Chapter XXVIII

The firm of Arthur Tappan & Co., a large dry goods concern, held a high position in this city thirty-five years ago. We believe that Arthur was in business in this city previous to 1820, and failed. If so, he recovered himself again. But in 1820 he was living in poor circumstances, and bought his family provisions in very small quantities, as many of us have to do in 1862, viz.: half a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, another of coffee, at a time, and pay for it in cash.

In 1826, the house of Arthur Tappan & Co., was in full blast, doing the largest silk business in the city. Their store was at 122 Pearl street, in Hanover square. It was a better class store than any of its neighbors, being built of granite.

Lewis Tappan, a brother of Arthur, was a partner, and so was Alfred Edwards, a nephew of the Tappans.

Alfred Edwards continued business after it was relinquished by the Tappans, who both are living—aged men.

Few are aware that these two men did more to originate and push ahead the abolition movement than any two hundred other men did, or could have done. In connection with David Hale, Gerard Hallock and other original abolitionists, the Tappans started the Journal of Commerce. That paper noiselessly instilled abolition ideas among the merchants for many years.

Arthur Tappan was a frank, above board man. He did nothing underhand or secretly. He made proselytes in his store, in his house, in public meetings, and among his neighbors.

He had a large number of persons in his employ. Many of his clerks were young men of uncommon ability. Mr. Tappan was the first merchant employer who set the example of attending to the morals and sentiments of his clerks. He wrote rules for their observance, and he made his clerks act up to and comply with those rules, or leave his service. Here are some of them, that I recollect:

1. Every young man was to be a strict temperance man, drink no ardent spirits, or wine of any kind.
2. A clerk was not permitted to visit houses of ill-repute, indulge in fast habits, or stay out late. A moment's thought will inform any one that this rule was an excellent one, and saved Mr. Tappan thousands of dollars of goods every year. Girls are fond of silks, and Tappan kept a silk store. Probably A. T. Stewart & Co. would be worth half a million more had they made all their clerks sign and keep edict No. 2 of Arthur Tappan & Co.
3. No clerk was permitted to visit any theatre, and no forgiveness was accorded if he added to the crime by becoming acquainted with members of the theatrical profession.
4. Each clerk was obliged to attend Divine service twice on the Sabbath day.
5. Every Monday morning to report to the proper authorities what church they had attended, the name of the clergyman, and the texts.
6. To attend prayer meetings twice a week.
7. Never to be out of the boarding-house or residence of any clerk after 10 o'clock, P. M.
8. Must belong to the Abolition Society, and make as many converts as possible.

Arthur Tappan & Co. went on swimmingly until the negro riots broke out in this city. Mr. Tappan was mixed up with Dr. Cox, who preached at the corner of Varick and Laight streets. The church is still standing. At that time, too, the great wigwam of the Abolitionists and new lights, was what was called the "Chatham Street Chapel." It was the old Chatham Street Theatre, altered into a place for the new Gospellers. It stood on the west side of Chatham, between Pearl and Duane streets. It stood back from the street, upon which was an iron gate. You went back in a passage about twenty-five feet wide and one hundred feet deep. Then you ascended steps to the door of the theatre. When once inside you were startled by its immense size, it having four galleries. Phinney preached there, so did Burchard—both famous sensation Abolition preachers in their day. It is needless to add that Lewis Tappan and Arthur used to be chiefs in the chapel. After the service, the clergyman would ask if any brother or sister would come up to the anxious seats (first row of seats before the pulpit platform) and be prayed for; or "will any parent or pious person name any child or impenitent person to be prayed for?" Of course some persons (females, generally) would go up and take the anxious seats. Then the Tappans would be aroused, take seats with them and talk religion to the weeping women, while the prayers from the preacher went up strong and earnest.

Lewis Tappan lived in the neighborhood in Rose street. His was a nice two-story brick house next door (South) to the Quaker Church yard.

The night his house was sacked the mob went first to the Chatham Street Chapel. After raising Ned there they rushed out, many getting nearly killed (somebody had closed the iron gates) by being crushed in the passage way, and went around to the house of Lewis Tappan. He knew beforehand that such a visit would be made, and his family had removed. The mob entered is house, flung the furniture out of the windows, and the greater proportion was burned in the street. The police made frequent attempts to stop it, but it was of no use. The cavalry made a charge, passed the sugar house, and drove the mob down Rose to Pearl street.

The Varick street church was mobbed and many windows demolished. So was a church in Spring street, south side, between Hudson and Varick.

The Seventh Regiment, National Guard, Col. Stevens, was called out, and kept moving for two days. That was in 1834.

The house in Rose street occupied by Lewis Tappan became famous. It was afterwards occupied by James Harper, ex-mayor, as late as 1846 or 1848. His wife died in that house.

After the Chatham Street Chapel was given up, a new place for Abolition meetings was built on Broadway on the same principle, viz: the building erected back of the dwelling house, with entrance under one of the houses on Broadway. This was called the "Tabernacle." How it was built I know not. But not long after David Hale, of the Journal of Commerce, and the Tappan association, got hold of it and made money by the operation. Previous to that David Hale was very poor. The Journal of Commerce did not pay, and David, to help along, kept a pious boarding-house in Broadway, westside, two doors beyond Morris street, where the Stevens House now stands. We were one of his pious boarders for some time. David was the personification of a Yankee—if there is such a race—long legs, hatchet face, skin and bones, slight, pokey, and keen as a briar. He was one of the few men who acted with the Tappans, and sowed the abolition seed that has produced the overshadowing oaks of 1862—secession, dissolution, anarchy, bloodshed.

That Tabernacle was started as an abolition temple, and it fulfilled its mission. It made money, too, for all hands. Fernando Wood in 1839, when he lived at No. 37 White street with his first wife, was a leader at the Tabernacle, and a deacon there. He has become rich, and married a third wife, who is vastly wealthy. Fernando wanted to get The Journal of Commerce support to go to Congress. His dodge succeeded, and next year he got the nomination; and in spite of the robbery of the Greenwich street bank, was elected.

Israel Minor, now a millionaire of this city, was one of that Tabernacle crowd. The history of Minor is a most remarkable one. He was born in the village of Woodbury, Connecticut, and his father, who was a very small farmer, apprenticed him to one Bradley, a tanner.

Young Israel did not like the tanning business, ran away, and walked ninety-eight miles to New York, where he did not know a soul; but the God who looks out for sparrows kept his eye on young Israel. He got a place in a drug store in Maiden Lane, and learned Latin and the drug trade in a few years. He saved up ninety-seven dollars, and with that sum bought a little 6x9 retail drug store in Fulton street, north side, two doors from Greenwich. Then he got married, took a dwelling-house, kept a few boarders, attended prayer meetings, and, next year, took a large drug store on the other side of Fulton street, No. 214. There. he commenced raising up for thirty years or more, and he made his ninety-seven dollar store worth $20,000. It is now carried on by his successors.

Mr. Minor bought the Tabernacle a few years ago, and sold it out for mercantile purposes, clearing $80,000. A most worthy man is Israel Minor. He has not forgotten the place of his birth, but has erected there a magnificent country house. It is needless to add that he was one of the Arthur Tappan crowd.

Early in 1830, the southern people made a movement in reference to the Tappans. The pledge was quite natural that no person should, directly or indirectly, have any dealings with the firm of Arthur Tappan & Co.; that was before the riots broke out. It was the beginning of the end of the great success of the concern.

After the riots the Tappans broke up house-keeping. Lewis went to Mr. Woods, No. 21 Broadway, to board. Edwards, then a bachelor, was already boarding there.

Arthur Tappan & Co. had very stringent rules in reference to time. Every clerk had to be on hand before half-past seven o'clock in summer and eight in winter; and during the business season all the clerks remained until the store closed at night. The goods were packed at night.

There was a book kept of the names of all the clerks and each clerk reported the time of arrival in the morning.

Before commencing the duties of the day, all the bosses and clerks assembled in a large room up stairs, where prayers were offered up. The benediction was, "Emancipation of the slaves." All joined in. If old Arthur was up to New Haven or absent elsewhere, then Lewis led off in prayer. If he was absent, Mr. Edwards did morning prayer.

Before 1834 Arthur Tappan & Co., were worth not less than $400,000. Then they fell off and broke in 1837.

Arthur used to give away money for every species of charity; $5, $10, $15, $20 and even $50,000 for educational institutions. To every Abolition society he gave money liberally and constantly. Whether Arthur Tappan abolitionist, would never have made any headway North, President Lincoln ought not to forget the primary cause of his success. Had Arthur Tappan never lived, Abraham Lincoln would never have been President of the United States. The President has appointed the son-in-law of Arthur Tappan, Mr. Hiram Barney, collector of the port.

When Arthur Tappan was in the dry goods business, everybody who called, had to be introduced to him. He would inquire all about such individuals. Finally, if he was satisfied, he would ask him if he would not buy a bill of goods, and on long credit. No detail would be forgotten by the inquisitive merchant. This information Arthur would store away in a very retentive memory. In this way, Mr. Tappan became possessed of a very large information in regard to the means of outside buyers in various parts of the Union.

Even he, when getting this knowledge, had no idea that it would ever lead to anything further than information to be used in his own extensive sales. He was disappointed. When he failed in 1837, Mr. Tappan did not despair, but at once turned his attention to furnishing information to other merchants in relation to the standing of buyers in every part of the Union. He relinquished mercantile business for a sterling mercantile agency. He was the founder of a new department in commerce and trade, but probably more useful in saving from loss than any other. He associated with him his brother Lewis Tappan, and afterwards Benjamin Douglas, a son of George Douglas, an ex-merchant of this city. Benjamin was as smart as a steel trap. He was for a long time quite an extensive merchant in Charleston, S. C. but the climate was too enervating, and he returned to New York, which, after all, is the only city fit to dwell in on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

In the mercantile agency concern the Tappans were first, then B. Douglas & Co., and now it is Dun, Boyd & Co., who were former clerks in what is really a mammoth business.

This mercantile agency is a curiosity. It is a business my readers have but little conception of. It publishes a book of reference. This contains the names of all the principal persons in trade in all the cities of the United States and Canadas.

The charge for these books is $100, $150, or $200 per annum.

Each subscriber pays from one to five hundred dollars every year for information. Some dry goods houses pay as high as $1000 per annum. For this sum, the subscribers are kept posted in reference to almost every trade in the Union. A loss— a death— a change of partnership— failure— or any change, is communicated to the subscribers. Millions are saved to New York merchants every year by this agency.

Before Arthur and Lewis Tappan retired from business, it was openly charged upon them that they hated the South so cordially, that it led to injustice in their reports of the standing of Southern men.

One large dealer South, who deemed himself injured by their report of his standing and resources, sued in a New York Court, and recovered $10,000 damages.

The Tappans, Arthur and Lewis retired from that business, both aged and rich.

Their successors in the business (Dun, Boyd & Co.,) employ about two hundred and fifty clerks. Their reports embrace the Canadas as well as the cities and towns of the United States.

They give the character and standing of the commercial firms of great houses that do a fifty million business in cotton and banking, or of Smith, the pea-nut dealer, on the street corner, whose sales of roasted do not exceed $162 per dy.

A merchant, named Jones, from Scatwood, Minnesota, calls on Wheeler & Wilson to buy five sewing machines on credit,

"Call back in half an hour," says Wheeler, who at once goes to Dun, Boyd & Co. There he ascertains that Jones is or is not married—that Jones is courting a girl, who will have $10,000 when her father dies—that Jones does or does not drink—that he spends one night at bucking the "Tiger"—that the night previous, Jones did not sleep at the Astor, where he pretends to stop, but at a particular friend's house up town, where he ought not to stop, finally, that Jones is thirty-two years, seven months and three day's old—that he voted for Lincoln's election—that he belongs to the local church, and has attended it thirty-three times out of fifty-two Sundays during the year 1861. Of course Wheeler & Co. don't sell to this genius Jones, and consequently, do not lose the cost of five sewing machines.

To procure such varied information, and from all sections, Dun, Boyd & Co. employ 10,000 agents. The letters to them daily amount to over 2000.

They do not pay high salaries. Their clerks get $250 to $300. Their business is mostly copying names-changes of firms-suits commenced-mortgages of property-deaths of children-marriage of men on their books-every change, in fact, is noted and recorded in Dun, Boyd & Co.'s books.

An agent of the old concern once called on a merchant in Broad street, and asked him to become a subscriber. He explained its advantages. The merchant hesitated-at last he says, "Tell me all about 'James Samson' and I will subscribe." "The name is not on the agency books, but give me two days and I will find out all about him." The merchant agreed. The clerk got the name correctly and said, "I'll find out all about him if he is in the United States." A week elapsed. The clerk of agency called, and reported as follows: "James Samson is a peddler, aged 30; he comes to Albany to buy his goods, and then peddles them out along the canal from Albany to Buffalo. He is worth $2,000; owns a wooden house at Lockport in his own name; his family reside in it; has a wife and three children, two boys and one girl; boys named Henry and Charles, aged four and six years; girl named Margaret, two years old; no judgment out or mortgage on property; drinks two glasses cider brandy, plain, morning and evening-never more; drinks water after each; chews fine cut; never smokes; good teeth generally; has lost a large double tooth on lower jaw, back, second from throat on left side; has a scar an inch long on his left leg knee-pan; cause, cut himself with a hatchet when only three years old; can be found when in Albany at Pete Mason's, 82 State street; purchases principally jewelry and fancy articles; belongs to the Shoe."

This is evidence of how systematically the business is carried on. The report was conclusive. It satisfied the Broad street merchant. The event was fifteen years ago. The merchant subscribed $150, and has paid it yearly ever since.

Of course other and similar concerns have sprung up in this city, but none so large, so extensive and so valuable, as the great agency of Dun, Boyd & Co., started by Arthur & Lewis Tappan.

The Tappan Brothers have been fearfully abused, North as well as South.

It was but a few days ago that Lewis was again before the public with reference to a little negro boy, under charge of Marshal Rynders, and was subject to the amiability of the famed captain. But he survived it, and yesterday we met Lewis, whose hair is white with the frost of seventy winters, passing smilingly down Broadway towards the South Ferry.