Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-06
A FORTUNE FROM LUMBER.

FORTUNE FROM LUMBER.
Senator Sawyer made the most Of his
money in Wisconsin lnmber. He started
West when he was 80 with $4,000 in his
pocket and began to farm some place near
Oshkosh, and from farming he turned to
logging, bought a sawmill which had ruined
its owner, and by good, careful business
management made it success He travelled
over Wisconsin and picked out the fine pine
lands and bought some of the best of them.
He is still engaged in the lumber business,
and when he is at home it is said that he
takes off his coat and sometimes goes down
into tn. mills and superintends matters for
himself. Notwithanding his gorgeous house
his own life here at Washington is very
quiet. He does not speak often in the
Senate, but he does deal Of work in COM
mittees, and he gets more private pension
bills through than any other millionaire in
the body.
Senator Sawyer always makes me think
Of blacksmith, and his father was black
smith and farmer. He lived in New York,
and like most New York farmers go years
ago, he believed in having his children work
for him until they were q. When Philetus
was II he bought his time of his father and
made money out of the speculation. He
married early, but the sum of his savings
for the first 13 years of his life were just
about q, 900, or less than half of what his
monthly income probably is now.
WHEN A MAN HAS ENOUGH.
once chatted with Senator Thomas w.
Palmer, now Minister to Spain, about riches,
and he told me that when a man had $40, 900
a year it did not make much difference
whether he had any more or not. 1 under
stand that Don Cameron not long ago said
that his income was $50, 900 a year, but
81, 900 month will not buy Don good
stomach, and he has more dyspepsia than
though he were working for a dollar a day.
He inherited large amount from his father,
but Simon Cameron used TO say that Don
was much better money-maker than he
was, and Senator Cameron's investments are
in railroad stocks, mines and lands. He
owns great amount of property in Wash
ington, both suburban and city property.
He rarely buys square foot of land that
does not double in value before he sells it.
He got $96, 900 for his house on Scott Circle.
and he paid S67 900 for that in which he
now lives near the White House. He owns
lands at Harrisburg, and is president of a
bank at Middletown, Pa. He is among the
Senators who have lost big chances during
life, and his biggest mistake was perhaps
that connected with the Bell telephone.
Shortly after Bell had made the invention
he came to Washington, and the stock was
hawked about here for 10 cents on the dollar.
Among others Senator Cameron was called
upon, and Bell offered him a controlling in
terest in the company for Sc, 900, and Cam
eron, though he said he was sure the thing
would pay to some extent, had no idea that
it would bring in something like $4,000, 900
a year and refused to take it. The result
hat Rail laff !
appointed, and it took him lots of time and
trouble to get the money elsewhere. Cam
eron, in speaking about the matter, said
some time ago that he believed the inven-
ton was good one, but that his money
was so tied up that he did not like to risk
the amount on it.
THE NEW SENATORS.
None of the new Senators are restricted
to their salaries for their Lying expenses.
Squire came to Washington in a special
car, and l am told that his investments In
Seattle and elsewhere yield him $50, COO a
year. He got his first start as the manager
of the Remington Gun Works, and married
a daughter OF one OF the firm. He was for
time purchasing agent for the Remingtons
and went to Europe for them. At this time
he made good speculation in selling old
guns to Persia, Turkey and other countries
of the Far East, and he invested his money
as he made 1t. He has now valuable prop
critics in Seattle, and his money is breeding
as fast as Australian rabbits.
Allen, the other Washington Senator,
has saved something from his law practice,
and he was making $40, 900 year before he
came here to Washington. Sanders has
perhaps an income of S25, 900 from his prop
erty in Montana. He owns mines and |
mining interests, and il is hard to tell just |
what these amount to. In addition to this |
he has large legal practice. Senator
Power has perhaps $40, 900 year outside of |
bis salary. He is a close, conservative in |
vestor, and he will not spend great deal |
of money in Washington. Moody, OF
Dakota, is said to make SIC, 900 year at
his practice, and he has number of good |
mining Investments. Casey, of North Da-
kota, is easily worth $500, 900, and Gill |
Pierce is probably the only man among the
new Senators who gets his chief support
rom his salary. All told there are not a |
dozen of the United States Senators who |
nave to skimp within the $1,000 wear
which the government pays them. The
iame is largely true of the members of the |
House: FRANK G. CARPENTER.