MEN OF AFFAIRS IN NEW YORK
 

103
 

ALEXANDER   E.   ORR

Alexander E. Orr, retired merchant, is a native
of Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland, where he was
born March 2, 1831. He is a descendant of the clan
McGregor, so famous in the history of Old Scotia.
His parental ancestors left Scotland in the seventeenth
century, and the son was originally intended for serv¬
ice in the British East India Company, but fortune des¬
tined that he should become a business man of eminence
in the metropolis of the Western World. A place had
been secured for him at the age of thirteen in the col¬
lege of the company at Addiscombe, England, but a
severe accident, which made him a cripple for years,
prevented his accepting the appointment. He was in¬
stead sent to a private tutor at Killaloo Glebe, where
he was educated, fully recovered from the effects of
his injury, and threw away the crutches which he had
been compelled to use for several years.

In 1850 Mr. Orr made a voyage from Cardiff,
Wales, to Wilmington, North Carolina, the trip occu¬
pying, in that day of slow sailing vessels, from two to
three months. While waiting for the vessel to discharge
its cargo and receive another for the return voyage, he
visited Richmond, Washington, Baltimore and Phil¬
adelphia, but the limited time allowed him before re¬
 

turning to his vessel did not permit of his extending
his trip to New York. He had, however, seen enongh of
the United States to fill his mind with an intense desire
to make this country his future home. Soon after his
return home he completed his arrangements for carry¬
ing this desire into execution, and the following year
arrived in Philadelphia. After a brief stay in that city
he removed to New York, where he soon found em¬
ployment with William Ralph Post, a prominent ship¬
ping and commission merchant. Later he served in the
same capacity with the firm of Wallace & Wickes. In
1858, after an active experience of about six years,
during which time he had gained great knowledge and
had received substantial promotions, he became con¬
nected with the house of David Dows & Co., one of the
largest shipping concerns of its day. It was at about
this period in his career that he was happily married
to a daughter of Ammi Dows, one of the partners in
the concern. The firm of David Dows & Co. was
founded in 1825, and from the beginning had been a
prosperous and ever-growing business house. It was
reorganized in 1861, Mr. Orr becoming one of the part¬
ners, the others being two of Mr. Dows's nephews.
With the enormous trade in cereals and other products
at their command, the house had a wonderful career
of prosperity. For considerably more than a quarter
of a century, under the intelligent guidance of Mr.
Orr and the other members of the firm, it became one
of the largest conimission houses in flour, grain and
provisions in the entire country. Its aim was to con¬
duct a strictly commission business, principally in home
products, and it effected much in advancing the im¬
portance of the port of New York. It erected in Brook¬
lyn one of the largest grain elevators in the world,
which, with the adjoining warehouse, has a capacity
of over three and a half million bushels of grain. The
building and machinery represent an investment of
over a million dollars. By the improved appliances
in the elevator, the largest vessel can be loaded in from
seven to nine hours, which it would have taken almost
as many days by the old methods. The firm of David
Dows & Co. was always the synonym for the highest
commercial credit, and none in New York has ever
stood higher in the estimation of business men. Mr.
Orr, during his active connection with the firm, man¬
aged a large share of its business.

In 1859 Mr. Orr became a member of the Produce
Exchange, and he was especially active in promoting
the movement which led to the erection of the fine
building it now occupies. As secretary of the building
committee of the Exchange he had much to do with
the  construction  of  the    plans  and  the  supervision