January 4th 1888:
"At his home, Auburn Terrace, Mason Street, Mt. Auburn, George A Smith died yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock. Mr. Smith's death was rather sudden, and came in the nature of a shock to his business friends downtown, for the deceased had only been confined to his home by a short time more than a week past, and it was not supposed that his illness could have a fatal termination, the cause of death was blood-poisoning, superinduced by a disease of the kidney.
George A. Smith was a man of works and by his works achieved a reputation among men of Cincinnati that was well merited as it was freely bestowed. He was a man who believed in Cincinnati and its progress and development. With the later he had more to do than men are ordinarily supposed to. The monuments of his energy and industry are visible in many portions of the city, and each one of them marks a work that was for the benefit of Cincinnati and Cininnatians. All his life the deceased was an active man. He took pleasure in active works, and his hands and nimble brain were seldom at rest.
George A. Smith, while not a native of Cincinnati was so long identified with the city, and its interests that the news that he was born in New York City will be rather in the nature of a suprise. Fifty-seven years ago, a lad then of twelve, the deceased came to Cincinnati, accompanied by his mother. In the public schools of the Metropolis he had spent some time and after the then long, tedious and toilsome journey to Cincinnati, he entered the schools here, remaining but a short time. As a young man he took an interest in constructive mechanics and engineering and when the Little Miami Railway was opened in 1845 he was one of the first conductors to take a railway train out of Cincinnati, and one of the first men who had charge of a train in the then almost rail roadless West.
When along in the last years of the forties the California Fever reached this city and became epidemic, Mr. Smith, with a part of adventurous spirits went out to California in search of gold. He remained there three years, being measurably successful in his search for fortune. On his return to Cincinnati in '53 he became a contractor for the construction of bridge masonry and other massive stonework. He developed a great deal of skill as a bridge contractor, and when the news came to Cincinnati on day in '63 that Kirby Smith's rebel force were advancing on the city from Kentucky, the military authorities here decided to erect defenses and throw a force of troops into Kentucky to oppose Kirby Smith's hostile advance. To get stores and troop across the then rather high river by ferry was something not to be thought of in the hurry of war. A pontoon bridge must be built. But who is there with skill sufficient to build such a bridge? was asked. George A. Smith was the reply. The bridge was soon built skillfully and substantially, as many men in the city who remember those lively days in Cincinnati will testify.
During the war and for many years after Mr. Smith remained one of the best known contractors in the West. It was he who built the railroad bridge over the Missouri River at St. Charles, a bridge which still stands as firm as the day when the first engine crossed it. Mr. Smith was instrumental in the construction of the Newport and Cincinnati Railroad bridge , for it was under his direction and contact that the massive stone piers and substantial abutments of that great bridge were built.
Nor were these great enterprises the only ones in which Mr. Smith was directly interested. In 1871 with Mr. J.M. Doherty, the first inclined plane for the transportation of passengers from the low levels to the summit of high hills that was ever constructed in this country was built here in Cincinnati. It was the Mt. Auburn Inclined Plane and to his enterprise is due in no small measure the wonderful growth of Mt. Auburn, a suburb which developed more quickly and more rapidly that almost any other of Cincinnati's beautiful suburbs.
George A. Smith was also active in other affairs. He was president of the Mt. Auburn Street Railways Company, President of Cincinnati Omnibus Company, one of the organizers of the Cincinnati Zoological Society, and had large interests in other enterprises. He was a large owner of real estate in the city and suburbs, and constructed many residential and business structures, his last work being the erection of the magnificent seven story office building on Walnut Street, adjoining the Government building.
Mr. Smith's wife died a few months ago. Two sons and three daughters survive him. The funeral takes place Friday afternoon."