The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-17
WORLD S GREATEST
MERCHANT DEAD
Marshall Field Demise Followed
Long, Remarkable Fight
for Existence.

New York, Jan. T.--Marsnall Field
breathod mis- last at exactly 4 CLOCK
yesterday afternoon after most re-
markable fight for existence. The last
s0ns oeloeR. no% Lying "a on his left
side, facing DR.. Frank Billings,
the family physician, who was
holding the patient IS pulse, Mr.. Field
opened his eyes ard said, am weak
err He Immediately sank into state
of coma from which he never awak-
ened. -zE.@
Grouped around the bed at the end
were Mrs. Marshall Field, Mrs. Marshall
Field, IT,, and Stanley Field, nephew
Of the Chicago merchant and Drs. Bill
ings and Van Ingen. Mrs. Field was by
far the most composed Of the group.
In the anteroom awaiting the an
nouncement of the last moment were
number Of relatives, business acquaint-
ances ana close personal friends.
From close member Of the family
Marshal Field, who married Captain
Beatty Of the English army, was the
only member of the family who was not
notified Of the death. At no time since
the illness has any message been re-
oeived from or sent to Mrs. Beatty.
Special Funeral Train.
Marshall Field to Chicago left at IL
am. and it's route is over the New
York Central and the Lake Shore rail-
roads. It is expected that the party
will arrive in Chicago about noon to-
morrow. The special train consists Of
five. cars, baggage car, two sleepers,
dining car and observation car. Dr.
Frank Billings. Mr.. Fields family
burning to Chicago on the special train,
said today that all the members Of Mr..
Fields family were in good health,
that they had borne up we'll the strain
of watching at his bedside during his
illness.
It was announced today that Mr.;
Field would be buried in Graceland
cemetery. It is still undecided whether
the funeral will be held from his resi-
dence at 1900 Prairie avenue or from
the First Presbyterian church.
Began as Farmers Boy.
Marshall Field began life as a farm
er's boy in Massachusetts,, trying a
clerkship In country store. Then, go
ing to Chicago and growing up with
the town, he finally became head of a
mercantile establishment which did a
business Of more than $780, 100000 a year.
Honesty and industry have always
been associated with his name, and he
was not a stranger to philanthropy and
the arts. In addition to his drygoods
business he had extensive banking in
terests, owned more than $50000,00
worth Of real estate, was chief stock
holder in the Pullman company, held
enormous quantities Of railroad stocks
and bonds and was a director in the
steel trust. 49, :
In spite Of this colossal wealth he was
a modest and retiring man, little known
to hn hon
cultivated mind were calculated to grace
it. -. -. ~ ! z: T. 1=f -, - =:
1t is interesting to recall that thruoui
his long career the public never said any
but kind things Of Marshall Field. 49,
Did a Cash Business. s = !
It was a matter of pride with him tina
He never gave a note, never bought {
share Of stock on margin, never Dor
roWed money nor allowed his propert,
to- be encountered with mortgages; h
bought for cash, sold on short time, ant
held his customers to strict enforce
ment of their contracts.
Mr.. Field was born in western Massa
chusetts, in the little town Of Conway
in 1885. Five years ago he gave tn
town 100000 public library in com
memoration of the event.: He receives
a common school and academy educa
ton, and at the age of II went to Pitts
field, Mass, to become a drygoods clerl
Having served there four years n
started out for place offering oppor
tunities, and Chicago was his first an
last stop.
There was no guarantee at that tim
that Chicago would become the wester
50 metropolitan fact, the chances SCENE
rather in favor Of St. Louis-but M
& Field became a Ch1cagoan heart an
nd fho Of YFo io vxy7>r
derfully close index of the clty's htstor
and growth.
Mr.. Field obtained employment as
clerk in the wholesale drygoods house
Cooley, Farwell & Co. His equipment
the; outset in his new field of labor we
health, brains sound principles and an
bftion. Genuine worth did not have
wait for dead mems shoes to secure rec
ognition In the broader field in which tt
young man found himself. His goo
qualities were promptly discovered by h
employers and awaited Of to mutual at
vantage, 49,. -. = -.
Mr.. Field remained in the capacity
clerk only four years. In 1860 he We
made a partner. In 1865 there was
partial reorganization, the new firm COZ
sisting Of Mr.. Field, L. T. Letter ar
Potter Palmer, under the firm name
~ Field. Palmer & Letter. Two yea
later Mr.. Palmer withdraw. and uni
s4 1881 the style or the nrm was Field, LIE
ter & Co. Mr.. Letter retired in the latt
year and since that time the firm h:
been Marshall Field & Co..
Quick Recovery from Fire.
The only break in the unexampls
growth Of the great mercantile f1ou
was that made by the fire of 1871.
that great calamity Mr.. Field s1ffere
proportionately with the city itself. H
firm then did business at State al
Washington streets, the present site
the new retail store Of Marshall File
& Co. Everything was swept away
the flames, involving a loss Of $500, oC
The firm eventually recovered $4,000, %
insurance.
The disaster was met with characte
istic energy and pluck. While the rui
still smoked new quarters were open
by the firm in the streetcar barns
State and Twentieth streets, and rebuilt
ing was at once begun on the old si
The firm also began the erection of
separate wholesale house at Maids
and Market streets. Their new buildin
were among the first of the permane
structures completed after the fire.
Within a dozen years the new Who'll
sale quarters proved inadequate to t
NOW!