USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > Compendium of history and biography of the city of Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan > Part 42
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Alger and his men charged upon the reserve of the enemy, numbering at least two thousand men, they broke and fled, as did also the force directly in front of Sheridan, leaving one hundred and twenty-five of their comrades dead upon the field. The Second Michigan, which had borne the burden of the fight, lost forty-one, dead and wounded.
In the official reports of engagements Gen- eral Alger was frequently mentioned for dis- tinguished services,-notably by Custer in his report on the battle of Gettysburg. On July 8, 1863, he was seriously wounded in a hot fight near Boonesboro, Maryland, and did not resume service until September. He served with marked distinction during the campaigns of 1863-4, taking part in all the engagements of the Army of the Potomac, and with his brigade he accompanied Sheridan to the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. In all General. Alger participated in sixty-six battles and skir- mishes, and by bravery and faithfulness he richly merited the distinction which he acquired.
At the close of the war General Alger re- turned to Michigan, and early in 1866 he located in Detroit, where, in the following year, he established himself in business, as a member of the firm of Moore, Alger & Com- pany, dealers in pine lands and lumber. This was the same line of enterprise in which he had previously directed his energies, while residing in Grand Rapids. The title of the firm was soon changed to Moore & Alger, and this firm was eventually succeeded by that of R. A. Alger & Company, which was finally merged into the corporation which has since been known as Alger, Smith & Company and of which General Alger was the president and chief stockholder from the beginning until his death. This has long held prestige as one of the leading lumber concerns in the Union and its transactions have been enormous in extent. General Alger was also interested largely in various other companies in the lumbering in- dustry and also in important mining corpora- tions. Such was the multiplicity of his capi- talistic investments that even mention of the same can not be given in detail in as circum-
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scribed an article as the one at hand. He did a great work in connection with the civic and industrial development of Michigan and through normal and legitimate means gained a large fortune, the use and stewardship of which was ever a matter of deep and conscien- tious concern to him. He had large and pro- ductive investments in the west and south, though his interests continuously centered in Michigan.
Unwavering in his allegiance to the Repub- lican party and an effective supporter of its cause, General Alger never permitted the use of his name in connection with any political office until 1884, when he was elected a dele- gate to the national Republican convention, held in Chicago. In the same year he was the nominee of his party for governor of Michi- gan, and was elected by a plurality of 3,953, thus returning the state to Republican rule. As chief executive of a great state his admin- istration compares favorably with that of any of Michigan's governors. In a publication of this kind it is impossible to dwell at any length upon the details of his gubernatorial or gen- eral political career, crowned though it was with high honors and distinguished prefer- ment. At the expiration of his term as gov- ernor he positively refused to become a candi- date for a second term, owing to the exigencies incidental to his private affairs.
At the national Republican convention in 1888 General Alger was among the most prominent of the presidential candidates, and with the continuous balloting he increased his strength to one hundred and forty-three votes. In the sixth ballot, however, a break was made in the ranks of his followers, and General Harrison, then second choice, was brought for- ward and received the nomination. In the fall of the same year General Alger's name headed the list of presidential electors from his state. In the national convention of the Republican party in 1892 he was again a popular candidate for nomination and again showed his great hold upon the esteem of the leading members of his party.
The one feature of his political career that brought its measure of regret and sorrow to
General Alger was that of his service in the office of secretary of war at the time of the Spanish-American war. Time has already. shown how unjust were the criticisms directed against this loyal, honorable and intrinsically patriotic citizen and able official. In 1896 he was called to the cabinet of President McKin- ley in the portfolio of secretary of war, and he assumed the duties of the office March 4, 1897. The unpleasantness which marked his admin- istration was the diametrical result of "long existent conditions revealed by the stern test of war." It is not necessary here to record the history of the case, but naught of vindication is demanded for General Alger, concerning whom, in this connection, the New York Even- ing Post spoke as follows at the time of his death : "He was a victim of the wretched or- ganization of the army and the department, which clung to the system of the civil war that had been long outgrown." He resigned the of- fice of secretary in August, 1899, and gratify- ing to him must have been the enthusiastic and sympathetic reception which was given to him by the people of his own state after the criticism which had been leveled at him with so great injustice. When he passed from the scene of life's endeavors his successor in the office of secretary of war, Hon. William H. Taft, gave the following appreciative estimate of his services in the office: "General Alger was patriotic, earnest and most devoted to the interests of the army, and especially consid- erate of the welfare of the enlisted men. He was a gentle, kindly man, with great confidence in his friends and associates, and was much bè- loved by his subordinates. He was the sub- ject of unjust criticism because of the coun- try's lack of preparedness for war when war came, although for this he was in no wise re- sponsible."
On the 27th of September, 1902, Governor Bliss appointed General Alger a member of the United States senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator James McMillan, and on the 20th of the following January he was elected to the same office by the legislature of the state. . Owing to failing health he declined to become a candidate for re-election and his
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term of office as senator would have expired March 4, 1908. He distinctively honored his state by his services in the senate, of which he was a member at the time of his death, which occurred in the city of Washington, on the 24th of January, 1907, as the result of oedema of the lungs. His summons was sudden, as the attack which terminated his life came only about ten minutes before he succumbed. He had long suffered from valvular disease of the heart, and his health had been delicate for some time. The following brief extract is taken from an editorial article which appeared in the Washington (D. C.) Herald at the time of his demise, and which is but example of the many thousands of appreciative estimates appearing in the press of the nation : "General Russell A. Alger did not live in vain. A kindly, lovable character, he was helpful to his fellows and served his country well. He was the type of rich man whom riches do not spoil, -a man who had his wealth to good ends, while material success did not put him out of touch with humanity. Michigan loved him as he loved Michigan." Glowing tributes to his worth were paid in both houses of congress and in the legislature of his home state, while in Detroit there was such an outpouring of citizens of all classes to render a last mark of affection and respect as to establish anew his wonderful claim upon the love and apprecia- tion of the people of the city to whose welfare he so largely contributed. His body lay in state in the city hall from two until five o'clock on Sunday following his death, and the entire community showed that it felt a sense of deep personal bereavement. The funeral was held from the family home and the simple services of the interment in the Alger mausoleum were conducted under the auspices of the military organizations of which he had been an honored member.
General Alger was a member of the Mili- tary Order of the Loyal Legion and of Fair- banks Post, No. 17, Grand Army of the Re- public, Detroit. In the latter he was ever an enthusiastic worker. His affection for and sympathy with his old comrades in arms was of the most insistent type, and one of the last
acts of his life was in connection with securing a merited pension for an old soldier of his own command. In 1889, at the national encamp- ment of the Grand Army of the Republic, in Milwaukee, he was unanimously and without opposition elected commander in chief of the order. In the memorial address given by Hon. Edwin Denby, of Michigan, in the house of representatives in Washington, appear the fol- lowing words: "If I were asked to name the qualities of General Alger which more than others accounted for his remarkable success in political life and for the devotion of his friends, I would say his kindness, generosity, tact and sweetness of disposition,-the great human at- tributes that charm and attract and make the world akin. His course through life was marked by many deeds of utmost unostenta- tious charity. How much he gave will never be known, but that his bounties were large is certain from the occasional instances brought to public notice. In Detroit he was mourned by none more thoroughly than the newsboys of that city. There they have a large organi- zation, consisting of six or seven hundred members, called the Newsboys' Association. General Alger helped the boys in and out of the association with clothing and other neces- saries and with his kindly cheer, year after year, until he became the 'newsboys' friend,' a badge of honor he was well worthy to wear. How many other persons there are who re- gard his passing as the loss of their best earthly friend can not be known. His charities he tried to hide, but you will hear to-day some instances that could not be concealed. He rendered back to society in constant benefac- tions the riches it gave to him. He was one of the kindest, most lovable men in public life."
The address of Hon. John C. Spooner, of Wisconsin, in the United States senate, con- tained the following tribute: "No man with- out noble purpose, well justified ambition, strong fiber, and splendid qualities in abun- dance could have carved out and left behind him such a career. His pathway was from the beginning upward, and all along it, at every stage of it, he discharged well every duty
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which manhood could demand; and all along he he lent his co-operation in the building of sev- scattered with generous hand deeds of kind- ness and helpfulness to those who were in need, sowing the seed which blossomed in fragrance along his pathway and made it beautiful."
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, on the 2d of April, 1861, was solemnized the marriage of General Alger to Miss Annette H. Henry, daughter of W. G. Henry, of that city, and of the nine children of this union five are liv- ing, namely: Mrs. Henry D. Shelden, of Detroit; Mrs. William E. Bailey, of Harris- burg, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Charles B. Pike, of Chicago; and Russell A. and Captain Fred M., of Detroit.
Mrs. Alger survives her honored husband and divides her time between her beautiful homes in the cities of Detroit and Washing- ton. Like the General, she is a member of the Presbyterian church, in whose work and sup- port she has been active. A woman of gra- cious personality and distinctive culture, she complemented in every respect the career of her honored husband, and in the tender and hallowed memories and associations of their ideal married life lies her greatest measure of consolation and compensation.
ZACHARIAH CHANDLER.
A distinguished figure in the history of Mich- igan and that of the nation was that of the late Zachariah Chandler, to whose life and labors Detroit may point with special pride and appreciation, since in this city he maintained his home and centered his interests until the time of his death.
Mr. Chandler was born at Bedford, New Hampshire, on the 10th of December, 1813, and in well ordered New England institutions he received his early educational training. In December, 1833, he came to Detroit and estab- lished himself in the dry-goods business, with which he continued to be identified for many years. He was successful in his business oper- ations and soon gained recognition as one of the wealthy and influential citizens of the state. In 1848 he was president of the Young Men's Benevolent Association, and in the same year
eral plank roads, which afforded much needed facilities. In 1851 he was elected mayor of Detroit, and his administration was marked by progressiveness and great public spirit. In 1857 he succeeded Hon. Lewis Cass in the United States senate.
As an aggressive and fearless exponent of the principles of the Republican party he made himself a dominating force and power in the senate. Of his political career the following pertinent statements have been written: "He had courage of a high order, and a fearless- ness and frankness of utterance that were es- pecially needed at the time he took his seat in the senate. The administration of President Buchanan began simultaneously with his career as a senator, and the vacillation and shuffling of the president afforded a sharp contrast to the boldness and high patriotism of Mr. Chandler."
Among the most important speeches made by Senator Chandler during the administration of President Buchanan were those in opposition to the admission of Kansas to the Union, under the Lecompton constitution; in opposition to the annexation of Cuba to the United States; and in favor of appropriations for the con- struction of a ship canal through the St. Clair Flats, above Detroit. He also made a vigorous protest against the partisan character of the standing committee of the senate under Dem- ocratic domination.
Mr. Chandler was re-elected to the senate in 1863 and again in 1869, and thus he served for an aggregate period of eighteen years. In December, 1861, upon a motion made by him, a joint committee of the senate and house of representatives on the conduct of the war was appointed. This historic committee continued in service until after the close of the great in- ternecine conflict between the north and the south, though many changes were made in its membership. Mr. Chandler was a member dur- ing the entire time and was always the ruling spirit. In this connection his abilities and poli- cies proved most effective in maintaining the unity of the Republican party in its war meas- ures. When this party gained control of the
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senate Mr. Chandler was made chairman of the committee on commerce, a position which he retained until the expiration of his senato- rial term, on the 3d of March, 1875. He was a most earnest and valued supporter of the administration of President Lincoln and also that of President Grant, the confidence of both of whom he held to a supreme degree. The most notable speech delivered by Senator Chandler was in relation to the conduct of the war, and this speech undoubtedly had much to do with effecting the transfer of General Grant to the command of the Army of the Potomac.
Mr. Chandler showed at the inception of his public career that he possessed great abil- ity as a politician, and when his advice was heeded, party success was generally a sequel. He was one of the most zealous of the advo- cates of the abolition of slavery and the pres- ervation of the Union. He was chairman of the Union congressional committee for four years and was a member of the national Repub- lican committee in 1876.
On the 19th of October, 1875, President Grant appointed Mr. Chandler secretary of the interior, and of this cabinet position he re- mained incumbent until after the inauguration of President Hayes. Of his services in this connection the following estimate has been given out from an authoritative source: "His careful and personal administration of affairs in' connection with the position was a surprise to all, and gained him praise even among those of opposite political faith. He introduced and carried out a series of reforms in the Indian department, the land and pension offices, and exhibited an amount of personal knowledge concerning the affairs of his office that was remarkable, while he displayed a moral cour- age that was a revelation to corrupt officials."
As before stated, Senator Chandler was a member of the national Republican committee in 1876. On the first session of that body he was elected its chairman. To the duties of this position he devoted himself with an ardor that was astonishing, never relaxing his ef- forts until the memorable election of that year was closed. Mr. Chandler then retired to pri- vate life, dividing his time between his beauti-
ful residence in Detroit and his extensive marsh farm near Lansing. In the political campaign of 1878 he again began a life of activity and was made chairman of the Republican state central committee. £ Largely owing to his able maneuvering of the forces at his command the state rolled up one of its old-time Republic- an majorities, every congressional candidate of the party being elected, besides a large ma- jority of the state legislature. Owing to the failing health of Senator Christiancy, who had defeated Senator Chandler in 1875, the former was compelled to seek rest: He resigned on the 10th of February and Mr. Chandler was chosen to fill out the unexpired term. While occupying his chair a bill was introduced giv- ing pensions to the surviving soldiers of the war of 1812, and at the same time an amend- ment was offered denying the benefits of any pension to Jefferson Davis. One of the most remarkable debates in the history of the United State congress then followed. In the discussion Senator Chandler delivered a speech that was a masterpiece of oratory and the same received more attention than any other address deliv- ered in congress for years, while its author was overwhelmed with letters of congratulation and thanks, which came from every state in the Union.
Then came the campaign of 1879, and no public speaker was in greater demand than Zachariah Chandler. He worked hard, traveled thousands of miles, and delivered innumerable addresses in behalf of the party he loved so well. Repeatedly during his arduous work did he shows signs of failing health. At Janes- ville, Wisconsin, he contracted a severe cold, but on reaching Chicago he exhibited but slight signs of indisposition. He delivered an address that evening-October 31, 1879-in McCor- mick hall, which spacious auditorium was filled to overflowing. After the close of his re- marks Senator Chandler returned to the Grand Pacific hotel, and retired for the night. On the following morning, November Ist, he was found dead in his bed, and thus ended a life of signal usefulness and honor.
In early life Mr. Chandler was united in marriage to Miss Letitia G. Douglass, of
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New York, and she survived him by a num- ber of years. Their only child, Mary Doug- lass Chandler, is the wife of Hon. Eugene Hale, United States senator from the state of Maine.
GEORGE H. RUSSEL.
George Howard Russel has been an im- portant factor in the industrial development of Detroit, and he is recognized as one of the thoroughly representative citizens of his native city, where his business interests are of wide scope and varied order. As a manufacturer, banker and public-spirited citizen he has well upheld the prestige of an honored family name. He is the eldest son of Dr. George B. and Anna (Davenport) Russel. His father was one of the most distinguished of the pioneer physicians and surgeons of Detroit and of the state. The Davenport family was founded in Detroit many years prior to the admission of Michigan as one of the sovereign states of the Union. Dr. George B. Russel, to whom is dedicated a special memoir in this volume, was likewise a most potent factor in the founding and upbuilding of many of the great manu- facturing and business enterprises of Detroit. He also contributed largely to the city's devel- opment by obtaining and undertaking the im- provement of property in the earlier days, when the tendency of owners to hold their land re- tarded growth. Dr. Russel came to Detroit from Pennsylvania in 1836, and for details concerning his life history reference should be made to the memorial sketch just mentioned. Records concerning the Davenport family also appear in this volume.
George H. Russel was born in Detroit, on the 29th of November, 1847. In the public schools of his native city and in Patterson's excellent school he received his preliminary education, doing effective work and being eligible for entrance to college in 1863. Much to his regret, however, he was prevented from taking the course in the University of Michi- gan, and at the age of sixteen he found it necessary to seek employment. He initiated his active business career in June, 1863, when he assumed the position of yard foreman of the
Detroit & Lake Superior Iron Manufacturing Company. Though he is now a large and robust man, of commanding presence, he was at that time a tall, slender stripling, of almost his present height, and it was for the sake of his health that he thus took up active outdoor work. Two years of such application gave him tone and strength, and within the interval he also showed the business qualities which were later to bring about such successful accomplishment. At the expiration of two years Mr. Russel became bookkeeper for the same company, holding this position for two years, and he was then elected secre- tary and treasurer of the Hamtramck Iron Works. In 1872 he became also the secretary and treasurer of the Detroit Car Works, organized in that year.
In 1876 the two companies, after struggling through the financial panic of 1873, succumbed to the inevitable, as did many other business concerns in those disastrous years. Mr. Rus- sel, left without a situation and without finan- cial means, undertook to carry on an indepen- dent business for himself. He leased a build- ing and in it started an iron foundry, on a very modest scale. The extensive works and the suc- cessful business of the Russel Wheel & Foundry Company stand as the final result of this begin- ning. Soon after founding his little enter- prise Mr. Russel took as an associate his younger brother, Walter S., and within a short time afterward the company was organized un- der the present title. A number of years later John R. Russel, another brother, became one of the interested principals in the concern. The subject of this sketch was president of the company from the time of its incorporation until 1906, and, notwithstanding the exactions of his many other financial and business in- terests, he still gives a personal supervision to the affairs of the great concern of which he was the founder. A description of the com- pany and its plant appears in this work.
In 1889 Mr. Russel was chosen president of the State Savings Bank, which under his man- agement became the largest financial institution in the state. With this bank the People's Sav- ings Bank was merged in 1907, under the title of the People's State Bank, and Mr. Russel
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continued the executive head. In 1891-2 he was president of the Michigan Bankers' Asso- ciation and in 1898 he was president of the American Bankers' Association. He was also chairman of the clearing-house committee and served one term as president of the Detroit Bankers' Club. There is undoubtedly no more prominent and honored a figure in the banking circles of Michigan. Mr. Russel is also pres- ident of the River Rouge Improvement Com- pany, and his conduct of its affairs has been marked by wise discrimination and good judg- ment, so that the company has been most suc- cessful in its operations. Its property has be- come very valuable, as the result of judicious selection and reclamation, although at large ex- pense, of low-lying lands near the city of Detroit. He was one of the projectors of the Detroit Radiator Company, of which he was president for some time, and this has become one of the important industrial concerns of the city, the enterprise being now owned by and conducted under the title of the American Radiator Company. He is a director and also treasurer of the Detroit United Railway, con- trolling all of the city street-car lines and all the important suburban electric lines entering the city; he was one of the organizers and first directors of the Union Trust Company, as well as the Great Lakes Engineering Company, became vice-president and is a director of the American Car & Foundry Company, is also a director of the International Banking Corpora- tion; and is a stockholder in several other bank- ing and business corporations.
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