HEWITT, Abram Stevens, American manufacturer and politician: b. Haverstraw, Rockland County, N. Y., 31 July 1822; d. New York, 18 Jan. 1903. He was graduated from Columbia in 1842 at the head of his class, and in 1843 he was made acting professor of mathe matics there; he also began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1845. He did not practise, however, but shortly after went into the iron and steel business with his father in-law, Edward Cooper. By careful and skilful management he built up the financial success of his firm (Cooper & Hewitt); which was the first to manufacture iron girders and supports for fire-proof buildings and bridges, and also furnished the government with large quantity of material during the Civil War. In dealing with his employees, he was particularly success ful, never having any serious trouble; it was his policy to keep the works running and the men employed, at least part of the time during dull seasons, though the business was some times carried on at a loss. At the time of his death he was recognized as one of the foremost iron masters in the country, his firm controlling the Trenton Iron Company and the New jer sey Iron and Steel Company. He organized the Cooper Union Institute (q.v.), and as the secretary of the board of trustees largely shaped and controlled its policy for a number of years. He also gave largely to the institution. He was first active in politics at the time of the reorganization of Tammany Hall after the overthrow of the Tweed Ring. He served in Congress 1874-78, and again 1880-86 and was always especially prominent in all matters per taining to finance, advocating a low tariff and the gold standard. In 1876 he was chairman
of the Democratic National Committee, and immediately after the election issued a procla mation to his party stating that Tilden had been elected; later he supported the policy of Tilden which resulted in the appointment of the Elec toral Commission (q.v.). In 1886 he was nominated for mayor of New York by Tam many and other Democratic organizations and after a hard campaign won the election over Henry George and Theodore Roosevelt. As mayor he gave the city a most efficient admin istfation, but his independent policy often an tagonized the Tammany leaders, especially his strict enforcement of the excise law. He was not renominated by his party, and was defeated as a candidate on an independent ticket in 1888. While mayor he urged in one of his annual messages the need of improvement of the city's rapid transit, and advocated municipal ownership; though his suggestions were not heeded at the time, he continued his interest in the subject, and it was largely doe to his ef forts that recent improvements in that direction were undertaken; in recognition of his services the Chamber of Commerce presented him with a gold medal in 1901. In February 1903 a num ber of prominent citizens of New York set on foot a movement to raise a memorial fund of $503,000 to be presented to Cooper Union as the 'Abram S. Hewitt Endowment of the Cooper Union?