New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04

ployers property. IL.
II Was while. engaged in that humble capacity
that the opportunity IF Mr. Cages NE ca'"e ~
him i'm the offer Of place as booKke'p'r '"' ''e
Merchants Savings Loan ana trust company
a.. h.,,n nj tho salary Of $500 "A year. In less
than twelve months he was made paying 'e'''i.
T., 1870 ne became assistant cashier and in lN'l
cashier Mr. cage retained his connection WIN
This trust company until IsGs VIXEN he accepted
A position as cashier Of the FIRST Natl"hal hdhh'
I-non the reorganization Of tn bank in ISL and
IN. increase ~ it's capital stock Ia N'VtlWHt MI.
Cages abilities received further recognition IN
his appointrnent az vice. piesdent He held TINS
,osirion un,l July l. 1891 when. upon the retire
m,ut If : NJ Nick,rson. he becatn" president "f
the institution.
In speaking Of Mr.. Gage shortly aftei MS nfSl
.l4.,iou AZ president Of the American Bankers
Association in 1NN:;. another fnancier. reviewing
Mr. Cages career from the time h. entered tne
employ IF the Merchants Savings. Loan ana
Trust Company. said: Mr.. Gage has been recoG-
pized as virtually the brains and body Of the
FIRST National Bank for the last decade. No man
IN his profession has higher standing. p"th at
home and abroad Mr. Gage Is regarded as the
highest authority i'm tins country On all important
complex questions Of finance. and in his relations
with his ac1liaintances and friends H. known a.
a iran 90 most noble qualities and attachments.
InnumerabIe Instances could be given Of his un-
usual intuition in advance u correct judgment
and the Pinkertons who have always had "A hand
in the detective work of this ba nix regard HIM as
possessed Of phenomenal skill in all matters upon
which they are occasionally required To act
Mr. Gage was one Of the mainstays of the
Worlds Fair. Even in the most exciting ana
troublesome times NJ never lost his head and
never acted or spoke hastily and by his modrra-
ton and clear reasoning smOOthed over many
serious troubles and saved the Fair many hard
knock His words carried great weight with the
National Commissioners. and h. was the strong
est advocate of the local Directory when That
body and the National Commission We're fighting
over their respective powers and duties. II" So
cured concessions from the Commission and pre-
vented the Directory from doing things mat
would have tended to make harmony impossible.
He also has a record of making the largest indl-
vidual contribution 10 the enterprise. 1ngether
with three other wealthy citizens. h. guaranteed
tn. SlOuno 900 subscription which the City II
Chicago pledged itself t. make for the Exposition.
This guarantee had potent influence with the
United States Senate. and was largely instru-
mental in securing the Fair for Chicago. Mr..
Gage was unanimously chosen first president Of
the Worlds Fair Board Of Directors. but upon
his elevation to the presidency IF the First Ma
tiunal Bank he was compelled to retire from the
place.
Mr. Gag has been identified with So many pub !
lie enterprises and private Institutions. which
Y ere OF such wide nfuenc" as to be semi-public !
in character that only few Of the more prom
inent positions which he has held can be enumer
atrd here.
Member If the Clearing House Committee when /.
the Chicago Clearing Hous- Association was
first organized; officer Of the Chicago Citizens
League upon its organization in 1881; director Of
the Union Stockyards National Bank upon its
organization in 1859. member IF the Executive |
Committee IF the Commercial Club IF Chicago at !
it, founding in 1885,; vice-presdent of the Union
club in 1854: treasurer Of the Young Mems
Christian Association in 1878 and 1879: treas
urer Of the Chicago Art Institute for many years. .
president of the American Bankers Association |
for three terms; chairman Of the Committee On |
Finance for the Republican Natioral Convention |
of 1850 president Of the civic Federal ton Of Chi
cago.
Mr. Gage il a dignfed man Of fine presence |
courteous. affabe and accessible to all Method |
zeal habits of long business training mark rs |
life. N town clock in Chicago j. more regular |
than Mr.. Gage. and when he comes DOWN the |
front steps Of his home in the morning thu people
in the neighborhood know for certain that it l. |
$50 o'clock, as though they had looked at |
chrcnometer. He has always been in the habit |
Of walking t. his bank. good mile and half. |
and unless delayed in his office. has come home |
in the same way at night When obliged t. hurry |
his friends have occasionally seen him hang in |
truly democratic style 10 the strap Of crowded
streetcar. He j. very early riser His library l.
said t. Doe If the largest and best private coli
lections i'm Chicago.