Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-10
JAMES RUSS, FORMER
nUIEL MAN, DIES
[Condnued Flom flrsl I.Asel

!
Henry Booth, of New haven, conn;
Two sons, Louis, OF HARRISBURG, anu
Joseph, New ork, three brothers,
William, Patricio and John, harris
burg, and one sister, Mrs Clement b.
Johnson, this city.
The funeral Will be held Saturday
morning. Solemn high mass VIII be
elebraued IN ~. PaIricks Catnedra.
al U clock. MonsISnOr N. Nj. nassetI
Will oTnclate anu his assistants Will oe
the keV. T. 4. Johnson, ueacon, ana
the Rev. ID. +. kearuOn, subdeacon.
Burial Will be maze III Mt. Calvary
cemetery.
Since mis- first attack of illness, which
followed a general nervous breakdown,
Mr.. Russ had been able TO be out
few times at long intervals. On August
he had an attack OF paralysis. his
death ended Il notable career OF an
otner memper or the kuss IamIIy,
famous in the hotel business IN HARMS
burg. James kusS was idenuneu with
several local hotels, incluulng the
Grand, CommonW ealth and Senate. his
hostelries were always the heauquar-
ters during State pontical conventions
and other big occasions.
Had Varied Interests
Mr.. Russ was also at various times
Identified with local enterprises, IN
cIuding the harrisburg Traction COM
pany, ana oIner subsidiaries of the
harrisburg kalIways Company; the
United Ice and CoaI Company and was
one OF the original stockholders OF
Harrisburg's first artificial ice manu-
Iacturlng company.
Born In Italy
Born near Lucca, Italy, March 10,
lS4S, Mr.. Russ was the son OF Louis
Russ, known as Poppy" a brick
manufacturer and olive grower of
Pietro Pontl. Italy. James came to
this country with his mother and three
brothers, Narcissus, William ana
Patricio, when a small boy, his father
having preceded the family by year.
They travelled by sailing vessel, the
voyage consuming three months,
and settled in Philadelphia, where
the elder Russ engaged IN the bak-
ing business. later getting into the
fruit business. In that cIty Louis,
James were born. Later the fam
lily moved to PottsVlle, where a
sister, Mary, tn wife OF Clement B.
Johnson, OF this city, was born.
The family moved to harrisburg
about 1862, ana the father and boys
engaged in the wholesale and ret1.I
truIt and produce business in build
ing next TO the present site OF the
Calder building in Market Square.
Family of Businessmen
All of the Russ family. are, or
were, familiar figures in the Uusi-
ness life oil Harrisburg. Narcissus,
iather of Maurice Russ, the pro-
prietor OF the Columbus Hotel, and
James, weer first in business with
their father handling Tine
Russ Line" of fast freight a bust
ness similar to that OF the Peipher
line OF to-day. Iced cars, or reIrig-
orator ears, were unknown in raII-
roading then and the Russes
bought produce in Philadelphia
ana Baltimore, making shipments
throughout the middle Pennsylvania
district Tor outside concerns anu
individuals
Narcissus Russ went into the res
taurant business in Market street
under the United States hotel. then
purchased the City hotel, familiarly
known as the Steamb boat hotel, which
stood just opposite the Pennsylvania
station OF that period.
During this ownership of the
City hotel, Narcissus leased Will
liams' Grove from the Cumberland
Valley railroad, and conducted the
details of the Changers picnic for ten
years.
Prominent Hotel Man
James Russ was associated with
his father until 1878, when he went
into the hotel business at the Harris
house. Later, about 1876, he took
charge OF Brant's hall, one of the
old-time show places of the city,
which was built by the builder OF
"Brant's Folly the building since
converted as the Sylvan Heights
Home for Orphan Girls. Brant's
hall site is now occupied by the
Commonwealth Trust com D any
building. James Russ ran the hall
until 1881, when he took the Grand
hotel, which stood on the present
site of the new addition to Bow
mans store, Market street.
Famous Grants Tomb Trip
For many years the Grand hotel
was the resort of politicians, Mat
thew Stanley Quay making it his
headquarters, as did all of the old
school politicians of those days. Mr.
Russ was pallbearer at Quay's
funeral. Many political deals were
developed and planned at The
Grand.
During one session of an early
Legislature it was decided to go on
a junket to the unVeiling of Grants
Tomb at New York. The Legislature
had no money but James Russ con-
tracted TO furnish all supplies, such
as wines, cigars and goods of that
nature, even going to the length of
chartering the steamboat on which
a part of the junket was held.
When the next Legislative session
came around, it was on the reform
order and so refused to pass the
necessary appropriation bill to