USA > Pennsylvania > A biographical album of prominent Pennsylvanians, v. 1 > Part 50
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When one of the trunk line railroads recently undertook to enter the city, crossing most of the streets at grade, Mr. Smedley . strenuously opposed this mode of construction, and by solving many of the engineering difficulties the
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SAMUEL L. SMEDLEY.
principal streets have been bridged; and by depressing the railroad at the main entrance to Fairmount Park, it is rendered entirely clear from the danger which threatened it from the increase of steam traffic, and the grandeur and safety of the Eastern Park approach are maintained.
Mr. Smedley in 1865 visited Europe on a tour of recreation and study, and returned impressed with the thought that Philadelphia, to keep pace with other great cities, should avail herself of her great natural advantages for establishing a grand park for the enjoyment of the people. Ile entered with enthusiasm into the project of securing Lansdowne, an estate of one hundred and fifty acres, from its English owners, as a nucleus for the park, and was largely instrumental in bringing about the purchase of that beautiful section of land as a pleasure-ground for the public. He was appointed by the Park Commissioners to make the original surveys of the territory embraced in the Park, and many of the walks and drives therein were designed and laid out by him. Since 1872, as a Park Commissioner, by virtue of his office, he has been active in securing improve- ments to the territory under the control of the Board.
Mr. Smedley has been a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania since 1857, and for fourteen years was Recording Secretary of the association. He has taken much interest in local history and genealogy, and has collected a large number of the records of his own family, which became of special interest during the Bi-Centennial celebrations of 1882. He is also a member of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia ; honorary member of the Delaware County Institute of Science ; member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and of the West Philadelphia Institute; of the latter he was for many years a Director and Secretary. In addition he is a member of the American Public Health Association, of the Executive Committee of the Philadelphia Social Science Association, the Engineers' Club of Philadel- phia, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and of the Union League and other political clubs. In religion he is a member of the Society of Friends, as his ancestors have been from the first settlement of the State. Mr. Smedley is unmarried and lives in West Philadelphia, with which section of the city he has long been identified.
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JACOB M. GUSKY.
JACOB MARK GUSKY.
ACOB M. GUSKY, the merchant philanthropist of Pittsburgh, whose untimely J death made "countless thousands mourn," was born in New York city, July 10, 1845. His parents were people in moderate circumstances, and early instilled into their son's mind the principles of thrift and honor that made him so successful in after life. While he was yet a mere child his father died, and his mother married Mr. S. Cohen, a clothing cutter by profession. Mr. Cohen gave his step-son a thorough common-school training until he was fifteen years old. Ile then apprenticed him to a printer's office, where young Gusky learned the value of printer's ink which stood him in good stead in after years. He remained in the printing business until his twentieth year. In 1864 he went to Pittsburgh at the request of Mr. M. Hanauer, a clothier on Market street and Third avenue. Mr. Gusky saw at once the great possibilities of the business, and wrote to his step-father to buy out the establishment. This was done in 1865. The firm then started as S. Cohen & Co.
Mr. Gusky personally looked after the business in Pittsburgh, and his step- father furnished the clothing of his own manufacture from New York. It was this direct communication with the manufacture of his goods that enabled Mr. Gusky to inaugurate the era of low prices in Pittsburgh. The house first started at 54 Market street. These quarters soon became too small for the growing business, and it was found necessary to purchase the adjoining room on Market street. The whole building was remodeled, and three large arches built over the doors fronting on the street.
In 1879 he bought his step-father's interest, and started out on a scale of business grandeur and with a brilliancy of enterprise that distinguished his com- mercial career. His business methods were unique. He had the wonderful faculty of combining commercial enterprise with philanthropic effort, and was accordingly equally well known as a philanthropist and merchant. He sent regularly every month a check for a large amount to the Society for the Improvement of the Poor, and every Thanksgiving Day for several years he made a donation of a turkey to every poor family named in a list sent to him by that society.
About seven years ago he commenced the distribution of suitable gifts to the orphan asylums in Pittsburgh and vicinity on Christmas day, and this he con- tinued with unfailing regularity and increased benefactions until the year of his death. On Tuesday of every week he held a reception of applicants for aid, and gladdened their hearts with gifts of money, clothing and provisions; so we need not wonder that at his grave no tears were shed more bitter than of the poor and of the orphan.
Mr. Gusky died, October 27, 1886, in the forty-first year of his age, leaving a
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JACOB M. GUSKY.
widow, two sons and two daughters to survive him, and an estate valued at a half million of dollars.
When it became known that his illness was likely to terminate fatally bulletins were posted in front of the newspaper offices which were watched by crowds, and when the news came that he had departed there were universal expressions of sorrow. The journals of Pittsburgh united with one accord in extolling his virtues, and called attention not alone & his business sagacity in using the columns of the press to build up an immense trade, but to his far-reaching chari- ties which recognized no bounds of creed, race or condition, and were broad enough to cover Jew and Gentile, Catholic and Protestant. "He has gone," said one; " but his memory will linger in the hearts of those who know him best, and in the days that are yet to come people will pass the last resting place in the city of the dead, and their expression will be: 'There lie the remains of a man.'"
The store that Mr. Gusky founded is now one of the palatial business edifices of Western Pennsylvania, is four stories in height, and extends from number 300 to number 400 on Market street, with a floor surface of sixty-four thousand nine hundred and twenty square feet. Within its walls are employed probably five hundred persons, most of whom enjoy the benefits of a society which Mr. Gusky established for their protection in cases of sickness or accident. Few of the tliousands who daily throng this hive of industry and commerce would imagine while passing along the spacious aisles, filled high on every side with the choicest of goods wherewith to clothe and adorn the male sex, that twenty-two years ago the nucleus of the great trade was laid in an old-fashioned and very modest two- story building which occupied a portion of the site on which the immense struc- ture now stands, and when two employés were able to transact all the business of the house which then aggregated but a few thousand dollars per year.
The business is now carried on by his widow, who was Miss Esther De Wolf, aided by her brother, William De Wolf, who conduct it in accordance with the principles of the founder, not forgetting the charities which were his distinguish- ing characteristics. On last Christmas the firm sent out twenty-six wagon loads of gifts suitable for the orphan asylums and homes, embracing articles from a toy to a serviceable watch, and the cavalcade was witnessed and cheered by thou- sands who lined the streets through which it passed.
We probably cannot better conclude this sketch of an honorable life than by the following testimonial from Major E. A. Montooth, a prominent lawyer of Pittsburgh :
"To make others happy gave him his life's greatest pleasure. Illustrative of this, each Christmas he bestowed gifts upon the little ones of the various orphan asylums of Pittsburgh and Allegheny. Sparkling eyes and smiling faces evi- dlenced the gratitude of the infant recipients of his great bounty. Ilis death filled their hearts with a sorrow to them only known, but his kindly acts will ever be gratefully remembered."
HENRY HOWSON.
HENRY HOWSON.
H ENRY HOWSON, prominent as a patent lawyer and solicitor, was born, in 1823, in Yorkshire, England. He was a son of the Rev. John Howson, for many years one of the Masters of the Grammar School at Giggleswick, in that county, and was a brother of the late Rev. J. S. Howson, D. D., well known as the Dean of Chester.
After receiving a fair classical education in his father's school, Henry Howson was apprenticed to the noted London engineering firm of William Fairbairn & Co., and there received a thorough mechanical and engineering training. After having served his time with Fairbairn & Co., he was for some time employed as chief drauglitsman and designer in the establishment, at Manchester, of James Nasmyth, the celebrated inventor of the steam-hammer.
Subsequently for a time lie engaged in business in Manchester as a Patent Agent with his brother, Mr. Richard Howson, now of Middlesborough-on-Tees, England, and a well-known metallurgical engineer.
In 1850 or 1851 Mr. Howson came to the United States and settled in Phila- delphia. For some time after his arrival he was employed as designer in various mechanical and engineering establishments, notably that of Sutton & Co. During this period he made designs for a number of engineering and mechanical works, among others several pumping engines for the Philadelphia Water Works. He also designed the West Philadelphia Stand-Pipe, which has been lately removed to the Spring Garden pumping station. Within two or three years after his arrival, however, he commenced practice as a Solicitor of Patents, and pursued that profession up to the time of his death, which occurred on February 12, 1885. His ability and energy commanded a large clientage, and for more than thirty years he occupied a leading position in his profession, associating with him, in course of time, his two sons, Charles and Henry, and his nephew, Hubert Howson.
Mr. Howson was a member of the Society of the Sons of St. George, of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, of the Academy of Natural Sciences, and of the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, and was also a member of the Institute of Patent Agents of London.
During the early portion of his life he contributed largely to mechanical papers, and later on was the author of several works appertaining to Patents, among which may be mentioned: "Our Country's Debt to Patents," "Patents and the Useful Arts," " The American Patent System," and a " Brief Treatise on Patents," the two last mentioned works being written in collaboration with his son Charles. As his patent business progressed he accumulated a large refer- ence library relating to patents and mechanical subjects, this library at the time of his death amounting to over six thousand volumes.
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HENRY HOWSON.
Mr. Howson was at all times active in promoting the interests of inventors by his advocacy of needed reforms in Patent Office Law and Rules of Practice, and was largely instrumental in bringing about the order of the Commissioner of Patents dispensing with the requirement of models with applications for patents, which order had the effect of relieving inventors of what had long been a grievous and unnecessary burden.
During the later years of his life Mr. Howson became interested in making a collection of the woods of different countries, with the view, mainly, of showing by comparison the availability for decorative uses of many varieties of American woods, possessing great beauty, but at present ignored by wood-workers. It is to be regretted that he was unable to fully carry out his design in this respect, although the collection at the time of his death comprised upwards of two thousand handsomely-finished specimens.
Mr. Howson was twice married. His first wife died before his departure for America, and his second wife, who was a daughter of Captain Daniel Brewton, a well-known sea captain residing in Philadelphia, survived him only one year.
END OF FIRST SERIES.
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