The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-04-27

We pi'Stul Jul IfhitIS WIN al tNttllsHl
portrait of Hon. William 7. Malster. President
Of the Columbian Iron Works. Of Baltimore.
1t goes without the saying, that Mr.. Nal
ster's friends in Cecil county, feel gratiled at
the business success he has achieved. and at
the unmistakable evidence Of great personal
popularity, which his prominence as Repub-
lican candidate for Governor has developed.
Mr. Masters career is but Il repetition OF that
of 50 many eminent Americans. who without
the aid of influential friends, or favoring
circumstance in early life have by courage
industry and manly endeavor achieved honor
able distinction.
1t is the result of no accidental circutl-
stance that Il comparatively friendIess boy in
Chesapeake City in 1860. is to-day a leading
business man Of the commercial metropolis
of our Stat, and the president Of one of the
largest ship building firms of the country.
He has achieved success because he de-
served it, and because he possesses the per-
sonal qualities to command success Without
these qualities. he never would have risen
above the sphere in which he was born. and
he would have lived and died in theohsrurity
of village life.
But the manly Independence, the unwaver-
ing courage, the indomitablc will, the prin-
ciples Of sincerity, honesty and integrity that
underlie his character, were not to be limited
by the accident Of birth.
His courage created the opportunity and
his ability improved the chances Of success in
life, and the credit is solely his own.
We honor any man who possesses the
ability to achieve honorable distinction in
life, and for this reason Cecil county honors
VIM T. Master.
Mr.. Master was born in Chesapeake City
in April 1913, and is the son of jeremiah Nal
ster, early in life Il respectable but unpretend-
ing schoolmaster of this county, and who but
recently passed to the other side.
Mr.. Masters early boyhood developed a
passion for machinery and steam engines,
and which after some preliminary home eX-
perience procured him a position on the
Ericsson line OF steamers between Baltimore
and Philadelphia. Early in 1863 he went
into the employ of VIM. |. Taylor on a
steamer plying between Baltimore and Wash
ington, and later in the same year he became
engineer of the Ellie Knight, a government
transport steamer, making trips in her
to Hilton Head, Fernandina. Jacksonville, st.
Augustine and other southern ports. At the
close Of the war he engaged rs engineer on
the Steamer Cumbria running between Phil
adelphia and Savannah, Ga, afterwards tax
ing a position as engineer oY the Steamer
North Point, of the Baltimore and Savannah
Line, and of which company the late Washing
ton Booth ESD, of Baltimore. was president,
and who was a warm personal friend of Mr..
Malster His ability and faithful service
being recognised by the company, he was
promoted to the position of experimenting
engineer of the line which position he filled
until 1869. In that year he left the Savannah
Line, and with James Donnell machinist,
of Baltimore, whom Mr.. MaIster had been
employing for the company, he started at the
foot of Caroline street in that city under the
firm Of Malster 4 Donnell--The Caroline
Street Iron Works. This firm lasted less
than eighteen months, when Mr.. Malster
started business on his own account at the
foot of Ann street, with the Columbian Iron
Works, where he continued until 1879, when
he rented the present site of the Columbian
Iron Works at Locust Point, and took into
partnership Mr.. VIM, b. Reaney. of Philadel-
phia and continued in business as Master &
Reaney until 1892 In 1884 the present Col
umbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Company
was Incorporated.
At these works a number Of United States
war vessels, the finest of their class, have been
built and launched, noticeably the U. S. Gun
boat Petrel, now on the China station the
two Government Cruisers, Detroit and Mont
gomery the fastest of their class, as well as
the Government Light House Steamers,
Laurel, Arbutus, Holly, Jassamine. and the
L. $. Revenue Steamer, Tench Cox. Besides
the general repair work done for the Govern
ment, the general list of steamers built there.
includes many vessels of private ownership
and of varying classes and dimensions.
AS II marine engineer and constructor, Mr.
Malster rs President and Manager of the Col