The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-04
GEORGE W. CHILDS DEAD
IRINQUIL END OF THE DIsTIN-
GUTsHED JOURNALISM.
Sketch of the Eventful and Useful Career
Of One of tho Most Noted Men
of His Time.


death OF Mr. Chnds. proprietor OF the
Public Ledger, occurred at his home,
Twenty-second and Walnut streets. this
morning at SOL o'clock.
The end Of the great publisher anc
world-famous philanthropist came with
the same tranquility with which his
remarkable career has been marked. At
his bedside were the physicians VINO mad
carefully watched his every symptom
since the day he was stricken, and Mrs.
Childs the companion Of his years OF
usefulness.
one of the physicians in attendance
upon Mr.. Childs made the following
statement:
..Air Chnds suffered no pain and his
end was peaceful He had been uncOn-
sciOus for the past three days, except
al intervals. The change for the worse
became manifest about $3.50 o'clock last
evening. His pulse faltered and he grew
rapidly worse. IL was then apparent
that the end was near, and that his
death was only the question of a few
hours. Mr.. Childs' lower limbs were not
| paralyzed. as has been stated. The stroke
only affected his right side, he having
/ lost the use of both his right arm and
! leg.
"Mr. Chnds, during his last hours, lay
| like a child asleep, and when ne grew
SO much worse about midnight every
ATTEMPT was made 10 rouse him, but
| without avail.
"He scarcely spoke a word from the
time he was stricken, over two weeks
ago, until his DEATH
Career o. George w Childs.
The career Of such man as George w.
/ Chuds is full of instructive lessons IN
perseverance and industry. Born In Bal
| fimore i'm 1929 of parents in the middle
/ walk of life, he received q common
school education and entered the Ihilea
states Navy when only thirteen years
of ace. where he remained Tor hlteeh
months. Even in that coIHpdi auFeiy
| short space of time he gained kno"l-
| edpe OF arder ana discipline when laler
| e 90, ,,,orled his conduct Of affairs.
! In 1914 he went tO Phiiaaeiphid' as me
| thouabt il afforded q better opportunity
! and a broader field of business than MS
| native city. ,,,,,
Although depending entirely upon NM
! cctf ,.oune, CbiIds. then only ntteen years
! old soon managed 20 obtain employmeh.
d, me store of a bookseller named
rrbo,nnson. al sixth and Arch streets
! Here he worked early and late' applying
| himself to business in manner uhusual
10 bows Of his age lie took htue interest
i'm the customary sports OF the laus III
bis noiobborho0d and found more enjoy
ment I'm acquiring tnoroush hno" i,'e9
off his business In this ne succeeded SO
wen that his employer soon recognized
his value and entrusted him with Work
recurring Judgment and tact. lie attend
ca bool, auctions 10 make purchases, ana
by the time he was sixteen he regularly
attended the great trade sales in New
York and Boston, where he purchased
whole editions at a time.
AT eighteen years of age he had saved
I'M a few hundred dollars. ana "lth TINS
limited capital he resolved 90 ser up ln
business for himself lie obtained q smi.i
room in the building then occupied by the
Public Ledger at Third ana Chestnut
streets. and began business.
Here he worked hard and success at
tended his Efforts lie soon gained an eA-
tensive acquaintance among publishers
and was recognized as young man OF
great business talent So favorable q
reputation was not without its advan-
tages. and bv the time he was twenty-one
he was offered partnership IN the pup
fishing house of Il. u. Peterson d. GO.
He accepted 10. and the firm was changed
to Childs q Peterson. Both partners went
TO work with "a WILL and as they possess
cd good Judgment their business increas-
ed rapidly. AIR. Peterson compiled a
work entitled Familiar Sciences" the
sale of which Mr.. Childs pushed to 100000
copies. and had it placed in the list or
studies I'm many schools, where it stll
is retained.
Public Ledger Enterprise.
All this time Mr.. Childs had one object
r..F D. I'D
said TO a friend in his little office at Third
and Chestnut streets that if he lived he
would become owner Of the Public Ledger
The gentleman to when he spoke, Dr.
II. Shelton Mackenzie, was deeply inn
pressed at the time, and years afterward
recalled them I'm letter 20 Mr Chius,
when the latter had become proprietor
of what long has been one Of the most
prominent and widely read newspapers
in Philadelphia. I'm 1896. three journey
men printers-M -Mcssrs. Swain. Abel, and
Slmmons-determined TO start penny
paper in the Quaker city. It's first Office
was i'm the Arcade, which extended from
Chestnut to jayne street. between Sixth
and Seventh and its editor was Russell
| Jarvis bold and dashing writer The
Daily Transcript. another penny paper
was afterwards consolidated with the
Ledger. and its title has ever since ap-
peared ON the paper. The Ledger at once
, gained the sympathy and support Of the
respectable portion of the community,
and was compelled several times TO en-
large it's size and remove to more COM
modious offices
After the war broke out the price Of
white paper. and other articles necessary
for it's production. advanced to very high
figures. Labor and material doubled in
price. and in 1864 the publishers Of the
LEDGER were losing money daily. Every
ISSUE cost $50 more than they received
for it. thc annHsl Joss being si-pml. Mr.
Chiids, learning that the publishers were
anxious 10 dispose of the paper, looked
carefully into the matter. Tie made q
close calculation of the expense of pub
fishing ii. and despite the advice OF SO
many OF his friends. who tL0usht he was
throwing his money away. purchased the
whole property on December o. 1854. for
a sum only little IN excess Of its annual
loss.
Mr.. Childs Immediately showed how the
paper could be published az a profit. lie
doubled les prices and increased the ad-
vert.sing rates. The change was al once
felt and subscribers and adver, 'sers drop
ped of in considerable numbers. Then
Mr.. Childs conceded a point and reduced
the subscription price from twelve 70
ten cents q week.
This brought the old subscribers back
the circulation and advertising eradu iiy
increased and in a short time the paper
was firmly established on a substantial
ana paying footing.
In the meantime Mr. Childs worked
earnestly and indefatgably He superin-
tended every department and Tor seVefal
"a f.f