The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-19
HORATIO NELSON SLATER
What He Accomplished and
What He Had Hoped
to Do.

W DO.
The following from the current issue
of the Webster Times pertaining to the
life of the late Horatio N. Slater will
prove Of wide interest:
When any man of force drops out Of
business community his demise is
matter of general interest and of
much note When this is true in COM
munity comparatively small in popula-
ton, and such person has stood at
the head of it's business for years, and
represents family and an interest
that has from the commencement been
| the most important interest such COM
munity possessed, the effect and the
impression both are deeper and more
| lasting.
Mr. Slater is the representative of a
family which has occupied such po-
sltion as we last named, in the town
of Webster, and it's surroundings from
| its earliest days.
| The danger of any notice which may
| be published regarding such a man,
coming from friendly source, is the
danger of too much praise, either real
and deeply felt panegyric, or else the
| hattery which it is cheap and easy to
bestow upon such a man after death.
| 1t is the intention of this notice that
such an error should be avoided, and
| still it purposes that the good qualities
of the subject of it should be fairly
stated in friendly spirit.
Horatio Nelson Slater was born in
| the year 1885. He was the son of John
! Il. Slater, who was a brother of George
and Nelson Slater, three sons of Sam
uel Slater. Samuel Slater, most often
| recognized as of the earliest, If not the
| very earliest, cotton manufacturer in
America, living first in Rhode Island
ana removing to the town of Webster,
| or whose industries he may fairly be
| called the founder, died in 1885, the
| year when the subject of this notice
was born
Mr. Skaters father, John Slater, died
In his very early years. The old bust
| ness partnership was long known as
Samuel Slater & Sons, which has been
Kept up to the present time, and saw its
one hundrecth anniversary several
years since.
Horatio Nelson Slater first, was for
long years the leading citizen of the
town of Webster. The dissolution of
the old firm of Samuel Slater &. Sons
TOOK place about 1875, when the inter
est9. OF George Slater, represented by
Madam Slater of North Webster, not
long since deceased, and her son, VIM.
5. Slater, drawing out, so that the bur-
den OF the business was assumed by
Horatio n. Slater; his nephew, the late
Horatlo N. Slater, standing by him in
carrying the load of manufacturing in
terests which he thus assumed.
1t is mistake to say that the subject
OF our notice received the great part of
his fortune by Inheritance. When his
uncle, to distinguish him from whom
the Junior was added to his name by
common consent, took upon himself to
carry on the great business of the fam
lily, 1T was in the midst of hard times
that had commenced as early as 1875
and lasted until some years after 1876.
The late Mr.. Slater, Familiarity known
as Junior from that moment, gave his
| unstinted attention and labor to the
business In which he became promi-
nent figure. He had been engaged in
the business of Samuel Slater & Sons
for long time before, but in less con-
Spicuous and less laborious connection
How much service he was to his uncle
up to the day of that uncle's death, is
well described by quoting from the will
of that uncle the language containing
the bequest to his nephew Of the resi-
dunn of his estate. He gave that resi-
To my nephew the said Horatio N.
Slater, Jr., the son Of my said deceased
brother John Slater, who has done for
me all that a son could have done, hav-
ing for years been my constant aid and
faithful helper and assistant in the ex-
tensive, arduous and important bust
ness to which we have devoted our
lives.'
So that 1t is no more than fair to
larx L e. L.
tune his uncle left was largely built up
by the untiring efforts Of the nephew
who has just deceased. Whatever of
fortune his uncle left him by his will he
has managed with such consummate
skill and sleepless attention, that he has
magnifed its volume much more than
twice; perhaps more than thrice.
Webster knows what q business
power Mr.. Slater possessed. Webster
knows his traits of self confidence and
determined purpose. Whether his pur-
poses were always popular or not, and
it must be admitted that they some
times aroused opposition, Webster will
never forget the advantage to the COM
munity from his great development of
his business and from his interest and
zeal in the advancement Of the town.
One eminent public service was rem
dered by him in connection with his
uncle, and largely by him it may be
said, in the establishment and building
of g branch railroad, which raised a
competition on freight and opened a
new artery of travel, which was az
much benefit to any other citizen doing
business in Webster, as it was to the
business which he controlled in proper
ton to the magnitude Of the interests
of Others
But this business capacity and deter
mined push were not the only charac-
teristics Of Horatio N. Slater. Many an
act of transformations private charity
and of kindly help testify to a kind
heart in him. Such records do not see
the light, but are cherished in the home
life of many poor and distressed peo-
pie.
When for a moment he had relief
from the whirl and toll of an exacting
and extremely varied business, he took
delight in the pleasures Of his home
in Webster, sanctified for many years
by the thoughtful care of a loving
daughter, and again later by the de-
voted attention of tender wife.
The love of children was in him a
strong characteristic To the four Young
children Of his more advanced wears,
whom his sad death leaves to the sole
care OF mother, whom in oft repeated
condolences he pronounced a model wife
and mother his love went forth with
the unbounded flow of strong mans
soul. Although their years are very
tender 1t would be long before they
cease to dwell in childish, as well as in
more developed recollection upon the
tenderness of such father.
1t is certainly understood among the
people Of the town that 1t had been the
intention of Mr. Slater to have pre-
sented the town with fine library
building. He had often considered the
project of doing this, and it is probable
that the town would today be the pos
SCISSOR of one Of the finest libraries in
the state, but that animosities almost
sure to be developed when so strong a
character as he was finds himself an