St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-03
WILLARD, THE PHOENIX.
Another Turn in the Wheel of His
Fortune.
HE is AGAIN IN POWER.
His Extraordinary Career Which May
Be Truly Called a Picturesque
One.

Henry Wizards extraordinary career
and the remarkable vicissitudes of fort
une he has experienced will in all prob
ability reveal still another change next
month, when he will once more be
placed in control of the Oregon Trans
continental company, says the New
York World. He organized the com
pany III 1881, and was forced to retire
from its control in the autumn, of 1888,
when reyerSeS came thick and fast upon
MIN. The plan is, as the Information
came to the World, to elect him and
sufficient number of his friends to con-
stltute majority of the board of di-
rectors OF the company, after which
these directors will elect Mr.. Willard
president of the corporation.
For some time past syndicate had
been quietly working to obtain control
OF the stock of this company. Many
persons who have closely watched the
course of the stock market have Won
dered at the way in which this stock
acted, and Surmised what was behind it.
1t transpires that the syndicate,
been the power behind the throne.
1t is claimed that out of total
stock issue OF 100000 shares the syndi-
cate holds fully 100000 shares, which it
will vote at the election in the line indi-
Gated. Sydney Dillon. the present pres
ident, will retire. but will be retained
in the board of directors in the Willard
interest, as will also w. l.. Bull. Who
the new men are who will be elected
cannot yet be ascertained. 1t is also
said that Mr.. Willard has arranged to
take care of the floating debt of
S6,500,000, which has hung over the
property as a periodical menace, and
that, financially, all will move smoothly.
1t is intimated that the Willard party
have also succeeded in obtaining
majority of the stock of the Ore
gon Railway & Navigation COM
pany, and that at the election, which
will be held shortly after the Oregon
TranscOntinental election, it will pass
into the
CONTROL OF MIR. WILLARD,
that gentleman becoming the president
of both corporations.
When reVerSeS of fortune struck Mr..
Willard, compelling him to retire in turn
from both these companies, as well as
from his pet road, the Northern Pacific,
he went to Europe. 1t was generally
believed he was ruined man. and that
the end of his brilliant career had been
reached. This was in August, 1884. In
October, 1886. however, he returned
TO this country, apparently. with
plenty OF means at his command. 1t
was said that he had come back here as
the representative of a powerful and
wealthy German syndicate to invest and
operate in American securities. He
opened an Office in the Mills building,
rented the magnificent Tiffany house,
at the corner of Seventy second
street and Madison avenue, and
once more became familiar
figure in New York life, as well in up
town as in downtown financial circles.
He has been reported to have been
interested in several railroad deals,
notably the Baltimore IL Ohio, but he
kept his own counsel and said nothing.
Now, however, he comes to the front
and takes his place at the head of two
corporations, of both of which he was
for two years the moving spirit.
Wizards career has been indeed a
picturesque one. He was born at Speyer,
IN the Rhine, in 1885, graduated from
70 this country in 1858. For a while he
remained in New York, but in 1854 he
went to Chicago, thence to st. Louis, and
finally settled down at Belleyille, ILL.,,
where he had some relatives. There he |
commenced to study law, but desiring to |
study in more active place, he moved |
% Peoria, and afterwards to Chicago. |
The law, however, had no charms for |
lim, and he began writing for German |
papers there and here. Meanwhile, he !
lad studied the English language, and |
II 1858 he began his career as a news |
PAPER writer in that tongue, his contrl-
buttons being accepted by several |
ournalS. He took an active part |
II reporting. the famous cam
,aign in Illinois between Lincoln
he Cincinnati Commercial to write |
series of articles from the West. In |
he national campaign of 1860, when |
Ir. Lincoln was elected president, Mr..
lizard. by reason OF his acquaintance
With Mr.. Lincoln, was detailed by
Western paper to accompany him
THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN.
This he did, and came as far as New
DIRK with the president when he made
lis memorable trip to Washington to
ssume the reins of government.
Then Willard became war CORE
pendent and represented in the field
nd at the seat of government different
newspapers. In 1864 he went to Eu-
Opo. dLu IcGuIutu tu6 following year,
nd in 1866 married Miss Garrison,
laughter of William Lloyd Garrison.
hen he went to Europe during
he AuStro-Prussian war for a
New York paper. 1t was on
his trip that he fell in with some Ger
nan capitalists who were interested in
American securities. They sent him
,ver here to look after their interests.
While acting in this capacity he locked
iorns with Jay Gould in the Kansas Pa
ific fight, i'll which he had second re-
eiver appointed, land he ultimately con-
Iuered, getting for his hackers 81 10 for
heir securities, where Mr.. Gould had
offered to pay only 40 cents
N the dollar. This brought Willard to
he front, and he was then sent to look
fter investments in Oregon. He iden-
flied himself with Northwestern in
erests, and was phenemenally success
vi until his Northern Pacific venture,
which. after he had completed the task
# building the road, brought ruin about
lis head.
In early years, and as a poor, strug-
ling boy, contending in a new eoun-
ry in the battle of life, Mr.. Willard
vas known under the name OF Hen
ich Hillegarde; but after he obtained a
OOthOld as newspaper man he
hanged it to the name he now bears,
1enry Willard, under which name he
las reaped and lost one immense fortune
dseemS i'll fair way to gain another.
The Heavy Guns.
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