Excerpt from Who's Who in New York: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries
The Sixth Biennial Edition of Who's Who in New York City and State is herewith presented with confidence that it will meet with a welcome even more wide and general than that accorded to its predecessor in 1911. The lapse of one year in the issuance of this publication was caused by the unfortunate death of its late editor, Mr. Louis R. Hamersly.
The processes of addition and elimination have both been invoked to give the present volume a more thoroughly representative character. As a work of reference to biographical statistics of a single State, it is unique in its comprehensive completeness. It not alone treats with men of importance who live in the State of New York, but also those from other States who, by commercial or social affiliation, are closely connected with the metropolis.
While it is possible to criticise any compilation of this kind on the ground that certain individuals are included or excluded, we have taken great pains to make this volume less open to such criticism. Great care has been exerted to obtain accurate and dependable information, and in almost every instance it has been procured at first hand, and by submission of proofs for correction errors have been as largely as possible avoided. The exacting standard by which we have heretofore been governed in the selection and acceptance of names has been maintained, and we feel that this volume has an added value, not alone on account of its handsomer binding and more legible print, but for its thoroughness in covering the field.
Who's Who in New York is recognized as one of the most requisite units in reference and home libraries. The condensed form of the salient items of the thousands of prominent citizens of the State, who are at the front of its activities, makes it an invaluable book of reference for the banker, the newspaper, the club, the hotel and the merchant all over the world. Omissions there are of course. There are some from whom or about whom no data could be procured after persistent effort, and perhaps some have been overlooked. In some instances we my have included those who would better have been omitted, but such cases amongst the; many, thousands of subjects are unavoidable, and looked at in bulk, it is safe to assert that the book is open to little criticism as to its subjects. We would ask our subscribers in case the omission of names is noticeable that such names be sent to us for future inclusion. It is the desire of the editorial staff to make this book complete, and suggestions will be very gladly received and acted upon.
The purpose of the book is essentially for reference, compiled upon honest lines. No one has been included or excluded on the ground of willingness or unwillingness to purchase the book. It is used in libraries, by writers, by newspapers and by merchants and bankers in all the ways which such a publication can be utilized. Its data form the daily source of biographical reference in the press, both at home and abroad, and it is constantly quoted in the editorials of the leading newspapers, and for casual reference to complete biographies and obituaries its resources are constantly drawn upon. In the home circle it is a valuable auxiliary to conversation and to study. It puts the individual in intimate touch with the antecedents and career of the notables of the State, from the most intellectual to the successful man or woman in business or leisure, and it has a source of useful information not to found elsewhere.
Its presence in foreign consular offices, foreign hotels, clubs, transatlantic express steamships makes this volume more or less international in character where it is used as a means of identification and reference.
In the advertising section we have listed a number of prominent houses which stand foremost in their lines, and in the school section we would call particular a