The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-19
GENERAL GRANT AS l KNEW Him

me his father wished to come iuto our
brokerage firm.
| was not in favor OF such an ar.
rangcment because | knew. Of course,
hat the general was unfamiliar with
the dctniis of our business Mr.. Fish
insisted that If the general came in
with us IL would be the best thing in
the world for lis. While the general was
not experienced and must pcgfurcc hc Il
silent partner, Mr. Fish argued that The
use Of his name would he Of incslimablc
value io us. | therefore agreed to the
arrangement.
The General Appears.
Imagine me, if you can, n voung man.
not vet 50 years old. aud but "A few
years i'm New ork. as | sat at my
desk, looking out OH Broadway Il few
days later. when I saw a carriage draw
mp IN front of MY office and u rush
whom were MANY Of Wall street 3 most
influential men. and this great general
working hs WY through the crowd of
enthusiastic admirers. Then he entered
ON the arm of his son. and with a hearty
handshakc greeted me. No ono can re
alize The feeling Of pride with which
greeted him, not only as friend. but rs
a partner ] saw at once that Mr.. tlSh
was right, and that the general could
help us with his name in 4 perfectly
legitimate manner, in that hlS son was
associated with us.
After the formal meeting and ia
mIliar chat of a half hour ] was agree
ably surprised 10 find my partner 5 IA
thcr Il quiet, cordial and unassuminT
man. | looked upon him at once as
man to whom | could 90 for counsel as
well as for help, 90 aid me IN CARVING
the burden of "A business that was al
ready assuming proportions when NJ
times seemed too heavy ior my young
shoulders 10 carry.
How often i'm after years have L
looked back 10 that meeting with pride,
and yet with regret that circumstances
should have been such MS ia bring sor-
row upon Us both, lie was like i father
TO mo i'm many WAYS. and though not
man of business | often leaned on nun
for help and advice In times OF imam
cial trouble and anxiety.
1t was arranged that General Grant
shonld come in with MS upon the pay
mcnt of $4,000, which would give hlm
a seventh share in the business. Inc
rest of us had 100000 each IN IT. Gcn-
eral Grant borrowed the $4,000 nee
esSary for his share from his friend,
Commodore e. X Garrison. Shortly
after this he asked us if he might pnt
in $4,000 more and thus have an equal
share with US. We gladly consented,
for already the impetus 10 our business
could he attributed to no other source
than the general s association with us.
This second $4,000 was furnished TO
General Grant by his wife and his
Younger son, Jesse.
When General Grant returned from
his trip abroad he had no funds of his
own. IT will possibly be remembered
that he was presented with a fund Of
$3.50, 900 by n number OF his friends
1t was trust fund, the principal of
which could not bc touched. The m
tcrest amounted to $4,000 year lie
enjoyed this income until the time of
his death. and ! presume II was part
of the estate he left. AS he had no
other financial resources when he be-
came member of the firm OF Grant
d Ward, 10 which he contributed 800
O00 and from which he drew during
his four years connection with the
firm inward of 100000. it may be seen
that / had not, whatever may have
been my other faults, contributed in
the slightest degree TO any financial en-
barrassment of the general. This fact
may be- made more clear as my story
progresses.
/ was fortunate enough to become ono
of those whom General Grant regarded
as personal friend, and within Il few
months OF the time when lie entered
our firm we were on terms Of the clos
est intimacy. We exchanged frequent
visits at our town and country houses,
and | am sure the general grew TO know
me very well, indeed. For myself, |
cannot say that ] knew General Grant.
| doubt if any ono, even the members
of his family, knew him well. His taci-
jurnity furnished screen behind
which no matter how lovial he might
be. he concealed his real personality.
Not that ! believe he cndeavorcd 10
do this or was conscious that he was
doing ii.
One of the characteristics Of the gen
cral which impressed me most forcihly
was his courage. Morally and physically
lie was the bravest man ] ever knew.
! do not think he ever knew fear.
If | was ever asked to give the secret
of General Grant S success ] would say
without hesitation that i, was largely
due to his courage. Incidents which
came under my observations will per
haps illustrate to just what extent the
general possessed this quality better
than anything ] might say in the alb
atract.
One time when ] was expecting a
party of my friends at my country home
in Stamford, Conn, General Grant came
up early in the afternoon. We were