Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-01-24
.M|LLS,NOTED
PHlLANTHROPlST
Financier Who Favored Ai.ing
Others 10 Help Themselves.
FOUNDER CT NOTED HOTELS,
Three Built In New York Are Monu
ments to the Late Bankers Common
Sense Charity Incidents of His Ca.
reer and Early Life-A Sample Of
His Wit.

To many thousands Of persons in the
United States the name Of Darius Og-
den Mills, the famous banker, finau.
cier and philanthropist of New York.
who recently died at his winter home
at Millbrae. near San Francisco. will
be associated solely with his broad
interest in the welfare Of his fellows.
His theory was that there is too much
waste in the United States and that
the value Of money is not appreciat-
ed. He believed that economy could
be practiced without loss Of self re-
spect or injury to the physical being,
and he pointed the way In practical
fashion. Thousands Of young men he
saw were expanding every cent of
their earnings for bare living amid
squalid surroundings, and he erected
cheap hotels where food and lodging
could be obtained at Il minimum price
and where Il mans self respect would
not suffer.
Object Lessons In Thrift.
These hotels, of which there are now
three in New York city. are object
lessons in thrift, cleanliness and de-
cency. There the man Of small in
come may live well ut small cost
and absorb motive to save a part
Of the earnings that he would other
wise have to eXpend for food and lodg-
ing. He also erected several model
tenements for families of small re-
sources and found that these people
respond quickly to the uplifting infu-
ences Of modern sanitation and mod
crate rentals. Although his charities
were broad. he was always thinking
of q way to help men to help them
selves before the time came when they
had to be helped by their more fortu.
nate fellows.
Mr.. Mills was born In North Sa-
lem. n. Y, on Sept. 5, 1925. He
was the fourth son Of James Mills and
Hannah Ogden Mills Of North Salem
In December. 1910. he started for Cali
fornia. going around the Horn, and
arrived at San Francisco ON June 8.
1910. From that day his name was
interviewer with the story Of the
growth Of California.
Eee-::.o Leading Banker.
he established the banking house
of D. o. Mills Il Co. Of Sacramento,
which is still the leading bank Of the
interior Of California. Although Mr..
Mills spent the greater part Of recent
years in New York, he passed some
months each year in California.
Mr.. Mills married Oh Sept. 5, 1854.
Miss Jane Templeton Cunningham of
New York, who died on April 26, 1888.
When young Mills left his home in
Westminster county. N. Y. to win
place for himself in New York that
city was little more than a provincial
town, with woods and meadows cover
ing the district north Of the city hall.
1t was not difficult to obtain clerk
ship in a bank in those days, and Mr..
Mills was not long in finding work.
He was not satisfied with the outlook
for promotion. however, and gave up
the position for better one in Buff
falo. where he soon became cashier
and his employers partner. The first
rumors of the discovery Of gold in
California found him an eager listener,
and he resolved to try his fortunes in
this new western world.
Got the "Gold Fever"
The "gold fever which possessed
him was not of the speculative char
acter. which was typical Of the man.
He argued that the rush of men to
the gold sections Of California would
result in suffering from lack Of the
necessities Of life and that there would
be q dearth of business organization.
Investing his savings in stock Of
mining supplies, he made his first APP
pearance in the gold fields as a mer-
| chant. He was successful from the
start. Sacramento was not much more
than village at that time, but the
proximity Of the diggings made it
center of trade with the miners. 1t
was not long before he had establish
ed bank, the first institution Of the
kind on the Pacific coast. 1t became
q prominent factor in the growth of
the community surrounding it.
The bank spread out into network
Of enterprises and was finally follow
| G0 by the Bulk VI NdIlIoIuiu, WHICH,
Mr.. Mills helped to organize in San
Francisco and Of which he was the
first president. The institution soon
attained an international prominence.
A sample Of the bankers ready wit
was displayed on one occasion In the
fifties when an amateur dramatic per-
Torrance was given In San Francisco
for the benefit Of some deserving char
ity. Among the performers was the
late Hugh Farrar McDermott, the poet,
and in box was Mr.. Mills. The play
was some classic piece, and the acting
was so bad that what should have
been a tragedy became farce. In
the last act McDermott dropped his
sword and. STOPPING awkwardly, pick
ed it up. There was litter In the
audience, which increased as the luck
less performer asked. what shall l
do with this envenomed blade?"
From the bankers box came in a
queer stage whisper, stab yourself,
Hugh, and be done with it!'