The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-10
PETER HEBDIc's REMtRKABLEC CAREER
How He Became \ Millionaire and Huilt III
u Penm.yIxnnM Town-Nis Failure.

W1LLIAMsPoRr, Pa. Feb s.--The attempts
which have been made for several weeks 10 fix
W the affairs Of Peter Herdic and save him from
financial disaster have proven failure. With
in a few days judgments to the amount OF $780,
900 have been entered against him here. and
the SvrifY has levied upon his property. in
Guiding even his household effects, This Is n
serious blow to this city Of $4,000 people. 1t
was virtually built ny ly Peter Iicrdic He
came here twenty-five years ago from ono Of
the southern counties Of New York He had
not cent. and could neither read nor write
His first work WAS wadine into the river ami
saving saw logs from the food which afforded
him living. In u small way he began 10 spccu-
lnie, and finally became the possessor u a grlst
mill and n saw mill. Al that timo Willlamsport
was n dull Pennsylvania borough Of 900 or
5000 population. but Herdc began 10 make
il grow The great pine forests Of these upper
counties were just then being fairly opened
for numbering operations, and the logs were
floating away down the Susquehanna 10 Mary
land points for manufacture. Herdic secured
the construction Of an immense boom at Will
Transport. AMI at once long line Of sawmills
grew up on the river bank. and WilliHmsport
becgme the central point Of the lumber interests
Of Pennsylvania. H,rdic realized large profits
from the boom every wear. and himself harane
one oi the largest manufacturers oi lumber in
the state As the town began to grow ne turned
his attention to other interests. lie bought eN-
trn~ive tracts at land. upon which he built large
houses. and sold pr rented them ~ the city
spread. He introduced water from the noun
tam stream across the river. he built gas
works he put ny a hotel three tlmce ~ large
n the city demanded. and mazda It a summer
resort: he constructed u street railway line,
established a rolling mill a ruhner factory. and
a hundred other industries wore sct aiO0t Ivy
him. He was always helping somebody and
ii man in large OF small business Was
broken up by fire. Herdic meyer failed to put
him on his feet n.an. Perhaps one fourth
the business men of this place have been saved
from ruin during the past four or five years
through his assistance. IL the height Of his ca
reer Hcrdic was chosen Mayor Ivy the largest
majority ever given anybody. and applied his
enterprise to hisN administration with such pur-
pose that the city came out with several miles u
wooden pavement a lot Of sewers. and a debt uf
more than 1900 0OO, two-thlrds OF which tile city
councils have been trying to repudiate for sew
era years.
How much Herdic was worth It IL inpos sihle
TO tell. hut ~ one time he could very likely have
footed up four or five millions. His interests
extended all through the north central part Of
the State. into the coal regions rs well n into
the pinerios. and were particularly lnrlx in
Bradford countS. whore he owned thousands Of
acres OF land, and had II summer resort aud
mineral spring At Mnnequa. On all sides T. .
'fniure will be felt hut it will be deHihbAow 10
a great deaf Of the business Of this city. Sev-
crni assignments have already been made in
consequence Of Herdic's troub IS, and there Will
bee distress among two or three Thousand people
who were kept IN employment by him.