The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-12-28
DIED WORTH MILLIONS.
Two Men Who Have Recently Passed
Away, Leaving Millions Behind,

Two Men Who Have Recently Passed
Away. Leaving Millions Behind,
MIR. George Graham Lake, retired
New York merchant died Sunday from
injuries received by being knocked
from a street car in West Broadway last
Friday week. Mr.. Lake was born in
Brookheld, Connecticut September 10.
1921. lie went to Now York when u
years old, and was an errand boy in
drug store in Catherine street. After.
ward he worked for Ubsdell & piorson,
IN Cana street, and at 10 no was made
head salesman In the silk department.
lie had made verbal contract with the
firm to work for SAG year IS q week
fortour years, when the firm of Spies Crist
y Co. offered him $1,000 year for the
FIRST year, 5000 for tho second, $1,000 fl
the third aud $1,000 for the fourth. He
held himself bound by his verbal CON
tract. AT tie end of the four years he
accepted q salary Of $4,000 a year with
the same house. In 1868 he became A
member of the firm, and In 1863 he went
into the dry goods business with Me-
Creepy. The firm built tho building oc-
cnpied by the Methodist BOOK concern,
and sold II 10 the concern for about ST.
100000. Then Mr.. Lake retired mill
lionaire. 1t was he who assisted Emma
Abbott to go to Europe and study sing
ing. He had heard her sing In the choir
of DR.. Chapin's church, which he at
tended. He was one OF tho founders of
the Chaplin home for tho aged aud In
firm. Mr.. Lake was married three
times. The late Father Lake, his son,
acquired some notoriety by marrying u
young lady who attended tho church of
whish he was pastor.
Michael II. Simpson, of Boston, best
known as the possessOr of a fortune of
ten or twelve million dollars, died Sun.
day of heart disease. lie was born of
poor parents In Newbuiypoit seventy
live hears ago, and went 10 Boston when
q boy. He laid the foundation of his
great wealth in this way: Many wears
ago n gentleman named Nichols, n tai
Tor, went to n leading patent agent In
that city and asked II ne know a man
who would invent q machine for tax ing
the burrs out of wool. Tho agent took
him to n French-Canadian named Cou-
lard, who agreed TO undertake the task
lie went 10 work, but was so slow that
MIR. Nichols gave up the project on ac-
count OF the expense. Mr.. Simp.
son nj the time was having
some machinery built at the shop
where Coullard was nj work. lie be-
came interested in the Canadians mo.
dels, and purchased tho invention. Mr..
Simpson took 1t to England and sold II
for 10000. That machine was tho Same
In general principles as those now used
for the same purpose. The millions
have since been piled up for Mr.. Simp-
son by the Saxonvllle mills and tie
Roxbury Carpet company, both great
establishments being controlled by him.
The bulk OF his fortune was made by a
master stroke during the war. In the
carly months of the contest, when bust
ness OF all kinds was greatly depressed,
his partners suggested that they, like
others, should curtall production. Look
ing out the windows OF his great carpet
mills MIR. Simpson asked: allow much
land IL there In that vacant tract" SO
many thousand feet was tho reply. every
we'll" replied Mr.. Simpson, ",o-morrow
we will begin TO build u warehouse to
cover II. Then we will make carpets to
the full capacity of our machinery.
When that warehouse Is full we will
build another and ill It,"
This policy was followed, aud, when
the inflated demand and prices of year
or two later arrived, tho concern put an
immense quantity of goods upon the
market at the highest figures. Mr..
Simpson was twice married, tho second
timo about four years ago IN u young
lady nearly fifty years his junior, who
survives him. The wedding In reinem-
bered on account OF tho impression Gre
ated bv Mr., simpsons gift to his bride
OF 81 100000 In bonds.-t Baltimore Sun.