The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-28
SKETCH OF A BUSY LIFE.
Founder Of the Philadelphia Record,
Bank President and Demo-
cratic Leader.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 27.-William
NJ Singerly died suddenly at his resi-
dence, 1701 Locust street, this after
noon. Heart disease was the immed1-
ate cause of death. Mr.. Singerly had
been suffering for about ten days from
a cold, and had remained at nome
since last Wednesday, although his In
disposition was in no way serious.
While sitting in his bedroom smoking
a cigar he was seized with violent nj
of coughing and Immediately AFTER
ward fell over dead. In the room at
the time were Mr.. Singerlys grand
daughter, Miss Mabel Singerly Mere
dith, and two servants. His son-ln-
law, James S. Mccartney, had left
few moments before the sudden end
came, leaving Mr.. Singerly in appa-
rently good health, apart from his
slight cold
The physicians say they had fire.
quently cautioned Mr.. Singerly that
his heart was weak as a result of ex-
cessive smoking, and of late his GUS
tom was to take a dry smoke" To-
day, however, his cigar was lighted,
and it is thought that the smoke
brought on the coughing spell, the Sc
verify of which ruptured a vessel of
the heart.
Mr.. Singerly leaves a daughter, Mrs,
E. Singerly Ralch, who is at present
touring Europe.
William Singerly was proprietor of
the Record Publishing Company, presi-
dent of the Chestnut-street National
Bank and the Chestnut-street Savings
Fund and Trust Company, which re-
Gently collapsed, and president of the
Singerly Pulp and Paper Mill. He was
a member of the Paramount Park Com
mission. and until lately the treasurer
and trustee of the Philadelphia Com
merciaI Museum. He was born in this
city on December q, 1882, and with the
exception of a brief period in his early
manhood. when he conducted a com
mission business in Chicago has lived
here ever since. His father, Joseph
Singerly, was one of the originators of
the street railway system OF Phlladel-
phia. and William returned here TO as
sumo the management of the German
town Passenger Railway Company. In
1877 he bought the Record, then com
paratively feeble journal, and prougnt
it to it's present standard OF excel
lence
In 1887, upon the retirement OF Gov
ernor Pattison from office, Mr.. Singer
ly took an active part in establishing
the Chestnut-street National Bank, Of
which the Ex-Governor became the first
president.
Upon Mr.. Pattison being called
for a second time to the Governorship
of PENNSYLVANIA Mr.. Singerly succeed
ed him as president of the bank and
also became president of the Chestnut
street Trust and Savings Fund Com
pany.
In seeking relaxation from the cares
of business Mr.. Singerly had for many
years taken askeen interest in farming
and stock raising. His herds of Hol-
stein cattle at his large farm at Gwy-
nedd, in Montgomery County, were ia
nous for years, and he was also owner
of the Elkton stock farm.
Mr. Singerly was also an active Dem
ocrat In 1894 he was unanimously
made the Democratic candidate for
Governor of Pennsylvania, and entered
with great energy into the canvass,
speaking in nearly every county in the
State In all he made over seventy
speeches in upholding the cause of
Democracy. The natural Republican
majority of Pennsylvania was too great
to be overcome however. and his COM
petitor, General Hastings. carried off
the prize. During the last national
campaign he supported the Palmer and
Buckner ticket, making a number of
speeches in it's behalf in Pennsylvania.
Delaware and Maryland and organic