead
man had long been Identified with the society: was
"A lif. member and since his first joining many
years ago. had been constant exhibitor. ms
Of the exhibitions Mr Ames was exceedingly roma
q STers Of all kinds snd M MS TO- be- the m
finest in the State. There are several larger ones
ally conceded To carry on tne pam. lheSe ste%en- %
houses always open to the public. Mr. Ames
charities Of ali kinds But his great pride and JOY
was his collection Of orchids which Is with the
York. the finest in the country. Il comprises
unique ~ their kind and worth immense sums Of
money. Neither time nor expense has been spared
tning for Mr. Robinson his gardener. to pay 500
FOR a single plant while on one occasion he was
from a New-lork greenhouse. The collection OF
these plants was an absolute passion %ith Mr.
Ames and although thelr care. OF necessity, was
left to his gardener, he took great personal pride
In the conservatory. His palms were considered
The news of Mr.. Amcs's death had but slight
effect on the stock Exchange up TO noon to-day.
Union Pacific, which opened at @ss this morning.
had dropped To 2as 10y l2;~, ana General Eiec-
Mr.. Ames was deeply Interested and the gen,
eral feeling the Exchange was that they would
General Electric would probably be af-
lectcd than Union Pacific. because it was
higher r-prlc 'u Stoch, anu beCduSf III" NoHlPuHS
had been looking to Mr.. Ames 10 help them out
financially. he having become greatly interested
i'm the stock of late and having been one OF the
heaviest OF underwriters Of the new issue Of
bonds. There opinions expressed also that
"a wider depression might be felt Mr.. Ames was
a very heavy holder of stocks, and the fact that
his estate the largest in Massachusetts. may he
divided. may have general unsettlrg effect es-
pccally with stocks as high as they are now
Opinions are expressed. on the other hand, that
# is probable that the estate will not be Iii
vded. but will be managed as whole. as Mr.
Amcs himself managed H. and that aside from
a slight temporary fall in the stocks in which
he was most greatly Interested there h no rea-
son and no probability Of any further disturbance
What benefits his alma mater Harvard Uni
versity derived from Mr.. Amess generosity Is
"A secret known to but few. because OF the quiet
and modest manner of his givings. His connec-
tion with the university an officer dates only
from iSSS when he succeeded Francis Parkman
as a Fellow. thus holding one of the highest Of