26 THE DELAMATER IRON WORKS— 



alone as if there were no other creature in the universe, you thinking your thoughts 

 and I thinking mine. The universe has given us our wonderful physical and mental 

 development. I know by the nature of my own wonderful personality that I was 

 not an accident but the result of the design of an omniscient and omnipotent God.' 

 Then silence came again. There was the landing stake, and slowly we swept toward 

 it. Finally he said slowly, 'Well, I don't see any way of avoiding your conclusion.' 

 And so our evening ended. But the memory of that moonlight night, the memory 

 of his composed, thoughtful face, the memory of his simple, straightforward words, 

 will, I hope, remain with me so long as I have in this or any other world the sense of 

 memory left.'' 



By the articles of copartnership, it was agreed that the works should be con- 

 tinued for six months by the surviving partner after the decease of his associate, 

 and under this stipulation they were conducted by his son, William DeLamater, till 

 1890, when they were closed down and Mr. DeLamater willed his interest to his 

 widow. He had' five daughters and one son. Laura married Mr. Leander A. Bevin, 

 who was in the machinery business in New York City and acted as one of the ex- 

 ecutors of the estate. Sarah married Mr. Geo. H. Robinson, who became Mr. De- 

 Lamater's partner and continued so till 1887, when other interests required his 

 whole attention. Lidie married Mr. John N. Robins, who became associated with 

 the Albany Street Iron Works and later formed the J. N. Robins Ship & Dry Dock 

 Company in the Erie Basin, which he developed till it became a great and paying 

 institution. Zillah married Mr. George Moore, a lawyer of Detroit, Michigan. Adah 

 married Mr. Charles Vezin, a merchant of New York City. 



The son, William DeLamater, as a young man, was connected with the works, 

 having special charge of the derrick and handling the launching of vessels and load- 

 ing and unloading materials at the wharf. When his father died William DeLamater 

 took his place and remained its head until it was closed down in 1890. 



It was in the minds of most men a great calamity and loss to the world that 

 Mr. DaLamater' should have died when he did and that the great works which he 

 built up and maintained with so much eifort and at times with severe struggle, and 

 which always took such a prominent part in the history of the nation, should have 

 ended its career simultaneously. 



But the first was the will of the Almighty and the second was the wish of the 

 owners, and the world has to abide by both. 



Many of the older workmen went out into the world and, although late in life, 

 started careers which became noteworthy. 



Captain Ericsson did not survive the loss of his closest friend. He died on 

 March 8, one month later almost to a day, at the age of 85 years, 7 months and 7 days. 

 With one accord the nation mourned the loss of a man whom scarcely anyone knew or 

 had ever seen. But the world acclaimed his genius and desired to pay tribute to it. 

 On Monday, March 12th, his house at 36 Beach Street was thrown open early in 

 the morning and for several hours a human stream of thousands viewed the re- 



