, 1881-02-05
Henry Willard.

Herewith We present to onr readers .
portrait of the coming man Of Oregon,
whose name heads this article, the man
whose energy and foresight are working
wonders for the "Old Dominion Of the
Pacific" He is 3 native of the border
land Of Alsace-Lorraine; about forty-two
years Of age, though severe study and
continuous mental labor have made him
look older 1t is ouly when he smiles
tha. the pleasant glance Of youth asserts
its supremacy in his kindly face, which is
full of gentleness in its expression
He is of large stature, fully SIX feet
high and has that immense stamina
that is evidenced by all big-chested men.
Seldom is a better proportioned figure
seen, though tedious years at desk have
slightly rounded his shoulders. His
strong muscular neck supports we'll
shaped head; the powerful jaws denoting
unquestidnable courage, while the clear,
gray eye bespcaks the man whose sagacity
tells him never to assert forcible authori-
y where gentleness and suarity can avail.
He is one of the few men who rightly un-
derstand the dividing line between digni-
ty and arrogance, and who properly dis
tinguishes authority from tyranny. You
converse with him and the one thought
passes through your mind as he leaves
you, that you have not seen all of him
yet, for he has some reserved force IN his
grasp. His dress is neat and modest,
avoiding the slovliness of old Dan Drew.
on one hand, and the ioppishness of Ben
Holladay on the other. He seems to
have followed the advice of the old gen.
tleman whose son asked "who was the
best dressed mani and who replied:
the man who dresses SO that no one can
remember what he had on" And the
same desire TO avoid what Is conspicuous
and glaring, is noticeable through all his
demeanor. Handling millions With the
same ease that boys handle marbles his
voice Is never heard in loud conversation
on steamer or railroad train. And yet
he is affable to all men, without respect to
birth or pride of place. All the clerks
remember him well when he makes his
semi-annual visits, and his faithful men,
ory. which has treasured up their names
and places during his absence, enables
him to greet all his subordinates with a
hearty grasp which seems to say, L" be
faithful and l will promote you.
1t is hard to say what the fate of Hen
ry Willard would have been had he entered
any other than 4 commercial life. Had
he essayed the dangerous vocation of a
politician his ra.e judgement Of men would
have made him the equal of Webster as
diplomatist, or of Vattel as writer on
the comfy Of nations. Had the law it.
self claimed him for a votary, his purely
balanced sense of Justice would have lift
ed him to the rank of Taney or Marshall.
Had he embraced medicine, his industry
would have placed him beside Mott In
America, or Nelaton in the land of his
birth. Had theology claimed him, he
must have became the peer of Whately
or Charming. And had the army muster
ed him among her sdbreurs, his rare exec
utive abilities must have made him the
equal of Pelissler or ST. Armand But
he chose the life of man of dollars and
cents, and it has been great life because
it has been useful one. Mr.. Willard is
PRESIDENT OF INC Ofcson hallway and
Navigation Company, whose capital stock
is SI2 ,0O0, 600, bonded debt, Sc, 900, 600;
originator and chief manager of the Ore
gon Improvement Company capital s., 900,
600. bonds, S, 10000.
When the mineral treasures of the
Eastern Slope are developed by the aid
of the iron horse, then Oregon will real
ize her debt of gratitude to the calm and
unassuming gentleman, whose energy laid
the keels Of the ''Oregon" and "Colum-
bia," and whose foresight is transforming
Eastern Oregon's dreary sand wastes into
one vast grain garden He is one man
IN a million. Shore.