The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-18
coSTINUED FROM PAGE FIVE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE FIVE.
misfortune and started all over
again IN . new location in Hanover
square.
Emo had a distant cousin back in
Slmsbury. Lucy Phelps. and she was
constantly on Amos mind all DUR
ing bis early days in the metropo-
liA Finally he went back TO Sims
bury and married Lucy. The day
arrived when she became one of
the most powerful women In the
New York social world.
About 1s5o Amos Emo and J. j.
Phelps dissolved partnership with a
profit of a quarter Of a million dol
lars each. Phelps founded the firm
Of Phelps. Chittenden & Bliss. while
Emo started the establishment Of Emo.
Roberts, Rhodes & Co, which later
became one Of the great firms Of that
period.
Real estate always interested Amos
R. Emo. and as early as 1855 he began
buying small plots of ground In the
lower end OF New York City.
John Jacob Astor's building Of the
Astor House, at the corner of Broad
way and Vesey street there gave Amos
r. Emo an idea. He knew Of another
such strip Of land. at the junction OF
what is now Broadway, Twenty
third street and Fifth avenue. In
those days the House OF Refuge was
located at this crossways.
There was in New York at that time
a man named Paran Stevens, whose
wife was later one Of the leaders Of
society. Stevens had amassed. In sew
eral Boston hotels, a large fortune for
that era. He suggested to Mr.. Emo
that the Aston House was too far
down town, and that his strip OF land
at Twenty-third street was the ideal
location for a magnificent hotel. which
would eclipse the Astor hosiery. The
idea caught on with Emo, apd together
they decided to erect the Fifth Avenue
Hotel
New York. Of that day. was aghast
at the folly of a hotel so far uptown!
But criticism was nothing to Emo and
Stevens. and they started their hotel.
FAMILY DIDN'T SEEK
To ENTER SOCIETY.
Mr.. and Mrs. Amos r. Emo did not
mingle in society at that time. Emo
was a conservative New Englander,
and Mrs. Emo was content to look
AFTER her family. They moved from
Greenwich street to West Twenty
third street, just OF Fifth avenue, and
shortly afterward took up their resi-
dence in the mansion at the corner
Of Fifth avenue and Twenty-seventh
street.
1t was then they began to be
seen at the entertainments given
by the socially elect Of that period.
The Enos had seven children
+. Emo was the eldest son. The
others were John Chester Emo.
whose escapadcs brought the fam
lily much unpleasant notoriety;
Williams Phelps Emo and Henry
Clay Emo. who became a noted
medico.
1t was during the civil war that
the silk firm of Emo. Van Buren, and
Valentine met with business re-
VerSes. The Head of the firm was
Amos son, Amos F. Emo, and the
failure was 4ue to the fact that a
large part OF their business was
transacted with the South, The
FIRMS debts were oil paid in full
by the Senior Emo. and his SON
went to war and soon won a COM
mission as colonel.
Alr- and Mrs. Emo, ST., and their
children never attempted to make a
place for themselves in the social set
OF that era They were very conserva-
tive and their friends included only
the more old-fashioned element Of So
siey. As far as I know none Of the
family ever became members Of the
Union or Knickerbocker clubs. They
were contented with tha "highbrow'
atmosphere of such organizations as
the University Club. the Century As
sociation, etc.
1t was in the spring of 1884 that the
famous Second National Bank scandal
occurred. The bank was located on
the ground floor OF the Fifth Avenue
Hotel Amos R Flo was a large
stakeholder and also a director. His
son. John. was made president when
he was but q years OF age. The re-
pc sponsibility was too great for the
youth and he lost several millions dol
lars of the banks funds in Wall
Street speculations.
DIES As AN EXILE
IN FRENCH CAPITAL.
Every one liked John c. Emo. He
was extremely popular and the news
of his financial troubles was received
with great sorrow by his friends.
There was a court proceeding. and
John with his young wife fed to