The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-01
ISAAC BELL PASSES AWAY.
HE TAI BEEN ILL WTTH PNEUMONIA
ron a WEEK.

ne MAD LoaE Been Prominent In Charitable
ana educational In.titutions-One OF tho
Founders OF HcIievue Medical College. and
the Oldest Mebnber OF the Union Club.
Isaac Bell, who was prominently identified
with the growth and development of New York
city In many directions, died at his residence,
2i7 Fifth avenue, yesterday morning. For n
week no hnd been very I'll with pneumonia, and
the weakness incident to his age. 80 years, rem
dered him unable TO fight the disease. His Heath
was expected for two days. Ho leaves q widow
and two sons, Louis Bell. o prominent Wall
street man, and former Park Commissioner Ed.
ward Bell. They were oil at his bedside when
hs died.
Since 1910, when Isaac Bell. n canny Scotch
man, left Edinburgh to begin q prosperous
career In the New World, tho Bells have been
Americans, and there has always been an Isaac
Bell in the family. Tho successor to the name
now is . grandson Of Mr.. Bell and a son OF tho
late Isaac Bell who was prominent in Rhode
Island politics. Isaac Bell who has just died
was the twelfth of that name in direct descent.
He was born Aug. 4, 1914. In the house at II
Greenwich street, which is still owned by the
family. After receiving his education In this
city he went to Mobile at the age of % to en-
gage In the cotton trade, from which in seven
teen years he made a large fortune. In 1s4& ho
i married o daughter Of DR.. Valentine Mott, the
father Of surgery In America. but 1t was not
until 1855 that they returned TO New York to
live. While in the South no was a member OF
the Alabama Legislature and . member OF tho
shortly AFTER his return to this city he en-
tered public life, and for moro than thirty years
his time and thought were givon to the growth
public O' once Was 81 on n'i the e" board PTS Of supervisor ssrS sfss
house, a position which be held until tho estab-
lishment. largely through his efforts, Of tho Do
the arst COMMISSIONS appointed. and served as
President OF thu, Board until 1879; During this
missioner and ComEissioner Of inmisration.
regular business. no found timo to serve the
10 Who brought about DtnV The Establishment Of
the Normal College, and for many years he was
one Of the founders Of Bellevue Medical College
and President Of the Board Of Trustees for thirty
years. In Bellevue stands a monument to his
patriotism. though 1t docs not bear his name.
It y the old Iron s;airway and balcony OF FED,
deliver r" his d inaugural %aifn address ess' as Pres ieH1a Of Of
the United States. When Federal Hall was
pulled down 70 make way for the su5,TssSsury
removed to Bellevue aud set up at the entrance.
Through his efforts the concession. from the
government for the schoolship St. Mary's was
When the civil war broke out Mr.. Bell, fore
helped to organize tho Union Defence Commit.
tee Of the State o., New York, and became It's
N1Co-ChAlrUan. IhiB committee was the nnnn-
cial hacker OF tho Government for tho first six
months Of the war. Mr.. Bell also org niIed and
was financial manager of tho Riot Relief Fund.
Business interests Of various kinds divided
Mr.. Bells timo with his public duties.
During the war he was principal owner
Of the transport ships Arago and Fulton OF the
first line which ran TO France flying the Ameri-
can flag. Afterward these boats were used by tho
New York and HavrcPacket Company. OF which
Mr.. Bell was President. He was one Of the or
ganizers Of the Old Dominion steamship Com
pany and the Farmers Loan and TrustCOmpany,
and was inter sted in many other financial
institutions. His private charities-which were
not only private, but secret in many cases-wero
very large. and among the poor he was known
as "Gcntlcman Isaac" One OF his chief inter
ests was the Police Department, and upon the
celebration OF his golden wedding, In 1894, tho
Socially the Bells have always been prominent.
and their house was a gathering spot for that
part of society, which is made up of the old fam
ilics. Mr.. Bell was the oldest member OF the
Union Club, and one OF the founders Of tho Man.
haitian Club. He was a member OF the Amcri-
can Museum OF Natural History and OF tho
Metropolitan Museum OF Art. In politics no
was always a stalwart Democrat. and for a time
he was a Tammany Sachem. More than once
he might have had the Democratic nomination
for the Mayoralty, but he always said that he
had no taste for public lifc of that kind. ard
could do better work in other directions. The
funeral will be held on Sunday, probably from
the, Church Of the TRANSPORTATION, where Mr..
Bell attended.