ROBERT H. GRUSCHOW

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Obituary
[As published in the Mar 10, 1923 issue, page 269, of the trade magazine "The Black Diamond", Chicago, IL.]
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Death of Robert H. Gruschow

The business associates and friends of Robert Henry Gruschow, president of the Gruschow - McCabe Coal Company, were shocked by his sudden death Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Gruschow had been in his usual health and spirits and active in attendance on business affairs up till Monday evening.  Rising Tuesday morning, he was stricken with an internal hemorrhage, which resulted in his death at two o'clock in the afternoon.

The funeral was held Friday under the auspices of the Oak Park Masonic Fraternity in the Rosehill Memorial Chapel and interment was in Rosehill.

Mr. Gruschow's career in the local coal trade has been a long one.  He was born in Chicago on June 9, 1865, and entered the business world as a clerk with the Erie Railroad Company.  His identification with the coal trade began in 1900 as cashier of the old Fairmont Coal Company under the direction of  C. M. Moderwell.

In 1903 he became manager of the wholesale department of the Chicago, Wilmington & Vermilion Coal Company, now known as the Chicago, Wilmington & Franklin, and maintained this connection for four years.  Upon the organization of the Eureka Coal & Dock Company, in 1907, he became vice-president and was in practically full executive charge of the affairs of that organization, next to the president, until his election to the presidency in 1913.  He remained in this position until the summer of 1914 when he resigned and started in the wholesale business under his own name in an office in the Old Colony building.
At this time, Mr. Gruschow leased a part of the Claybourn avenue dock of the Lehigh Valley Coal Sales Co. and became active in the handling of the coal.  Two years later a partnership between Mr. Gruschow, the Sheridan Coal Co. of Omaha & John N. McCabe of Chicago, which continued his former business under the single name of Robert H. Gruschow.  The partnership took over the entire operation, of the Clybourn avenue. dock which it retained until May 1, 1921.   The Sheridan interests were bought out by the other partners in 1918 and in 1921 the present Gruschow-McCabe Coal Company was incorporated as a stock company with Mr. Gruschow at the head.

In 1917, he was instrumental in the organization of the Circle City Coal Company with mines at Nebo, Ky.  He became president of that concern as well as general manager and retained those capacities until his death.

Mr. Gruschow was a member of various Masonic fraternities and an enthusiastic golfer.  He is survived by a widow and three daughters.

-Submitted by Ken Gruschow