New-York tribune., 1906-07-23
RUSSELL SAGE DEAD.
Confined from flrst page.

in she grocery store OF his brother. Henry Ris-
ley sage in Troy, n. Y The hours of duty
Were long, but the boy had his evenings for
himself, and improved them by studying useful
DOohs. When he had improved in knowledge
and experience, his brother promoted him to
De clerk ana salesman. Mr.. Sage made many
trades OF his own during this period, and both
rom enforced economy. resulting from a small
salary and his ingenuity in bargaining gained
a Httis capital OF his own so that at the age
or tWenty-one he was enabled 70 become a
partner Of another brother. Elisha Montague
Sage. in a retail grocery store.
OWNER OF A GROCERY.
shrewd, active. saving and courageous he
soon bought his brothers interest, became sole
proprietor expanded his sales largely. and final
" sold the business to excellent advantage In
1908 with partner, he established a wholesale
grocery store of his own at No 139 River-st.
Troy. His partner, John w Bates. was a good
merchant. In a short time the firm became
eSaleIs SSs IN produce on commission which thew
shipped to New-YOrk employing several Ga aiii1Se,
TesseIs OF their own in the trade of the Hudson
co,t1, anu py continual enterprise came to
SOlllt0 I'm, the markets of Troy and ALBANY for
CANADIAN and Vermont horses Mr. Sage never
spared hllnself any amount of labor necessary
70 promote his fortunes or to bring to a euc
cessful issue any transacfion in T-btoI 10 %
engaged In 1874 he bought his Dsrtnarsq in
tSaSs'' dnd carried on large wholesale grocery
feature
OI N ms enterprise at this time led him into ex-
tensive operations in beef pork 1oIr and
51o,, Tnea4 a; anu 10 some extent in the packing of
sIeatS IN the West. Mr.. Sage was successful
from the very threshold Of his career b1t NOT
,i Mn.nOut laboriOus and severe struggle with
lNalS IN trade, the inertia Of the public mind
ana the temptation to spend ones SAYINGS
AII. sage speedily became one of the hest
sVis, riOWn merchants in Troy, and his genial and
SplIIte0 manner lively interest in affairs clear
head, and honorable character produced the re-
1 suIt OF making him leader in the politics of
Ihe CITY. He was Whig, and his fellow citizens
made him in 1916, in a ward which had 1onS
Deen Democratic, Alderman of the citv and
!ater elected MIN Treasurer Of Rensselaer, Coun-
~ ne neld both these offices for seven wears
DuTlng this period he also became one Of the
FOUNDERS and directors Of the Commercial Rank
stitution anu suceesslul N
Every public spirited man in Northern and
CentIal NeW-York was at that time deeply in
short railroads the various large cities Of the
MohaWk Valley and those beyond as far.as
lake luxe Erie The Erie Canal had been of i'm
it4eAse penenC to the State and the cities along
its route and on the Hudson River but the new;
transportation projects promised to be of vet
SFeater value When the Albany and Schenec-
taoy Railroad was finally opened for travel Mr.
sage accompanied the official party which roa6e
a. tour OF inspection on the first regular train
he was capttvated with what he saw and after
ms return to Troy, arranged his affairs for a
i9ng absence and then made an extended trim
throusn central New-York during which he in
speeted roadbeds looked into the work of con-
structlon. and studied attentively the probable !
TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO RAILROADS
From that time forward the subject of rail
aoaos oa; nIed ms mind His first railroad trans
actlon took place about 1852 when the Troy and /
schenectady Railroad. then the property 0f fhe /
CITY OF troy, was sold to e. D. Morgan of New |
YORK city, at a low figure. only to be sold later
70 the company into which the chain of connect |
ing railroads, extending to Lake Erie was con |
sao soa9ateaXfne 9 . New York Central system. Mr.
sage at that time member Of the Common [
Councll OF Troy. took a prominent part in the /
transaction referred to- In order to induce |
senator Morgan to purchase this road which |
nad never earned a dollar, Mr. Sage agreed tO /
purchase part of the stock with Mr. Morgan aq /
~ was neaVy burden upon the taxpayers of |
the clty HIS original interest in railroads grew
out OF desire to obtain the best facilities Of the
day IN promoting his extended mercantile inter- |
property in New-YoTk State and his making Of |
various loans at a later date to Western cor
p,oTauOn, hnally resulted in his devoting, for |
uhne, MS attention almost exclusively to this |
class Of properties.
During the whole Of his residence in Troy. Mr..
sage continued to take an active part in DoIitics
In the summer Of 1S41 he was appointed with
recorder DIN, OF Troy, to go to New-Yorl1 to
nn5ts nSeC Senerai John a. Wool upon his return
,aple upon the Hudson River steamboat North
america toast was offered, accompanied by
snort and brilliant speech, proclaiming General
Wool as the real hero of Buena Vista to
which the general mOdestly responded without
SSo1ectng TO the compliment named. Alderman
'ase was tnen called upon to respond to the
sentiment which had been expressed He said
le would not permit any one to surpass him in |
cordial feelings toward their distinguished guest |
md relloW toWnsman. General Wool but the
act was that there was another general In com
nand or the American army in Mexico who was
Untitled to the reputation which had been given
o their own townsman, General Wool In ius-
ice to his superior officer General Zachary
.ayIor. the real and acknowledged hero OF
Suena Vista. Mr.. Sage proposed three cheers FOR.
ne latter, which were given with enthusiasm
y the company
In 1S4S Mr. Sage attended the national con-
enuon OF the WING party. OF the thirty-tWO
elegates from NeW-YOrk State twentv-eight
sere Tor Mr.. Clay. Mr.. Sage held strongly for
IT. Clay untn General Taylor obtained a ma
ority OF the votes. when the full strength of the
@ @eIegation was brought to the support Of Gen
raj Taylor. who was then nominated his cleo
ion TO the Presidency following
HE AND WEED CALLED ON TAYLOR. 6
The night before the day Of the decisive strug- c
ie MI: sage went with ThurloW Weed to see | {
eneral Taylor's brother, who assured the two I
zen tnat the general, if nominated and elected. {
0uld faithfully carry out the wishes of the {
lhig party, in spite of all rumors to the CON S
airy. The anu-sIavery feeling had grown to a Q
arked degree, especially among the delegates /
ON Massachusetts, and Western New York and /
mo- The report was that General TayIor / {
ouid not support the Wing platform. Mr. Sage p
as POSlIVely assured by the generals brother 1
lat this was not true, and the next dax when =
saw that Mr. Clay would be Outstripped bv I
aylor, Mr.. Sage made the motion to nominate I
aylOr unanimously. While the vote was NOT {
itirely unanimous, it was carried. e
IN theSe incidents gave Mr.: Sage great influence t
Y the Denent OF Senator Seward. The Silver &
rays OF the Wing party, jealous Of the anti
avery men, such as Seward, Weed, Sumner a
lu Chase' sought to prevent the nomination Of s
enator SeWard'S men for important offices in C
lDany Troy, Rochester, Buffalo and other
ueS' ana managed to Influence President Tav- 4
r to such degree that he was ready to an ! &
INT men opposed to Mr. Seward. Alexander f.
. Stephens and Robert ToOmbs, members Df v
)ngresS from the South, had been especiallv ar Z
Ve in prejudicing the President by assertions Il
N Alr, SeWards lnsincerity in his avowed sup p