The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-07-10
THE LATE DIR. BAKER.
The wesIthiest Man In the Inisns
Empire-A Life Of lndustrv

Dr. Dorsey symg Baker, who died At
waiia wslla July :, was born in Center
VILE, Wabash county, III. October ~, is2s.
At the age OF u he suffered paralytie
stroke, bot. his tnental powers being unim-
paired, he entered the medical department
of jefferson College. Philadelphia and
graduated With high honor. In ISIS he
crossed the plains to Oregon, driving
horse hitched 10 a buggy. aud began the
practice of medicine at Portland. He went
10 California In the spring of ~. but re-
turned "a Portland the next spring. where
he engaged with /. u. Hastings In keeping
the Portland horse. He also kept store
aud iaipistered TO the sick. In 1851 he took
q stock Of goods with OK teams Ia the North
cfn California mites, and opened the first
store st Yreka. but soon sold out. aud. re-
turning 20 Oregon. located In the Cmpqea
valley. where he engaged In various pur.
suits for several years. Ia 1855 be returned
10 Portland and engaged in the hardware
business. In the fall OF 1879 he visited tht;
wslia waiia country, and In is6o sent up a
stock ~ general merchandise In charge Of
VIM. stephens, following in the spring of
issi with hts family aud making wslia
Nalla city his permanent abode. In 1So9
Or. Baker induced Hon. H. W. corbcst.
Capt. A. Y. Ankeny and Others TO Join him
IN putting boat on the upper Coluuhia-
They built the Spray. which proved
rrohtsble enterprise, but was sold the next
year TO the Oregon steam Navigation Com
paay A few years afterwards Dr Baker
undertook 20 put an opposition line on the
Columbia from Portland 90 Lewiston. bai
failed because the company" succeeded
In getting q hill through congress giving IL
the sole right q way fer railroad NJ the
Cascades. Ia 1871 DIR, Baker began 10 take
an active aud leading part In the affairs Of
the Naiia WAiig & Columbia River Rail
road Company. which was organized In
lst,s, became It's principal stakeholder aud
assumed the task OF building the road The
real work ~ construction commenced near
wallals In March, lSi2. aai was prosecuted
In what al this day srrears shiifiess man
neF. until u was eompletci In the fall Of
issS The rOad was Of the narrow gauge
pattern The track. for the Hrst few miles,
was made OF wooden rails, these
were afterwards covered With strap
iron. ant analty light Il rails. boGgf.
ia England. aud laid from the
river 20 the city. During thc pcriod of
construction uf. Baker dcy 5ted al his time
10 The work. and when II was finished he
knew by actual labor all about building
, S'ruriion ns. Baker furnished all 'sc
money required. and after II was finished
/ he operated the rad n his eva property.
T the other dircrsors tcink mere legal pup
{ fs,is - execute his will ncNoaa prictie-
Z ing the theory. make she IRA Ne pay all
.
/ ns.ss while he controlled the ", ", 4 4. 4
Z h X, 60, follow any ~ the rules ~ uacsicrn
Fai,rostlag He hal monopoly oi the
Z basinuss and ne followed the course ~ all
: fncuatoiisfs siEsc sic wssia began. nr
: Rakef sold bis rsat 90 the cid q : & y
20 tn t~53 Nhlie railroad hailiipz be
closed aat hts mercantile business aud
established The private banking hanse IT
+ baker 4 Rnyer Af,cr selling TIE mad hr
Baker created she MN CFsck Fiume and
Manufacturing Co. which estnstruutci the
{ nSfTs8 gauge fsilnusd 10 pixie and puaiex
2sa bnlft the lima~s Dame down MA
creek. from the tinstrr ~ Dudley. ny his
Nsrtses tf,SiHvss operations. bat chiefly
eN the construction. Opersiion and ssls az
tbs aaiia Malls and Celuaihis River Rail
nssa, nr. BAKER hccsu,e The Rcaifhiest
anaa ia thc inlssa Enpsre. leaving AZ
estate valued AZ fsssfa a aiigian xud halt
a. TIVE tailite8 dollars nr hskTr Mss
F taSrfisil thrrs times anf Was shc father hy
{ tae art and lsss wives, ~ 6ffeco chilifeH.
seven b tae FIRST sui wight hN The laS.
+ Foer caiiiFca OF each ~ and b. last WIKI
ssrttYc him tbcQf taree wears aga ~
Hskes sustained Ais s,rfsat sffssk q
pAfalysss. aud 4aSc faer has aus lriY Is
. haass.. assi hsf'isy als hed- thusge his
usisfa ~ss eiosr srd virssr,ssas taWs - :
sAost ifste t-'s.sTe - icsth
+ r aaSu~au. - the 3 ssaa Assz fsias.
psss = splendid tTlhetr - ihs memory ~
( tse wssfay pieaceT IL ,se iasi issaa 90 hts
ta4pssT