New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

is q native New Yorker, having been born
on p farm I'm Chenango County on Septem-
ber 90. 1856 This farm. which saw his ma
tivity and had been in the family Tor many
generations Mr.. Tarbell still holds and has
made on e. some remarkable improvements.
His education was obtained at the Clinton
Liberal Institute. from the college depart
ment Of which he graduated. For year
he taught school. then studied law. ana IN
1880 was admitted 10 the bar in Ithaca. ror
four years he practised his profession with
some. measure Of success. The seven years
starving period" tie proverbial lot OF the
Young lawyer. did not appeal 70 a man OF
Gage L. TarbelIs energy and ambitions
and as q side issue Ee took UP life insur-
snce. FINALLY. reaching the conclusion that
financial independence could be reached
much more quickly in the insurance field
than that Of law, he determined TO give ms
whole time TO the former occupation and be-
came associated with the Equitable Lie
Assurance Society.
Mir TarbelTs initial promotion in the IN
surance company in the management and
deyelopment OF which he was 10 take so
prominent a part few years later oc-
Cured in 1884. when he was sent 10 Bing-
hamton as manager Of the company
southern New York department. Two
wears later ne was transferred 10 larger
field as general agent for Wisconsin and
Northern Michigan. with headquarters at
milwaukee,. So signal was his success as
a writer Of Insurance and a manager that
i'm January. 1859. the Equitable gave Mr..
-l,f Of the nIIgl-
ness Of its Northwestern department COM
prising nine states and territories year
later one OF the partners withdrew and he
acquired his interest also. In 1881 the COM
panv made him resident secretary on the
Equitable in Chicago, with direct conuol
Of its affairs in Illinois Wisconsin ana
Northern Michigan. Removing 70 chicago
he tool, charge Of the agency there ana
under his sllilful management II soon De-
came the largest IN the country contribut-
ing 20 the Equitable from Sl5,OOO,Ooo 70
$50. 600. 600 annually larger amount than
is written by many insurance companies as
a whole. n fact. only seven OF eight OF
them produced a larger amount. Besides
the MANAGEMENT Of this enormous business
he found time to produce personally from
81 600. 600 to s2.000.00O annually. II IS
urobabIe that this amount Of personal busi-
ness and that produced through agents IN
Ger SIR. TarbeTs direction has never been
equalled in the insurance annals.
This remarkable executive and organiza-
t.onal power Of Mr. Tarbelrs could not fall
to attract the attention Of leaders in the in
surauce world. Among these was Henry
l.. HYDE. president of the Equitable man
whose own successful career had largely
come about through his discrimination IN
choice Of associates and his ability 10 sur
round himself with capable men. Believing
that Mr. TarbeTs talents as an organizer.
his indefatgable energy and his great
power as a handler of men were worthy OF
a wider scope than that Of manager OF A
single agency. Mr. Hyde made him third
vice-president Of the Equitable Life Assur-
ance Society. September, 1893. In less than
ten years Gage L. Tarben had gone by
leaps and bounds from the position Of in
surance solicitor in a small community 10