New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-08
ALTMAN DEAD;
WAS NOTEDAS MERCHANT
Builder of Great Drygoods En-
terprise Yields to Heart
and Kidney Disease.
AGED 73; WAS UNMARRIED
Nearest Kin Are Nieces and
Nephews-With Brother He
Brought Firm to
Eminence.

BENJAMIN Altman, head Of the corp
Grafton Of b. Altman & Co. at Fifth
avenue and 34th street, died about
o'clock yesterday afternoon in his home,
No. $50 Fifth avenue. Heart and kid
ney disease, from which he had been
suffering for years. brought on the end.
Mr.. Altman was unmarried and his
nearest of kin are two nieces and two
nephews.
The career Of the late drygoods mer-
chant is similar TO those that have fur
nished inspiration TO writer's OF fiction
for ambitious boys. He had TO set him
self on his feet His father, Philip, ran
small drygoods store. whose CONNER
cial gait was never promising.
Benjamin Altman was born in this
city on July r.. 1S40 He went to
school only until he was twelve years
old. Earnest in his studies, business
instinct took him into his fathers store
when the days session was over, and
he stood behind the counter until the
store closed in the evening. His elder
brother, Morris, also helped the father.
and when the latter died. in 1853. the
two boys decided TO continue the bust
ness under the firm name Of Altman
Brothers.
The business was then moved TO
Third avenue and 10th street.There was
much competition among the little fel-
| lows of the trade, and IT was only by
long hours and hard work that the
Altman brothers lifted their small shop
out of the common run.
How Enterprise Was Built Up.
Thirteen years after the partnership
/ had been formed Morris died. He was
! thirty-nine and a sincere worker for
| the good OF drygoods clerks. Leading
what was at first an unpopular cause.
! he at length succeeded in founding the
Early Closing Association, its purpose
| being TO shorten the working hours OF
| clerks in the drygoods business.
When Morris died the business was
not in very fiourishing condition, but
| BENJAMIN, equipped with an expert
| ence that gave him foresight, saw the
possibilities Of development in his line.
| 1t was, however. rather daring move
| that he made in taking new quarters
on Sixth avenue, between 18th and
| 10Th streets. This was in 1876, the
year of his brothers death. And Nor
ris had not long been dead before his
widow followed him, leaving four chill
| dren to be cared for by Benjamin. their
devoted uncle. who. in addition TO
J looking after his business. was their
: constant guide; he later saw to their
education.
The success Of the Sixth avenue store
| is not Of such remote knowledge that
| so extensive that, seven years ago, the
| present home of the store, at Fifth
avenue and 34th street. was erected.
Last spring Michael Friedsam, long a
| business associate of Mr.. Altman.
| formed a corporation with him. Mr..
| Friedsam is at present the vice-presi-
| dent.
| Mr.. Altman's social side was not pro-
nounced. There are very few persons
| who knew him intimately. For years
business was his sole concern; he sell
dom travelled: he had no country home.
| Though IL did not indicate that he was
drawing away from his commercial in
terests, ne turned, about twenty years
ago, TO the study Of art Chinese por-
celain especially appealed to him. and
| in a wing of his home is a collection
| said to be the finest in the world.
Became an Art Collector.
Paintings next became a source Of de-
light. Four years ago, with Mr.. Fried
sam. he went abroad and, with an eye
that had been trained by close study OF
the subject, toured the galleries with
the same devotion to the pursuit as the
late j. P. Morgan displayed. His search
did not end with the Continent; IL took
him around the world. and on this
trip he collected ivory carvings and
antiques of many sorts, including rugs
and embroideries. AS he said, when he
returned:
II believe | earned that vacation; II
was my first in seventeen years"
Though Mr.. Altman's art collection Is
one of the finest, and his friends assert
II is second to none. it has not received
as great prominence as others Of less
rank. This was typical of the man
His philanthropies were never publicly
revealed. because of his dislike of TO
lcussed attention.
Among his first purchases were three
Rembrandts and Ruysdael. The Rem
brandts were THE Man with Magni
Ifying Glass" THE Woman with a Rec
Book" its pendant. and a portrait Of
one of Rembrandt's friends. "Cornfield'
was the Ruysdael. These pictures were
from the Maurice Kann collection anC
cost over 81. 100000
The funeral service will be held a,
lo.3O o'clock Friday morning in Temple
EMANUEL, Fifth avenue and 43 street
Interment will be in Salem Field, Cyp-
ress Hills.