Henry Siegel, whose name is identified with those huge so-called department stores, which are cities of commerce inclosed within four walls, was born March 17, 1852, at Enbighein, Germany. His father was the burgomaster of the village, and he himself was one of a family of eight children. Two of his brothers, on attaining manhood, came to this country and were fairly prosperous. The letters that they sent home acted as fuel to the ambitions of Henry, and so when seventeen years of age he sailed for America, and obtained a position in Washington, District of Columbia, in a dry goods house at a salary of three dollars per week. By dint of hard study at night schools he managed to get a fair English education and next became traveler for a clothing house. After some years of hard work, he and his brothers began business for themselves in Chicago and fortune followed their efforts. In 1887 he founded the well-known firm of Siegel, Cooper & Co., of Chicago, again prospered, and in 1896, together with his partners, opened a vast store on Sixth avenue, New York. In 1901 he sold out his interest in the New York enterprise, but immediately acquired the old-established firm of Simpson, Crawford & Co. He simultaneously disposed of his interest in the Chicago concern. A year later he bought a half-interest in the firm of Schlessinger & Mayer, of Chicago. Not content with these undertakings, early in 1903, he began to build a store at Thirty-fourth street and Broadway, New York, and also purchased an entire block in Boston on which he proposes to erect a building which shall dwarf those of which he is already the owner. And so the little German who began life as an errand boy is now one of the merchant princes of America. FRANK W. WOOLWORTH.