OF ATEW  YORK CITY
 

169
 

CHAPTER XXI.
 

Few persons are aware how intimately and how ex¬
tensively are interwoven the fortunes, the business, the
social life and destiny of our leading merchants with
those of Europe, Asia, and even Africa. Our great
merchants do not make any noise. Many of them are
less known here than in the great cities of London,
Liverpool, Paris, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg.

One of the most extraordinary men of his day was
Dominick Lynch. He was a merchant of wines — an
extensive importer and a connoisseur in all nice things.
He was a perfect gentleman, and thirty-two years ago,
was the envy of all the ambitious youths of New York.
Whatever Dominick Lynch said was " good," must have
been. He was the most fashionable man In New York
His taste of wines was exquisite, and he made mere
crmmon clay pay for his own unequaled wisdom and
judgment.

Dominick had a brother named James. The latter
Mas a lawyer, and had his office at No. 5 Wall street
Court. Not many citizens will remember that court,
and yet what a wonderful place It was. It had a pump
in it, and the finest water in the city. It ran through
the buildings of the old New York Insurance company,
R