The Press., 1885-02-14
HOW CLAUS sPRECKELs BECAME A MILLION
 ARE.

Claus Sbreckels, commonly known as the ''Sugar King of the Sandwich Islands" Wields power more autocratc that that of any other monopolist in the world. He is something more than a Warwick, be- cause he has not remained content with making the King, but has guided all his movements like puppet, so that he is act ually the ruler of the pigmy realm and it's financial ministry. His dream is to exer- else equal sway on this coast. Spreckels is a South German, born in Hanover, a man of small education, who came to this coun- try about 1880, and started in the retail grocery business in Church street, New York. He made the impression on those who knew him there as a man of great business shreWdness and of the thrift which is proverbial with his race. He came out to California soon after the gold fever broke out and at once engaged in the grocery business in this city, preferring it to the hazards and hardships of mining Everything he touched seemed turned to gold. He made large profits in his bus- ness. Combining with several of his brothers who had come out to the coast, he bought quarter interest in the Albany brewery in this city for $40, ,OOO. This was the foundation of his present large fortune and commercial importance. After run ming the brewery several years his keen business instincts saw in sugar refining far more profitable field of enterprise. The story of his conquest of the Sandwich Is- lands in nutshell is that he took advantage of the ignorance of a king who wanted money and that he worked his cooies to death.
 Of Spreckels wealth it is impossible to form any accurate estimate, because much of his property is mortgaged and it is un- derstood the greater part of his fortune is embarked in the sugar business, which is apt to depreciate. He makes daily, the year round, however, 600 barrels of sugar, containing PIC pounds of sugar each, worth an average of $50 a barrels This makes business of 1000 day, or $6 ,57O, ,OOO a year. He makes a clear profit of $1O a $2, 19O, ,OOO year. He controls the entire sugar trade of the coast, which represents $lO, O,OOO,OOO year. Down at Honolulu he puts on more the airs of an autocrat, and his course there lately has put him into dis favor with both the native and foreign popu- lation. Last January he loaned the King $l ,OOO,0O0. Among his employees Spreckels is probably more popular than any other millionaire on the coast because he has al- ways treated his people well.
 He is of medium height, compactly built and dresses neatly. He has the face of a typical German, with the high-cheek- bones, fair skin, blue eyes of the Fatherland. His eye is as clear as that of young man, and his skin, though Drowned by exposure, is clean and healthy. His round head is covered with thick growth of hair rapid ly changing from gray to white. This is the only indication of his years. He has the alert look and movement of a man of 30, and in his steely-blue eyes is a look which goes far to reveal his character. He mar ried years ago when he was a poor man, a comedy German girl, who was then en- plOyed as a domestic in the family of a large Eastern sugar refiner, and she has proved good wife and mother. They have four sons and one daughter. The fa- ther and the three elder sons, among whom is Adolph, who shot DeYoung, are mem bers of the Pacific Club, in this city, where the sons are general favorites. They are all fine looking men, of polished address, and have travelled much in Europe.
 MT. Spreckles is an easy man to get ac- cess to, but it is another matter entirely to told of the object of the visit, he said
 ''You may put it down that I always know what is good for Claus Spreckels, anC never fail to turn this knowledge to ac count. ."-,San Francisco Letter.