St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-21
A MILLIONAIRE TRIO.


Thomas Lowry is probably the most
luxurious liver in the Northwest. He
has reached that point in his fortunes
where money comes easy, and he spends
it with a free hand. Though not
particularly striking from the exterior,
his mansion on GrOveland avenue is a
perfect palace within. and it is main
tanned in royal style. He has retinue
of servants that would do credit to
prince, his cook having once
served in similar capacity
for the Astors. 1t is said
Mr.. Lowry pays him $500 year. The
steward has complete charge of the
cuisine, and his employer merely fOOts
the bills. Of course the butler controls
the cellar. which is very well stocked.
Taking it all around. it is reported that
1t costs the princely Tom the round sum
of s15O.000 t. live. TON Lowry beats
the world to travel WITH" SAID Frank
S. Mcdonald the other day. When he
gets on a car he gives the porter s., and
owns the car. At the hotel
he fees everybody. and there
is nothing too good for him. Such
fund of stories as Tom Lowry has, |
never met. Some of them are slightly
decOllete, but he can tell them to beat
the world. l remember when Tom first
came here. He was young lawyer and
when he tried for al Office nobody
wanted him around; but he turned out
such an agreeable fellow that he could
have gone in with any of them. He
went in with Grove Y. Cooley and
they took an office over where the
Bodega saloon is. He was a cookbook
ing fellow and cut quite a dash, though
he owed everybody. My, how he
climbed! Why, he took the street car
franchise when nobody would have it.
He mOrtgaged the streets of the city
and put old DOriluS Morrison on his
note for 100000; but when he made
his raise the first thing he did when he
got off the cars was to go TO Morrison
and lift that note"
Gen. W. d. Washburn, while not quite
so luxurious in his mode of living, still
keeps up an expensive establishment.
Fair Oaks costs pretty nearly as much
as a barOnv for its maintenance. and as
many as fourteen servants often find
employment there. The great house is
not often thrown open for public reeep-
tons, but when such is the case,
the spread is quite extensive.
4 year ago when Mrs. WaShburn
gave the promenade concert for the ben
eft eff the members, it was curious to
see how many persons paid the price
lust for a glimpse Of the interior of Fair
Oaks. On that occasion, not all of the
prim looking chambermaids so numer-
GUS on the second floor, were regulars.
as several were borrowed from the West
hotel for the evening. Fair Oaks. though
grand, is anything but chilling; on the
contrary it is a most homelike and
inviting mansion, and Gen. and Mrs.
WaShburn are noted for their hOSpi-
tality. Reporters are partial to them,
for they are invariably well treated.
Three years ago, when Gen. WaShbuTn
returned from his seat in congress, a re-
porter went out TO interview him on
several Northwestern matters. 1t was
in the early spring, when the ground
was covered with muddy slush, and
when the reporter struck the
boots were anything but pre-
sentable. The hOusekeeper was
equal to the emergency, and in ten min
utes the newspaper man had on pair
Of slippers. and was in the library wait
ing for the eX-cOngresSman to finish
dinner. He brought in with HIM box
of cigars. and over couple of ManillaS
the interview was pleasantly had.
There is an incident showing the differ
ence between Gen. WaShburn and some
others in politics: Some years ago Dick
Huntington was foreman of the
Washburn saw mill, and, as he
was a good one. he had full
sway. On election day Dick got out
and hustled hard, and as he was a Dem
Ocrat and Washburn Republican, they
al nnrn.nd AkAAExr do.
allow man III your employ to get out
and work against yOu?" was asked Gen.
Washburn by the head Of the largest
Touring mills. 81 employ him at the
MILL his politics is none Of my con-
Germ" was the reply.
-
It. 3. Walker Is reDuted to be the
richest man in Minnesota, and his
wealth is VariOusly estimated at from
So. 600. 600 to SIC, 100000. tits pretty we'll
understood, at all events. that he could
round up Sl0.000090. Personally ne is
very unaSsuming man, and his resi-
dence at Eighth and Hennepin would
never be taken as the home of ten
times millionaire. When he gets into
his new home near Lowry it may be diff
ferent. Almost the only channel in which
his wealth is run is in the line of
pictures, for which he has a passion,
and of which he is no mean critic. His
gallery is probably the finest private
one in the Northwest, and he is con-
stantly adding to it. Mr.. Walker came
here as a civil engineer and got gov
eminent contracts for Subdividing pine
lands. In this way ne gathered valu-
able information Of pine land, which he
sold and thus got start. Then he went
in for himself on a gradually increasing
scale until wealth began pouring in on
him. He now cuts nearly all of the pine
on the Red river valley. Several things
are characteristic of the man. For in
stance. on the edges of his lawn he
DIaced settees for the use of the tired
pubic. Most people would have placed
a barb wire fence about the lawn. 1t
CHANGED once that Mr.. Walker learned
of a certain man in Wright county, III
dicted for murder, who was afterWard
convicted and sentenced to be hung.
He heard certain facts that led him TO
believe the case was one of self-defenSe
purely, so of his own notion he retained
the best counsel, got new trial and
had the man triumphantly acquitted.