The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-02-24


yesterday afternoon. He was prominent
figure on the street for fifteen years.
The death of Rufus Hatch removes from
the financial world a figure which has been
prominent for many years. Mr.. Hatch
had in his career more ups and downs
than usually fall to the lot of 'money
king
He was born in Maine in 1880 and went
west when l6 years old. After trying vari
GUS callings he went into the commission
business in Chicago. Here his luck began.
AT first he did well and prospered But
the close of the Crimean war found him
heavily long of grain, and the collapse in
the price of that staple broke him, and his
firm failed for 100000.
In 1862 he went to New York and was
one Of the originators of the open board OF
brokers. This organization did business
III B.oad street cellar at first, and was
called the coal hole party, but it rapidly
became formidable rival of the Older
board, and the two soon consolidated.
Mr.. Hatch at that time had the backing
of Henry Keep, the greatest operator of his
time, and Keeps great success in manip,t
lating the Chicago and Northwestern
shares brought fortune to him and to his
broker, Mr. Hatch This was the period
of Mr.. Hatchs greatest success.
He was then one of the greatest men OF
Wall street, and his word went for every
thing. Some time after this Mr.. Hatch
failed again-this time for S6O0,000. But
after awhile his skill and knowledge told
again, and he was once more on his feet
and had settled with his creditors with
interest.
In 1882 Mr.. Hatch became largely inter
ested in Northern Pacific and the Yellow.
stone park. In 1883 he brought over a
= a.
famous trip over the Northern Pacific to
the Yellowstone park. Mr.. Hatch seemed
to be on the high wave of prosperity again.
AT thkt time he lived in handsome
house OH Park avenue, and his musical
entertainments were the talk of the town.
He would sometimes have whole theatrical
companies come TO his house and entertain
his guests.
MIR. Hatch was the founder of the Iron
Steamboat company. He met with his last
reverse in the Great Northern Pacific break
in 1883. He had unbounded faith in that
property, and as he always went into a
deal with his whole soul the Willard dis.
aster left him once more financially
stranded. Since that time he has done
little in the street and he died compare.
lively poor man.
About the time of the Northern Pacific
panic he sold his seat in the Stock Ex.
change and bought one in the New York
Petroleum Exchange. He was instru.
mental in causing that body to begin deal.
ings in railway shares and used to say they
would soon run the older board out OF
business.
For the last few years Mr.. Hatch had
been more interested in grain than in
stocks, and il is said that he and Mr.
James X. keene We're together in the lat.
ter's famous corner of nine years ago.
Mr.. Hatch occupied modest offices in the
Washington building. TlAtegend on the
door was: "Rufus Hatch & Co. The
Cattle Ranch Company, Limited"
Mr., Hatch leaves three children by his
first wife, who was a Miss Charlotte T.
Hatch, and four by his second wife, who
was daughter of Captain Gray, the com.
modore of the Pacific Mail aeet.