El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-11-22
Cabin Boy Pounds College
Steven Girard, Regarded as Meanest
Man OF His Day, Proves a
Hero In Fever Epidemic.
:" q SIadIson Q. Peters

n TEPHEN GIRARD was born at
Bordeaux, France, May q, 1850,
- the son of a sailor At the age Of
eight he became blind in one eye and
his entire life was soured henceforth.
His father sent his four younger
brothers to college, while he had to
content himself with the three RS
Stephens mother died when ne was
quite young, and the seedlings OF the
stepmother added to his other troubles.
At Is he left home and began as a cab
in boy, the life of sailor, sailing
for nine years between Bordeaux and
the French West Indies, rising to the
position of mate. Improving his
spare time at sea, he mastered the art
of navigation, and made himself
well informed man.
His father secured him command of
a vessel, he made money, which he in
vested in cargOes which he sold in the
ports to which he sailed He made his
first appearance in the port of Phila-
delphia at 26. He was a tremendous
wOrker.s He bought and sold any old
thing from groceries to Junk" His
largest profit came from wine and
cider.
In July 1777. he married May Lunn,
an il-tempered, but good looking ser
want girl They we're unsuited to each
other and lived wretched lives to-
gether for seven years, when she be-
State insane asylum. She never re-
covered her reason and died in 1915.
Runs From the British.
In 1877 Girard fled from Philadel-
phia, at the approach of the British
and settled in Mount Holly, New Jer-
sey, where he carried on his bottling
business, his wine having found
ready sale among the British in Phila-
delphia- He despised no labor, how
ever, humble. that would yield a pro-
fit, and carefully invested every dollar
No man knew better the value of lit
tie things, or took advantage Of
every trifling circumstance
At the outbreak of the Instruction
in San Domingo, in 1871, he had two
vessels lying in one of the ports of
that island. The planters sent their
valuables on board for safe-keeping,
and going back to their estate to Sc
cure more lost their lives, and no one
claiming the property. The vessel
sailed for Philadelphia, and after IL
berally advertising the property, and
no owner appearing. he sold them,
realizing, for them $4,000 This sum
enabled him to build ships to engage
actively in the Chinese and East
India Trades.
Ships Sail for All Ports.
His ships now began to sail in every
direction. One he would send to BOr-
deaux with grain, and return with
wine and fruit, and these he sent to
St. Petersburg. exchanging them for
hemp and iron, which were sold at
Amsterdam for cash, and from thence
the ship sailed to China and India. and
purchasing silks and teas, for Phila-
delphia, where the final purchase
turned into money. He was a perfect
master of the knowledge required in
directing these long voyages
Considered MeaneSt Man Alive.
n 1928 his wealth was estimated at
SlO,OOs,0OO. He was considered the
meanest man alive He lived in a lit
tie dingy house. He was childless.
He was repulsive man in person. He
lived on less than any Of his clerks.
He seldom smiled. He was stony
hearted and whorshipped the golden
calf He had no vices. vices are eX-
pensIve and he had few virtues His
only ambition was to die rich. He
was frlendless, and those who pointed /
out his folly got for the answer
Wait until I am dead, my deeds will |
show what I was"
Establishes Bank
he established the Second National /
Bank IN PHILADELPHIA, advanced several !
millions to the United States treasury /
curing the war of 1912. In 1888, dur /
ing the yellow fever in Philadelphia, \
the old miser had a temporary change (
or heart and when the citizens fled in /
dlsmaY, houses were left empty the /
streets deserted, when the sufferers
were LETT to die and lay unburied for
days where they had died, stephen