The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-02
THE A. IT. STEWART FORTUNE.
It's Small Beginning,
GraxYth end Recent COIiapse.

New York Special in Pittsburg Dispatch.
s"Extrai All bout de Dustin of Hilton,
Husen Comoany1 This was the hrst
tive little newsies as / stepped off a Broad
way car in Herald Square this afternoon.
The cry didn't surprise me-, as the condi-
ton of the big dry goods firm has been
talked about on Newspaper row for several
months. and the fact that it would furnish
an item some day was a foregone conclu-
sion. But the closing of the huge mercan-
tile mart founded by A: I. stewart natur-
story of his rise from c3scUfity TO a mer-
chant prince, the romances surrounding his
own life. the theft of his body after his
death. the scores of suits for possession of
his millions. and the troubles OF ms friends
would fill many volumes. The founding of
the house of Hilton, Hughes q Co. dates
from the beginning of A. l.. stewart lite
as a merchant. In 1926, in partnership with
bers street got its name, they secured a
store at No. 2S3 Broadway. II after DELHI
Grating ever its high. rental-SSl5 a year
aire as proprietor and salesman,
and Chambers as his buyer and ad-
wiser. Mr.; stewart doTn was Sn tbpe f0p ineiGe
work himself. The little Broadway
shop became known in the city as a
no tricks of light and shade were played
with the window curtains to help the sale
of damaged goods. The firm prospered, in
1S4S he began the erection OF the immense
p ne hn ere as Stev-arf.s down-tcwn store
NnF0 SII6ltIlkS 44OII ~ q
street. on Broadway, the ground floors of
which are now occupied by tradesmen and
the upper floors by the city and private in
dividua1s. mainly as offices. If you should
ever be drawn on jury here you VIII have
TO visit Mr.. Stewards first mercantile mon
ument in order to be excused. providing
you're on the exempt list.
Fourteen years from the time Mr.. Stew
art opened the big Chambers-street store
he purchased the block between Ninth and
Tenth streets. on Broadway, and then
erected the monster pile which is now.
known as the dry goods store of Hilton.
Hughes & Co. 1t cost a figure verging on
IS 900. 600. The running expenses in Stew
wear and in the three years following the
opening of the store the sales amounted to
SOB 600. 600. In 1864 his net profits aggre-
gated $4,000. 900. He had branches all over
Europe. owned milling property all through
New England, bought big hotels in this
city and Saratoga, secured 10000 acres of
land on Long island. made many lucky real
estate investments, and finally built a mar
BILE palace at the corner of Fifth avenue
and Thirtv-fourth street, now occupied by
the Manhattan Club. Nobody knows how
much of a hole Il put in his millions. Then.
on the night of April 10. 1876. A. T. Stewart
died. The VIII was read to his widow in
the darkened parlor of the palace-which
wife"-and by it ex-Judge Hilton. who. as
legal adviser, had received a salary of
S34. coo q year, was gwen the lump sum of
81. 900. 600. The theft of A. t. Stewards
body. the legal wrangles over the millions
he left behind. and the debut of Judge Hill
ton as a merchant are "reminiscences which
readers have at their fingers ends