The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-05-01
BARON HIRSCH.
The Greatest Philanthropist of the Age.
His Wealth 100000 600, of Which He
Contributes $16O00000 Yearly in Char
ity--How He Gaihed HIS Wealth.


With Baron Hirsch disappears the
greatest philanthropist ofthe century.
tie had Il vast fortune, estimated at
$2OO,OOO,OOO, which he employed
principally for the lifting up of the
downtrodden people of his own race.
10 his people he was the later Sir
Moses Montifiore; endowed, however,
with the wealth of Monte Cristo,
that enabled him to life misery and
Ioverty from thousands and thousands
1t has been estimated that his income
was from SIS, 900, 600 to $50, 600, 900
year, and this sum he is credited
with devoting to charity and philian-
thropy from ST. 700, ,00Oto SIS, 900
OOO-some say the entire interest of
his vast wealth; for it is asserted that
at the time of his marriage with the
daughter of one of his partners, Miss
Blschoifshelm, who brought him
dowry Of $2O,OOO,OOO, the income
from his own vast fortune was devoted
by him and the Baroness Hirsch
entirely to charitable and philanthro-
pic work. With him Baroness nirsch
worked heart and soul in the splendid
work they took up.
His own gifts are said to aggregate
S50O,OOO,OUO, while the Baroness
were in gold propotion. The two
together made frequent trips ali over
Europe, and whenever an opportunity
presented itself for improving the
condition of the masses the Baron
readily took advantage oft and gave
IN proportion to the scope of the work
intended.
No one Knows Of the thousands Of
small things he and his wife were
constantly doing to Tighten the misery
and sorrows of the poor. The Ba..
roness made personal tours of the
slums and poorest quarters of every
large city in Europe. and having n
t"''rrs W, knowledge of English,
French, Italian, Spanish, Russian,
German and many of the provincial
dialects, was able to map out and
carry into operation the best and
safest remedial measures. 1--WE
devote our money! Baron IIrsch
once said, "to these poor wrcichcs,
simply because all the rest of the
world is turning cold shoulder to
'tncm. The vast amount Baron
llirsch has expended in his life in
philanthropy has yet to be tabulatcd.
Nhcn i: is the world Will doubtless
wonder, and ali he has done he did
with superb system, 50 that his death
leaves the world no poorer.
Mr.. Oscar :. SlrauS. former min
lister from the United States to
Turkey, who knew Baron llirsch
1ell, said Of him: "ln order to
understand the Baron's charitable
operations it is necessary 10 know the
leading theory ofall his actions. Tina,
is, that men who have wealth are
responsible 10 mankind for its proper
use. lie firmly believes it to be his
duty to use his vast wealth for the
.amelioration oftnc Ills of man. Like
al! others who have attempted to give
money in,clligcntlv, he finds THIS no
easy task. lie is one of the busiest
men | know, yet practically al! his
time is devoted to charity.
NJ. a. 5. Solonons, OF tie lIirSch
Colony Fund, was once asked: "What
effect would Baron liirsch's sudden
death have Oh his extensive philan-
. thropic enterprises, including the
Hirsch colonics:' and hc rcplicd:
: Maurice de llirsch de GcrcU,h WAS
iDorn N Bararia in 1886. His father
twas wraIthy merchant in Munich,
land, for serI iccs rendered to the State
was cnnobling ~ 1869. The toun.
dation Of the fortune of the family was
laid by the grandfather of tic Baron
in the beginning of the century, whose
name was Joseph Iiirsch.
Young llirsch went to Brussels as
q bov of thirteen, but his career at
the 4 thence was not marked by any
peculiar promise, and at the age Of
seventeen he went into business. as
sociating himself with the European
banking house o.! B!schcilShiem &
GolIschmidt. Bcirrclon lis capacity
rs tinahc;cr became evident. h'5
moderate patrmony soon doubled
itself and has personal influence was