New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-16
CALVIN s. BRICE DEAD.
Carolinas during the closing year of the Civil

OF Michigan. at Ann Arbor. In the fall OF 1865. ne
was admitted TO practice in the courts OF Ohio
and in the Federal District and Circuit courts in
Cincinnati In 1886 A law partnership with James
Irvine. under the firm name Of Irvine Brice. i'm
medately followed. and Lima then became his
home.
He withdrew from the active practice Of the law
about 1880 thenceforth devoting himself TO the
affairs OF various enterprises with which he had
become identified. Among these were the New
York Chicago and ct. Louis Railroad. the Lake
Erie and Western Railroad the Chicago and Allan
tic Railroad the Ohio Central Railroad, the Rich
mond and Danville Railroad. the Richmond and
West Point Terminal. the Virginia and Georgia
Railroad the South Shore and Atlantic Railroad
and the Knoxville and Ohio Railroad, the National
Telegraph Company. the Southern Trust Company
the Chase National Bank. OF this city. and the
United States Express Company.
connection formed n few years after his ad.
mission TO the bar with the legal department OF
the old Lake Erie and Louisville Railroad may
perhaps be regarded as marking a turning point in
Mr.. Brice's career. In time he acquired pecuni-
airy interest IN this road, and he rapidly mastered
the subject OF railroading as few men have ever
done. The Lake Shore road having refused to
make satisfactory arrangements for taking
OF the traffic turned to by the Brice road.
which had now become the Lake Erie and West
ern. Mr.. Brice and his associates conceived and
carried out the bod plan of paralleling that line
when completed. was known the Nickel Plate"
road name given it in jest by Mr. Brce and was
a great competitor OF the Lake Shore road for
traffic between Buffalo and Chicago and intermedi-
ate points. In order to overcome this competition
the Lake Shore people were compelled to- and
did purchase the Nickel Plate Of Mr. Brice and
his associates The consummatlon OF this gigantic
transaction opened the eyes OF the Eastern railroad
magnates TO this rising young Western man. and
may be said 10 be the dividing line between his
being comparatively poor man and his later career
OF extensive means and large invest
ments.
The success Of Mr.. Brice In revivifying old rail-
road properties which had become practically
worthless because Of bad management is attribute
bic almost solely TO his superior skill and manpu-
lation In handling them He succeeded where
others before him had failed. Starting with rail-
road properties In Ohio. into which he infused new
life and energy, his field Of usefulness soon broad
ened. and many corporations in various parts OF
the country eagerly sought and obtained his SER
vices. until the BrceThomas Syndicate. In which
his chief associate was General Samuel Thomas. OF
this city. and through which in the main his opera
lions were conducted. came TO be known as one
OF the leading concerns Of the world for the han
ding OF large railroad transactions. Ex-senator
Brice's latest railroad venture was in connection
with the Cincinnati. Jackson and MackInaw road.
which. coming down from the pineries OF Michigan.
extends through tho entire western tier OF coun-
president OF the company. continuing in that Of
aoe up to the time Of his death A, present the
trains OF that road come into Cincinnati over the
tracks OF the Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton
road. but II was among Mr.. Brice's plans 70 form.
by combining with # certain roads in Northern
Michigan trunk line from Duluth 10 Cincinnati
and in time to extend the system TO New-Oreans
Besides his railroad properties Senator Brice was
Interested In various financial and commercial cor
! poratons AT the time OF his death he was presi-
dent and director OF the Lake Erie and Western
Railroad Company, president and director OF the
Cincinnati Jackson and Mackinaw Railway Conn
pany. first vice president and "A director OF the
| Duluth. South Shore and Atlantic Railway Com
pany. president and director OF the Sault Ste
! Marie Bridge Company. and a director OF the Pa
! cihc Mall Steamship Company. the Chase National
Bank. OF this city the Homer Lee Bank Note
| Company the United States Guarantee Company
tho welsbach Commercial Company, the Elkhorn
Valley Coal Land Company and the Western Union
Beef Company. An enterprise which claimed much
of his attention during the last few months OF his
life the American Chinese Development Com
pany. which recently secured concession for the
construction OF a sx-hun6 red mile railway from
Hong Kong through Canton 20 Han-Kow. on
tho Yang-tse- Klang William Barclay Parsons
chief engineer OF tho Rapid Transit Commission
was retained as chief engineer OF the company
and sailed from San Francisco In October TO To-
cate the line OF this railway which is expected 70
1
| drcing regions Of China. The Development com
pany represents what is popularity known the
Br,ce syndicate Of which ex-senator Brice was
chairman among his associates being the Rookie
folIers ex-Vice- President Morton and the Central
! Trust Company Interests
Mr. Brio. was always a Democrat. and had been
nromincnt In his party since 1876. when he was a
| Presidential Elector on the Tden ticket in Ohio.
! In 1884 he held similar place the Cleveland
| ticket In 1855 he was delegate-at-large to the
| National Convention and literally contributed not
only by his efforts but also from his purse to the
| cause Of his party In the campaign OF that year
| II was natural therefore. that upon the death OF
| William H. Barnum In 1ss! Mr.. Brice should have
been promoted 10 the vacant Craftsmanship OF the
! Democratic National nrnlttee, and should have
| been chosen TO succeed Henry b. Payne In the
| United States Senate upon the expiration OF the
! latter's term IN March. 1871 In the senate ne
soon attained n prominent place. although ne SCI
| dom took part In the debates. II was largely IN
consequence OF his harmonizng labors that the
Democrats in the Lid Congress were led to agree
| on a Tariff bill. Ex-senator Brce was often con-
| suited In matters affecting river and lake trans
portation seacoast trade and railroads In 1875 W
| he was chairman OF the Senate Committee on Pa
clhc Railroads At that time he made strenuous
but unsuccessful efforts to secure remedial legsla-
tion in regard 10 these roads: and 1t at the
united request of the security holders of the Union
! Pacific ana the Government that he was made
| chairman Of the Reorganization Committee OF that
| road a post which he held for several years At
! the close Of his term in the United States Senate
he was succeeded by Joseph y. Foraker. formerly
Governor of Ohio who is now the senior Senator
from that State
During Mr.. Brice's term in the Senate he and his
! family occupied the Corcoran mansion. In Wash
ing and were exceedingly prominent In society
! there They were frequent entertainers. and the
dinners receptions and balls given at their home
/ have perhaps never been surpassed In nagnifcence
/ at the National capital. In their handsome New
port home too the Brice family have given many
| notablr entert ailments. and they have for years
! been prominent I'm New-York society. Senator
Brce always maintained a legal residence In Lima.
| Ohio hut rarely visited his modest house there.
spending most Of the year in this city and Newport.
! He was member Of the Manhattan Club, the
/ LAWYERS Club the Democratic Club the Riding
Club and the D. x + Club. Of this city; the Met,
ronolltan Club. o. Washington: the Jekyl Island
club the Ohio Society. the Whist Club the Aneri-
! can typographical Society. the American Fine Arts