Henry Meiggs, an American merchant, born in Catskill, N. Y., in 1811. He began business as a contractor in Boston, removed thence to New York, made a fortune in the lumber business, and lost it in the crisis of 1837, but recovered from bankruptcy in two years. In 1848 he sailed in a vessel loaded with lumber for San Francisco, where he sold the cargo for 20 times its cost. He next built a wharf and a saw mill on the bay, and sent 500 men into the woods to fell trees. His immense business was prostrated by the panic of 1854, and to save himself he resorted to irregular proceedings, in consequence of which he departed secretly by sea with his family, Oct. 5. He was next heard of as builder of bridges on tho Valparaiso and Santiago railroad in Chili. In 1858 he contracted with the Chilian government to complete the road in four years, for $12,000,000. He finished it in two years, and his net profits were $1,326,000. In 1867 he contracted to build a railway from Mollendo to vVrequipa, Peru, which he completed on Jan. 1, 1871, making an enormous profit. He celebrated the event with a dinner which cost $200,000, and distributed $550,000 worth of gold and silver medals.

In 1870 he contracted to build six other railways in Peru for $125 000,000, of which three are finished, and the others nearly so (1875). All his liabilities in California have been paid with interest, and the legislature has invited him to return.