Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-18
Obituary.
RICHARDS


RICHARDS. a good man gore" What more
tongue or pen as,'rihe 60 on. vino has I,ui
on this mortality: ALFRED Rr1IAEDS wa
born January 3. iS22, in the ruuuty of Prime.
Georges. state 81 Maryland He i"st his fath.r
In early boShoesi, tat with that spirit 80 ss.li
sacrifice which WIS particularly manifested ~
his maturer life drtotcd his earlier years g.
the care Of his mother, and gave lis seN lee
10 the family until be was twenty -one years 81
age. Disappointed Ia his expectations. D.,
found himself young man win god health.
strong Physique, forced 10 bogin life willou'
money, yet with a determination to make
business for himself. to De- dependent uI,on q.
one for suStcnanCe or employment. and with
resolution that quailed not before that
mendous struggle "li.n every nan must mat
who aSIir,s - honorable place an3 fortune.
Mr.. Richards made the city Of Muslinzla.
his home. beginning business - a mannfacturr
OF brick, and today there are In this city fey
squares, IL any, that do not Uear witnesses e..
his Industry and enterprise. The first brit
kiln WIS not only the COMMENCEMENT Of D.
fortune aud the preface 20 rs character. hni.
apart from his family. was m" Diidc and plea
ing retrospect OF his after wears. l.y his ovl
efforts and an economy that would have dun
credit 10 a PAST gcnrratipn. BE- avriul-,d a..
means 10 make the brick aud J,ut up n small Kiln
which. when completed, WAS So his ffatti al IS.
"a thing of bca,ify'' and al lra-i "a low Il.
Ills full temporal existence, IL not forever
Bat the bri"k must Ice burned with frr. AIS
this first work Ia c'rarjics 81 the struEglin-
y"VRg artist had B9t inspired tie c0nud-ace 9.
calculating public - lhrriIsse unfinished
work nor 10 furnish the means for it, 'omplc-
ton Thus for weeks n stood, prig,d aud ad-
miied only by its arrhit.cf and his 81 times
almost the admiration 81 despair. lcs'.
while he toilesl. and day by ,iay aided wO'd 60
the pile. unprupirious storm might iUIn the
whole into uiishapey mas; hut the cnd
came and tire work 80 hopefully begun was m
1shed The pam 81 tearing down was only nei-
tralizcd by the pleasure Of sucreSs aud the
cessity to disp"se 81 the prodnct that progress
might he made. Like the artist Who stBls tie
pang that wrings his soul when he accepts the
price offered for his picture, with he plea I
vim do others and greater: but no masterpiece
takes the place OF the first image Man MAJ
know the wrongs dOne 10y his neigl,0r, tut he
knows how much has been resisted. 80
naay T. al 1tufl
knows not his struggles. In a weaker nnture
the struggles of Mr.. Richards early mnnhood
would have been inclined 20 make him hard aud
cold in business. hut With him Il the
verse. He had broad sympathy, and It was
lie placed bis confidence in men not matter.
and In his dealings he considered an honest
mans promise uIe hest of securlfies..
The unselnshness and moiesty Of the man Is
best Illustrated 10y Ills answer 10 the writer
when asked 10 what he attributed his success
In life, WHAT Of success I have had IL first
due TO a good wife. and l have been hlessed
with three; second, perserering business inteE-
He held during his iIfe many rlaccs OF honor
and trust, but his great pride was in the bust
was Incorporated under his own name. and be
was president Of the corporation ut the time
OF his death. though for the past two years
the active management has been conducted by
his eldest son, Mr.. VIM. A. III chaTtis. In his
death which occurred AZ his ,esldence. iizs
G., on the 18th day Of October. 1884. IN the
sixty-third year Of his age. Mr.. Richards left
but blessed inheritance Of SIX and
four daughters. the youngest q lad Of twelve
years. The last two years 81 his life
chiefly a combat with that deadly disease TO
whose power 50 many active aud younger bust
men have been forced TO ylelA, hut n WIS
a heroic and uncomplaining struggle. lie Was
one Of Gods noblemen recognizing and submit
ting 20 the inevitable, with Christian patience.
More than three score and ten years had been
appointed TO him, still In his death we know
that q useful and charitable citizen has pH.ssed
away, father and friend n missed god
man gone. His body today Inferred In the
family vault in Congressional cemetery.
wooDNIIIIE FLEMING.