The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-23

heart disease. resulting from a com
plication OF diseases incident TO old age.
l The veteran fnancier would have
celebrated his Goth birthday anniver-
Bary next month.
Mr.. Sage had been In exceptionally
good health since his arrival nj bis
summer home about six months ago.
At no. rday he was seized with
sinkine spell and collapsed. rapidly
falling into inconsistencies about Two
hours before his death. which occur
red at 4:30 o'clock
There were present at the end Mrs.
Sage. her brother, Col. j. j. Slocum. and
Rev. DR.. Robert Leetch DR.. Th sodore
s. Janeway OF New York, DIR. J. carls
Schmuck, a local physician and DIR.
John ii. Mum. for many years Mr..
Sage's family physician. who was sum
moned from New York when the first
alarming symptoms were manifest.
The r,eral services will be held
Wednesoas at the West Presbyterian
church in West Forty Second street, Of
which Mr.. Sage had been a member for
many yearl ~Se interment will take
place In Troy Thursday Mrs Sage
and her brother, Col Slocum, are
named as the executors Of Mr.. Sage's
will.
MR.. sAGE's LONG LIFE.
Russell Sage was born in the little
township OF Verona. oneida county, on
Aug 10. 1915. He was therefore In his
Goth year. His father was a Connecti-
clut man and Mr. Sage was the last Of
an old Connecticut set with every
member OF which he was on friendly
terms.
The career Of Mr.. Sage is a thing 10
be classified: first. as the poor grocery
clerk for his brother In Troy. and then
as a retail grocer In business for him
SELF and after that successfully as
wholesale grocer. a ward politician In
Troy, n dabbler in railroads, which
were afterward consolidated into the
great New York Central system,
congressman at Washington, and then
as a director in some OF the railroads
which now comprise the transconti-
mental system.
Last OF all, he was a money gatnerer
IN New York. In which relation he asso-
ciated himself with more than 25 cor
porations He was president OF some,
yice-president OF others and director
IN ALL
BORN AT VERONA
Mr.. Sages fathers family was on the
way 10 western New York from their
early home In Middletown, Conn, when
Russell was born at Verona. His birth
stopped the Journey at this little town
ship. and there the family remained.
The father took UP farming, and the
boy, when years old, went to the dis
trict school.
Eight years later he was an errand
boy in his brother Henry's grocery,
in Troy. His evenings were spent I'm
study, and he Joined a debating society,
where the knowledge he acquired help
ed him when he became a memoer Of
the board of aldermen from the Eighth
ward in that fiourishing city. From the
first he was an out and out whig. and
remained In the faith chen that old
party took its new name just before
the war.
In few years he owned a grocery
shop OF his own. and In 1889 under the
firm name of Bates & Sage he enlarged
his business and became n jobbcr. All
the firms supplies were received by
sloop from New York and distributed
through western New England and the
upper counties OF this state by teams.
In ls4l Mr.. Sage married Maria
Winn Of Troy. She died in 1887. after
Mr.. Sage had taken up his residence
in New York; and two years later he
married Miss Olivia Slocum Of Syracuse,
who had been friend and schoolnate
OF bis first wife at Miss Emma VIII
lards seminary In Troy. Mrs. Sage
survives her husband. There are no
other near relatives
FIRST SPECULATIoNS.
Just after his first marriage Mr.. Sage
began TO interest himself in speculative
railroad stocks. He had been fascinated
with the ride OF ! s miles over the Kud-
son and Mohawk, running from Albany
90 Schenectady. The name OF this pio-
neer road was afterward changed TO
that OF the Albany and Schenectady.
and interested in II were Thurlow
Weed. then editor OF the Albany Even
ing Journal: Louis Benedict and a
dozen other influential whig politi-
clans.
From that hour Mr.. Sage began TO i'm
bibe an interest in politics. He had him
self elected chairman OF the Whig COM
mttee for the eRnsselaer congress dis
trict. and he kept that place against all
comers for % years.
Wealth was rolling In upon him IN the
grocery business and his partner. John
w. Bates, retired with $4,000, a vast
fortune in those days. In the meantime
the municipal corporation OF Troy had
built n railroad between that city and
Schenectady. and Mr.. Sage. as n MEM
Der OF the board OF aldermen. was made
one OF the directors Of that road.
He was afterward county treasurer. and
when he retired from that post he was
elected president OF the railroad. and held
office when the road was consoldate ted
with the general system between Albany
and Troy and Buffalo. At that time 1853,
Mr. Sage was elected director In the Cen
trail lie served six years and at the
time OF his death was the only living
member OF the original board OF direct
ors.
GOES TO CONGRESS.
With the grocery business on hand, and
while still engaged In these railroad en-
terprises. he continued prominent I'm
Whig politics I'm Rensselaer, county. BY
hard work he had secured the nomination
for congress In 1880. but was defeated by
the Independent wings. known then as
the Silver Grays.
Two years lates he obtained the NOM
ination again and was elected. HIS ma
jority was small. He was reelected two
years afterward by the unprecedented
majority OF 1000 He had the support on
the Know Nothings, Hunkers and the
Barnburners. He carried all before him.
He spent a most active life during those
days, between Washington. New York
and Troy. While in Congress Mr.. Sage