Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-12
BARON De HIRSCH.


interesting sketch OF Baron de Hlrsch,
in whose honor the Baron de Hirsch
Synagogue was named. Tho sketch
also included the baroness, Mr.. Stratus
having known the baron and baroness
since 1887. He spoke in part as follows:
The grandfather of the late Baron
de Hirsch came into prominence
through financial ASSISTANCE rendered
the King of Bavaria after the close of
the Napoleonio wars, and was ennobled
for these services. The king once asked
him how it was that, although only
cattle dealer, be had made SO much
money. Hirsch replied: II have not
only dealt in cattle but with cattle"
Baron Hirsoh's father was IA man of
large means and led a life of leisure,
devoting himself to shooting and hunt
ing.
The late Baron Hirsch inherited
large fortune, but before he reached 30
he entered as clerk in the famous
banking house Of Bischofsheim x
Goldsmith, of which he soon became
the moving spirit He never became
a member of the firm, but he married
the daughter of the senior member, the
About this time in his desire to get
into pusihopS, hc IulSiiaecl tho hnHbt1
of bankrupt banking firm in Brussels.
Among the assets was concession for
the building of railroad, granted by
the Sultan OF Turkey, but which the
liquidating firm had failed in perfect
ing or negotiating. The Baron went to
Constantinople in order to have the
concession modified SO that it could be
made practicable. This was in the
later sixties. This done, he advanced
all the money he had in beginning the
construction of the road, but it looked
as il the whole matter would fail, as
the European capitalists would not
take up what appeared to them a
chimerical scheme. His wife, Baroness
HIrsch, however, came to his assist
ance with her private fortune.
story that / heard at CONSTANT
nople from the chief engineer of the
railroad illustrates the character of
this noble woman. The first section
of the road was from Constantinople to
what is known as the Seven Towers.
One depot was located by the Turkish
officials in the centre Of a village, and
necessitated the tearing down of a
number of dwellings belonging to poor
people. These houses had been con-
demned. and about 1,000,0 ZOO francs
awarded to the 80 families which had
lived in them. While this was very
liberal reward, and satisfactory to the
people as to amount, they had little
confidence in the promise of theit
government, and olung to their houses
even while the roofs were being pulled
off. Some of the Greek and Turkish
women called on Baroness Hirsch, who
was always accessible to poor people,
and laid before her their sad story.
She appealed to her husband, but he
replied that under his concession the
location or building of the depots were
not his affair, but belonged solely to
the government. She decided that she
would not lst the railroad go on unless
the evicted people were compensated.
She gave her husband a check for the
amount, and made him go to the Porte
and offer to advance the money, on the
condition that the people we're paid at
once. This was accepted, the SO families
concerned being literally compensated,
moved out, and the first section of the
road was soon opened with great eclat,
the poor people themselves joining in
| the celebration.
Some - years before his death the
Baron sold his Turkish railroad to a
German syndicate. One OF the first
| benevolent acts of the Baroness after
she became widow was to establish
substantial pension fund for every
workman and official of the railroad
down to the humblest workman.
The Baroness was the most remark
| able woman | ever met. She had not
| only great heart, hut an equally
| great brain. She was simple and digni-
| fed in. her manner and most reserved.
Her greatest pleasure in life was to do
good, but to do ii SO that the bepe-
faotress should not be known.
Some five years ago the editor of one
of our leading magazines wrote to Paris
for sketch of her husbands life. In
stead of writing such sketch, she sent
the letter to me, stating: There is
nothing remarkable to be written about
my husband. He was born under more
than easy circumstances. and by in
dustry has been able to acquire an
immense fortune by immense labor. If
you consider such fortune to be a
great privilege, he ought to think him
self very fortunate. So much money
brings great responsibilities. ! have
always thought, and am more convinced
every day, that whatsoever takes you
out OF the masses and puts you in view
OF the many, takes away also your
peace and quiet. If only one could do
good without being known, what a
luxury thar would be-
| After the death OF her husband she
told me that If she lived long enough
she would give everything away.
| As she was the sole administrator of
her husbands estate she Iabored on
the average from 10 to IL hours day.
She received on the average 800 letters
from every section of the world, from
Central Arabia to our Pacific coast.
Her letters would have delighted a
stamp collectors heart, and, as an evi.
dence of her great love for children
she always distributed the rarer stamps
among the children of her friends.
She was very mothodical in her work.
was a fluent penman, and wrote with
equal ease in English, French, German
and Italian. Sha had two secretaries,
but one of them told me that she her.
self could do more work than both OF
| them combined.
Her husband had large and success.
full racing stable, but all the winnings
went to the London hospitals. After
his death she sold the horses, and the
proceeds went in the same direction.
The amount of her charities is
| difficult to estimate. | know that her
husband distributed between $50. 0GO,
600 and $40, 600, eco. To the best of my
knowledge she distributed about SIS,
600. 600. besides the requests of her
will. She sent donations to this country
to the Garfield Hospital, in Washing