The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-05-09
WAS SUMMONED SUDDENLY.
Death of Potter Palmer One ~ CSseAgov
Miliionaircs. when Thought -
He Recoy ering.

Chicago. May 5. Potter Palmer. for
nearly half a century one OF Chica-
COS most prominent business men,
died last night at his residence on
Lake Shore drive. The exact cause
Of Mr.. palmcr's death has not yet
been determined. lie had been sur
fering for several weeks from a ncrv-
Gus disorder. but a. he was able 10
be about the house his condition was
not thought to he serious. When Le
returned Saturday night he was feel
ing. If anything, better than for sew
cral days. During the night, how
ever, he seemed 10 lose all his energy.
and Yesterday morning was unable TO
leave his room. lie gradually grew
weaker during the day. and at $50
o'clock last evening he suffered sud
den collapse from which he expired.
The physicians who were attending
ultimate cause of his death. as APP
parently he had no organic troubles.
Mrs. Palmer and their two sons,
Honorc and Potter. Jr., were with Mr..
Palmer when he died. No arrange
ments have yet been made for the
funeral. but in all probability ne will
be buried in Chicago, where he ac-
cumulated his fortune.
Potter Palmer was born in 1926 in
Potter's Hollow, Albany county, \.
\. He received "A common school edu-
cation. and at the aye of IS engaged
as a clerk in store at Durham, \. T.,
where he remained three years When
he became of age he opened store
of his own at Oneida. \. T., and con-
Quoted il for two years. He after
ward spent one year at Lockport, y.
v. and then removed 10 Chicago,
where he established "A dry goods
firm. This firm afterwards became
Field. Palmer & Letter of which the
other members were Marshall Field
and Levi Il. Letter. and which has
been succeeded by the firm of Mar
shall Field x Go.
The sharp advance in the price or
goods after the beginning of the
civil war found the firm prepared
with a large stock. and il rcaped i'm
mense gains from every advance. Mr..
Palmer retired from mercantile life
in 1865 and so liberal had been his
policy in meeting public require
mcntS during the war, that the gov
eminent was indebted to him 10 the
extent of three-quarters of million
dollars After disposing of his dry
goods interests Mr. Palmer invested
largely in Chicago real estate, and be-
gan the erection of business build
ings. When the fire came in 1871 he
owned 81 structures on State street,
every one of which was destroyed.
His losses were very heavy, but his
faith in Chicago was mistaken, and
he borrowed enough money to enable
him TO reconstruct the buildings that
had been destroyed. He had already
begun the erection of the Palmer
House hotel. and as soon as possible
after the fire re work on this build
ing was resumed. IL was completed
at a cost of 81 100000. the result be-
| ing the handsomest and most sub
stantial hotel in the country It that
time. His real estate holdings con-
tinued to increase in value until to-
| day his fortune is estimated at s95.-
900. Mr.. Palmer was married in
1871 to Miss Bertha NJ. Honore.
daughter of II. II. Ionorc. a Chicago
capitalists of that day. In politics
| Mr. Palmer was a democrat