Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-02-08
GEORGE w. CHILDS DEAD
Paralysis the Cause of Death
-Namesake Probable Sue
cessor to His Business.

w. Childs, the philantbropist and pro-
prietor of The Public Ledger, passed
away at 3 o'clock this morning, sur
rounded by his family and friends. One
of his physicians said. "Mr. Childs
suffered no pain and his end was peace
full, as befitted his life
Mr.. Childs' fortune is believed to be
large, but whether it is Sl,0O0.OOO or
SO, 900 only those intimately ac-
quainted With his affairs know. The
profits from The Ledger are said to
have averaged as high as $1,000 a day
and he had made many profitable in
vestments. He leaves no children and
it is probable that his namesake, George
w. Childs Drexel, son of his old friend.
A. j. Drexel, now publisher OF the
paper, will assume full charge of it.
George W. Childs was born in Balti-
more, May -. 1929. He received an
academic education in the private
schools of that city, and at the age Of IS
entered the navy, where he remained,
however, but fifteen months. He then
went to Philadelphia, where he obtained
a place to work in a bookstore.
As publisher MIR. Childs was re-
markably successful. for he seemed to
have an intrinsic knowledge Of the
requirements of the public. He bought
out Kane's ''Arctic Expedition, from
which the royalties received by the
author amounted to $4,000, and the
profits of the publisher probably aggre-
gated an equal sum. OF a book COM
piled at his suggestion, DIR. Peterson's
Familiar Science" over 200, 900 copies
were sold.
The record Of Mr.. Childs from the
period when before his 40th year he had
become one Of Inc wealthiest and most
famous citizens of the Quaker city. is
found in noble list of generous deeds.
Especially did be exercise his generosity
in rendering tributes to the lights of
literature. Mr.. Cblds was always a
most generous friend TO his employees.
AT one time, Notwithstanding tho fact
that the Typographical union had for
mally sanctioned a reduction of the
wages of printers and the reduced
scale had become operative in every
printing office in Philadelphia besides
his own, he refused to lower the wages
Of his men. He said "My business is
prosperous; why should not my men
share in my prosperityP" This act
not only endeared him to the hearts of
all his employees, but was commented
on most favorably everywhere. In his
large establishment every person in Mr..
Childs' employ had summer vacation
OF two weeks or more, his wages being
allowed meantime and paid in advance.
On Christmas every man, woman and
boy working there received present,
the total cost Of this kindness amount
ing to many thousands of dollars an
nually.
In 1886 Messrs. Childs & Drexel gave
to the International Typographical
union a check for $4,000 to be used as
the nucleus of fund sufficient to build
a home where old and disabled printers
might be cared for. A site for this
home was purchased at Colorado
Springs, Col, where the completed
building was dedicated with appropri-
ate ceremonies May IS, 1892
1t would, however. be impossible to
enumerate the good deeds of this re
markable man, whose hsnd was always
open as the day for melting charity
Professor Joseph Henry, Of the Smith
sonian institution said OF him;
mir. Childs is wonderful man. His
ability to apply the power of money in
advancing the well-being of his fellow
men is unrivaled. He is naturally kind
and sympathetic, and these generous
feelings are exalted. not depressed, by
his success in accommodating fortune.
Like man in the classification of cni.
mats, he forms genus in himself. he
stands alone. there is moi another in
the whole world like him
MIR. Childs possessed one Of the finest
private libraries in the world. and also
collection of original manuscripts and
autographs of authors that has never
been approached, in unique quality and
value, by any individual collection in
this country.