Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-01-11
P. D. ARMOUR DEAD.
Chicago Millionaire Yielded to
Long Illness.
NEVER RALLIED AFTER SONS DEATH.
A Native of Madison County, ". ", He
Laid the Foundation of His
Great Wealth In Calf
fOrniu In 1910.

CHICAGO, Jan. Phillip u. Armou
died at his residence in Prairie avenue
in this city at 5:4J O'Clock last evening.
The end came after two years of illness,
during which time Mr.. Armour visited
German baths, passed the cold months in
southern California and devoted himself
largely TO an attempt to restore his
health, which, however, had been broken
never to be rcgaincd.
For several weeks the millionaire had
been living at the old family home in
Prairie avenue, the usual trip TO southern
California not having been taken this
winter. He came down to the office in
the Home Insurance building but seldom,
and as the cold increased he did not come
at all. 1t was understood in the office
that he had an incipient attack of pneu
mona, but it was given out no later than
Il week ago that he was on the road to
recovery. 1t was noted. however. that
the constant attendance of DIR. Frank
Billings, the family physician. at the bed
side of the sick man did not corroboratc
the favorable reports at the down town
Office. For several days death had been
feared as the outcome by the close assoc
ciatcs of the great captain of industry.
They realized that the decline from day
to day did not cease. When death came,
his grandchildren. who had 50 close a
place in his heart were mt the family
residence, as was j. Ogden Armour. the
surviving son.
The death of his son. Philip ID. Armour,
,Jr.. in southern California on Jan. 20,
1900. was a great shock to the health
broken man. The son had gone on a
visit to his father and was taken sudden
ly with pneumonia. His death followed
with scarcely n days warning. The son
had largely interested the father and in
heritcd the business ability of the Ar
mours and was closely following the foot
steps of the head when he was stricken
down.
So carefully had the plans for the fu
ture been made that the death of Mr..
Armour will have little effect on the out
ward working of the great enterprise
with which he had been 50 closely iden-
titled 1t is believed all the Armour
properties will he held intact until the
grandchildren come into their own.
Estimates of Mr. Armour's own estate
run from $10000,000 to $4,000. 900
This of course does not include the S1j.-
OOO 900 or $2O,0O0,O00 owned by the
younger members of his family. For
years every enterprise he was interested
in had been making immense profits. His
holdings of stock have all advanced
largely during the last three years.
Philip d. Armour, who was in his six
ty-ninth year. made his own life on lines
unique and wholly original with himself
From not ovcrrich Madison county a.
" farm to the position of paving more
freight and controlling more provisions
than any other man in the woNid were
the two extremes of his life.
The California gold fever struck west
ern New York in 1910, and young Ar
mour was the first in Stockhridge to de-
termine TO visit the Pacific coast lie
obtained the permission of his parents
and mt the agc of Il started having three
of four companions from the same neigh
horhood. The almost incredible part of it
was that the party walked nearly the en-
tire distance from New York to Califor-
mia.
The commercial sense. which always
prcdominAted in his life. Indicated its
presence as soon rs he saw the godfcldS
of California. He made money from the
start. and mt the end of six years he re-
turned home with Il fortune. becoming
dissatisfied With the quiet life Of his ma
tive town. he came west again and to-
gcther with n hrothcr-in-law established a
/ large Wholesale grocery house in Milwau-
kce. This venture was also successful,
and in Il years time he purchased the
largest grain elevator in Milwaukee, This
led to more elevators and railroad stock.
In 1866 he came To Chicago ia take charge
of the Chicago branch Of Il New York
packing establishments The result was
that the Chicago house ceased to he Il
branch, and the west gained the largest
packing and provision plant in the world
The property interests for which Mr.
Armour stood are estimated ut Sl5O.O0O.
600.
In works of charity Mr.. Armour's
monument will he found in the Armour
institute. tn which but short time ago
he gave $4,000 in one remembrance
Asked once what he considered his hest
paying investment, he replied, THE Ar
mour institute"
The institute today represents an in
vestment on the part Of Mr. Armour and
his brother Joseph of S2,250.0OO and q
yearly expense for maintenance of 500
000