Morning journal and courier., 1882-03-07
Y MORNING. MARCH Z, 1882.
Tuesday Morning, March z. 1882.


PETER w. NEWER.
Peter W. Hevner, whose connection with
the Cochet and Landreau claims has recent
ly been brought to light, is now living quiet
ly in Philadelphia after 40 years of active
business life in various parts of the world.
He mas given reporter some account of his
career, and his story reads like a romance.
1t is said, however, to contain nothing but
facts, which he has confirmed by the pro-
duction of papers and documents.
Hevner's start as an enterprising business
man was made in California in 1919, and he
went from there to Australia, where he start
ed mill and stage-coach company. Not
making money as rapidly as he wanted to he
left Australia in 1852 and landed in Peru with
$4,000. A month after his landing he Sc
cured contract to build some railroad, and
though he did not know anything about
building railroads he felt confident that he
could learn, and he did learn Before the
railroad was completed he had secured con-
tracts for building five hundred thousand
dollar reservoirs at Callao and making several
hundred thousand dollars worth of repairs
to the wharves at Lima. In 1853 Hevner
became acquainted with Cochet and Lam
dreau. He became convinced of the justice
of their claims and, to use his own express
sion, ''socked up'' a good deal of money in
support of his conviction. For several years
he was engaged in fulfilling government con-
tracts for work on railroads, public buildings,
tunnels and bridges and occupying his spare
time by trading in the products of the coun-
try. In 1859 he imported $4,000 worth of
machinery from the United States, and
fitted up a saw mill and woodwork
factory. "Hold on a minute" he in
terrupted the reporter at this point, ''un-
til I show you something" He left the
room moment or two and returned
with blank book. 81 just want to show
you that I did some business in 1859. Just
throw your eye over these bills paid to me by
the Peruvian government in December"
Here he ran his finger down along column of
figures, and in a disappointed tone said:
"Why, the total isn't as large as I thought it
was. 1t only reaches 81, $50, 900, but that's
business worth talking about" he said, as he
closed the book and resumed the story of his
remarkable life
Passing by number of schemes more or
less gigantic and successful we come to his
lamp speculation, which was worthy of
Colonel Sellers. He had resolved to start
the largest finished lumber mill in South
America. Eight days after this resolution
was formed he sailed for New York, where
he purchased $75,O worth of machinery
and learned that Governor Stanford, of Cali
fornia, was making arrangements to fire"
$50, 600 worth of kerosene oil into Lima and
Callao Then" said Mr.. Hevner, ''the
speculation blazed on me, and every step L
took felt like kicking myself for not think
ing of coal oil years before. For they had
nothing but candles in Peru at that time.
When heard this scheme of Stanford's 1
said: Well, if he takes oil I'll take lamps,
for they must have lamps to use the oil.
See? Now, L had to take all my mill ma
chinery across the Isthmus of Panama, and
the freight from New York was 81 per cubic
foot, and as there was lots of waste space in
and around the machines, I packed that
space jam full of lamps and wicks AS 1
guessed, Stanford had no lamps, and mine
sold at premium. Well I should say did
make big profits. Why. lamp that I
bought in New York for 60 or 10 cents re-
tailed in Lima at from SO to $40" Soon
after this he got control of the entire coal oil
business of the country, and did an immense
business. But housekeeping" was too small
a business for him, and all the time he was
in Peru he never retailed a dollars worth
himself. In 1864 the Spaniards came sweep
ing along towards. Peru, ''whaling" every
thing right and left. He and an American
engineer and two others took contract to
build ram to defend the city. They took
an old war vessel, made q ram out of her
among them Spaniards and walloped the life
out of them right in the harbor."
About this time Hevner bought the Cochet
claim. Ill health compelled him to sell all
his interest in Peru in 1868 and 1869, and
come to the United States. He felt rested,
however, at the end of three years, and hear
ing that Balta was going to make lot of i'm
provements he returned to Lima in 1872 and
secured the contract for the last IS miles of
road that the President gave out. He drifted
back into general blu siuess, and soon had
three contracts, big export business andthe
claims on his hands He built nineteen
miles of an elevated wire road at cost of
$40, 900, but the ignorant and jealous mule
teers destroyed it. On the approach of the
war between Chii and Peru he offered to lay
a portable tramway across the desertto carry
the water and provisions for the army; but,
as the war resulted as it did, he is happy
that his proposition was not accepted. He
got contract to build a government bridge
across the Rimac, but the Chilians. seized
$3.50, 900 worth of his material and he drop
ped the whole business and went to Europe
to work up the Cochet and Landreau claims,
and on his return from that unsuccessful
mission he went to Philadelphia. He pro-
fesses great faith in the guano claims and
their payment, and shows letters in support
of his belief from many of the prominent
constitutional lawyers of this country He
figures that the Peruvian government owes
him 81, 100, 600, 900. May he get it!
Nsk3IE&