Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-09-02

here was eStaDllSneu III 1000. AS IL grew,
Mr.. Grace associated his brothers. Mich
ael p. Grace and John w. Grace, in it
with himself. A branch house was
opened in London, another in San Fran
cisco, the business in Callao was extend
ed to the capital, Lima, and other branch
es were opened in Chill, where the house |
now has three Establishments Val |
pariso, Santiago and Conception. The
firm has always occupied very promi- /
nent part in the business of these coun-
tries.
Following mis- principle of keeping
abreast of the times, Mr.. Grace had his
business incorporated a few years ago,
that there might be no question of its
continuity.
Mr.. Grace was an early believer i'll the
possibilities of long voyage steamer trade,
and established the pioneer direct steam
service from the United States to the
west coast of South America.
Mr. Grace is a natural organizer He
is interested in great many enterprises,
to each of which he devotes a portion of
his time. He is the President of the In
gersoll Sergeant Drill Company, con-
Germ which has been foremost in the APP
plication of compressed air He also or
ganized and is the Chairman of the Mic
aragua Canal Syndicate, body of New
York capitalists which obtained a con-
cession for the construction of the canal
at time when European efforts in that
direction seemed probable, and thus
saved the waterway to the United States
Mr.. Grace is a trustee of the New York
Life Insurance Company, of the Ter
mnal Warehouse Company, the Central
and South American Telegraph Com
pany, and is a director of the London
Bank and the City Trust Company. He
is also President of the Sevilla Home for
Children.
In later years Mr.. Grace has relieved
himself to some extent from the manage
ment of his vast business interests, and
has found time to devote his abilities to
practical philanthropic purpose. He
and his brother, Michael p. Grace, estab-
lished Grace Institute in memory of their
father and mother, and in gratitude to
New York-the scene of their early start
for success. The object of the Institute
is to furnish instruction in the domestic
arts and sciences, and in the trades and
occupations in which women may be
employed, and to afford protection, in
struction and assistance to young women.
Five hundred graduates of the Institute
are put in the way annually of earning
an honest living. In it is taught all the
duties of home in the broadcast sense of
the woodworking, laundry work, sew
ing and dressmaking, and also stcnog-
raphy and typewriting.
Like most successful men Mr.. Grace
has vivid appreciation of bright and
suggestive thought, whatsoever the
source. He relates. in this connection,
an incident of his youthful career in
Peru, which tended to improve his
knowledge of human nature. He had
Just entered into a contract of partner
ship, when big Irishman named Jack
Mccarthy, respected and well-to-do, who
had seen Grace and liked him, said to
him:
"Here, Grace, have been watching
YOU ever since you came here, aud
think you are of the right sort. Now
have taken lease of this store next to
the post-office, and I'll put in a business
there thirty thousand dollars cash against
your brains"
OF course being pledged in another di-
rection he could not do anything with
Mccarthy, but he recommended a friend
with whom both were acquainted. Nc
Carthys reply was so full of pith that il
has always remained with Mr.. Grace
The man he spoke of was very brigh
fellow whom he knew very well, of very
good education and spotless character
His Irish friend listened to his plea fo
this young man, and then rendering hi
decision in the sentence: "Och, he's al
used up with education he made ;
description of the man which fitted ex
actly, and the soundness of which Mr.
Grace always remembered.
II is almost needless to remind tn
reader that Mr. Grace was elected Mayo
of New York in 1880, and again in 1884
serving two terms which were noted TO
their strength. vigor and fearlessness