The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04

Moines, la.
Mr.. Childs was 65 years old. He was
born in Baltimore. He was educated at
private schools in his native city, and at
the age of Ia removed 10 Philadelphia
Shortly afterwards he became clerk in
a took store. and four years later opened
q small book store of his own In the old
Ledger building. At the age of 81 he was
at the head of the book publishing firm of
Childs & Peterson. He was successful in
his business In 1868 he retired from the
book publishing firm, and the next year
became the proprietor of the Philadelphia
Public Ledger. When he acquired the
property the papers circulation was small
and its business unremunerative, but soon
it sprang into public favor and became
the most profitable newspaper in Phila-
delphia. To-day the property is possibly
worth considerably more than s., 1000, 600
Mr.. Childs was always liberal in the
use of his wealth for benevolent purposes.
At his own expense he raised me-
mortal in Westminster Abbey to the poets
Cowper and Herbert, caused monument
TO be placed over the grave of Leigh
Hunt, to the memory of Edgar A Poe, be-
sides erecting and assisting in the erection
of a number of other monuments TO poets,
scholars, discoveries, etc. One of his latest
works in this line was the erection of
q monument, the "Prayerbook Cross" on
the Pacific coast during the present year.
The cross commentaries Pizarro and his
discoveries.
THE FRIEND OF THE PRINTERS.
Mr. Childs was especially the friend of
the printing craft. and no people will
more sincerely regret his death. In 1858.
he gave to the Philadelphia Typography
cal Society printers cemetery Later,
he and his friend, Mr.. A. j. Drexel, gave
the international typographical Union
several thousand dollars as nucleus for
a fund for the erection OF a home at Colo
RADIO Springs, COL, for aged and inirm
printers.
He was always regarded as a model en-
ployer, and commanded the respect and
love of all in his service 1t was his pride
to assist men of family in his employ TO
own homes of their own, and in many
ways he advanced them money 10 pay for
buildings Besides paying the highest
rate of wages, Mr.. Childs established a
pension system for the benefit of his en-
ployes, and there are in Philadelphia to-
day number oflmen who have grown too
old for active service at the printer's case.
are living in fair circumstances provided
through the munificence of their former
employer AS might be supposed, the re-
suit was that OposiJion in Mr. Childs'
sought after, and he was enabled to COM
mand the services of the very best men in
the several branches of the office for
which they were wanted His employees
were devoted to him with the loyalty of
love.
WHEN THE LEDGER WAS BURNED.
An incident showing the high esteem
in which Mr.. Childs was held in Phila-
delphia, occurred In the neighborhood of
year ago. The Ledger building was
swept OUT BY fire. THE type, presses,
paper stock and all machinery were de.
stroyed. But while yet the building was
burning every newspaper publishing con-
Germ in the city rushed to Mr.. Childs and
placed their establishment at his COM
mand Some OF them even went so far in
pressing upon him the acceptance of their
offices as to assure him that his paper
should have precedence of their own in the
composition rooms and press rooms. All
thought of business rivalry was
sunk in their efforts to honor
and oblige their honorable friend.
The fire, Furthermore, afforded splendid
illustration of Mr.. Childs' remarkable
executive ability For before he slept
that night, he had perfected plans for the
restoration of the Office, given orders that
the plans be carried out and seen that the
Ledger would not only come out on time
the next morning, but would contain as
good a description of its own disaster as
any of its contemporaries.
AS A WRITER,
Mr.. Childs was not great writer. He
has sometimes been referred to as the
obituary poet" because he possessed the
faculty of putting his tenderest thoughts
concerning his dead friends into words
when he came to pay them a tribute of
respect in the newspaper columns. But
the term was applied more In good.
natured Jest than otherwise. On the
topics of the day he expressed himself
clearly and forcibly, but he did not rank
as writer with Greeley, Raymond, Dana
and other of his famous contemporaries
He is, however, the author of two books,
one upon "Some Recollections of Gen.
Grant" and the other containing some OF
his personal "recollections. Inasmuch
as Mr.. Childs probably entertained at his
hospitable home more prominent persons
both of this country and of Europe, than
any other American citizen, his personal
''recollections" abound in interesting and
instructive "reminiscences.
HIS HOUSES AND COLLECTIONS.
He maintained establishments Aeai
Bryn Mawr and Newport, besides his
residence in Philadelphia, but at neither
place was to be seen the gaudy show Of
wealth which, unfortunately, too many
rich men of the day affect. Mr.. Childs
houses were all chaste and simple as tC
exterior architecture, and filled with such
objects as denoted culture rather than
riches. He was an ardent collector of his
toric relics and art works, and at his
houses and his Office at the Ledger build
ing had probably the finest collection Of
armor, bronzes, etc. to be found in this
country. He had penchapt for collect
ing unique clocks, and his private Office
contained specimens from almost micros
copic size to the enormous hall clocks Of
Old England. Loving art himself, ht
loved to place it before others, hence his
frequent and splendid gifts to the Drexel
Institute Of Philadelphia, of which he