Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-08

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We transfer to cur columns today, from
the Chicago Timberman Of Nov. 9Th, an
account Of one Vt the most successful bush
ness men whom the West has ever had, .
native Of old kennebec county, the Late
Charles f. Piummer of China. notice Of
whose death vas Published in the JorssAL
Of Saturday
Charles Fl. Piummer, one Vt the best
kaosn iumbeYmen of Saginaw Nieh,s
where be- had q wide business connection.
died on the morning OF November ist' al
the family residence, Of pneumonia affef
two weeks illness. Mr.. Piummer wxs born
in kennebec county. Me, In 1910, repre-
sensed his dsstrict twice in the Matn~ Legs
| iatare and when the Civil War broke Out
donned his uniform and enlisted IN tie
/ Second Aaine Infantry, serving Tor ESQ
| years, during which he vas IN some OF the
| hottest battles He was wonnded several
times, taken prisoner and escaped. tie
| came to Saginaw In 1863, and shortly after
| engaged in numbering on an extensive
| scale. ffe vas also engaged in the Touring
| mill business 1t Jackson, and in number
| of other enterprises throughout the state.
| besides being largely interested in southern
| pine.
| Several years ago he purchased 5s,ps
| acres of land ia Arkausas, which he sold
| about one year ago. lie also owned a
| Touring mill in Saginaw aud built another
| two years ago A, South Lyons, Mich, at a
! cost Of sgD 900. He was also interested
| in machine works at Jackson. which were
removed to Bridgeport, Ala. few month.
ago.
At one time Mr. Piummer was estimated
% be- worth over $3.50 900. but a number Of
! his later investments proved improbable
and be also lost heavily through indorse-
menfs on the raised Sanborn notes. Mr..
PIummer has made several fortunes, how
ever. and within the last twelve month
made an investment in yellow pine lands in
| Florida that would have made him rici
man in very short time. In fact be could
| have SOLD one-third Of this land within b
| few weeks for what the entire tract cost him
few months ago.
| Last winter, in company with gentlemen
| at Tallahassee. Fla, he organized what Is
| known a. the st. Marks Lumber COMPANY
| of Florida, which acquired about j0o,0D0,-
| 00D feet OF cypress and pine timber on the
/ st Marks river \ shinele mill was erecte'
/ at st. Marks. and the work of buil'ling d
/ large saw mill is now in progress Tbs
/ machinery of the old mill at ogema@
I Springs and that of the old Grape mill al
/ Flint, which Mr.. Plummer purchased was
shipped TO st Marks Il few months ago fol
! th. new mill. The capital stock Of this
/ company was $500, 900, a controlling in
,erest being held by Mr. Plummer H.
also owned over 80, 900 acres of timber and
/ iron lands in North Carolina. AMI bad 4
I life insurance at the time of his death oi
| si23 900
J Perhaps no lumberman in the state o.
Michigan, unless it be Alger. Burt, Stock
/ bridge or some of those who have taken III
! Interest in politics, was so widely known a
1 c. II Plummer ,as during the last two years
owing to the Sanborn trouble AMI other Iii
I CATION in which Mr.. Plummer became in
VOWED he has been prominently before tbs
courts. Someone remarked to The Timber
man recently that Mr.. Plummer was one o
the greatest generals in the legal battle tiel'
he ever saw, and II his attorneys were no
quite ''up to snuff, he would step into thu
arena himself and conduct his own fav
suits, and he was uniformly successful
/ Only three weeks ago he gained verdict il
! a suit against one Of the Michigan railroad
because of the burning of some of bis prop
| erty, and which was attributed to the spark
! from the railroad company's engines. He wa
a skllful debater and delightful story teller
and had many social qualities that drew
men to him. On one occasion, during
I visit of the retail lumber dealers TO Tin
! Saginaw Valley, when banquet was giyer
! by tie lunIbermen of Saginaw to the visitor
/ Mr.. Plummer was placed on the list o
toasts as a speaker. For some reason OF
other, he failed to appear Mt the banquet
AMI The Timberman, knowing that Mr.
/ Piummer was constantly perpetratinp
| practical jokes on his friends. prepared 3
speech, inserted il in its report of the ban
qnet and Mr. Plummer vas, for once, out
done The following was attributed It
him
LADIES ASb GENTLEMEN don't kno"
Why | should have been selected to respone
TO this exalted toast Natural Cas-, fol
Natural Gas is ethereal enough for exalta
ton unless il may be that | am a trifie les
homely than the other members here tAp
pianse.1 Ever since It's discovery as
/ commercial commodity ii has been boor
wherever used. In the factory, in the mill
J everywhere ii supplauts oll-fashioned meth
DDS. and is a CHASTITY substitute for fuel
] .Groans and cat-calls) 1t is in perhap'
more general use in Ohio than up here ii
the north. The Ohio man has it in quaint
ties what the Ohio man wants me generally
gets. Laughter 1t has even helped &c
boom timber lands denuded of their stump
/ age. Not that any of you gentlemen arr
/ aw are of this. lniiguant disavowai from
/ all 1t has even gone so far as to give al
/ excuse for a very bad play. A gentleman
I on my right suggests that the reason of youi
/ selection of myself for this response Is
/ contained in the title of the toast itself.
/ fail 10 grasp his meaning. but believe somt
/ lcvily is intended ami will cease speaking
! Laughter and applause.
1 Speaking of his death, the editor of the
+ Courier Saginaw. Mich. who knew him
personally very well. writes of him as fol
! lows in bis PAPER of November
/ Personally Mr.. Plummer was one of the
most companionablt gentlemen. and not a
( person with whom he had business dealings
I leading to litigation was an enemy. In fact
/ there was hut one Charles II. Plummer
/ lie was unique and versatile TO a degree
/ seldom witnessed in tue human species. In
! deed. he was a genius in his way. In apt,
+ ness in retort and dry humor he had few
( equals. and ii cropped out in all his actions
+ Had he been educated for - professional
life he would. by reason of his aptness and
| hrilliancv, have risen to eminence. One
never tired of listening TO his conversation
which at all times bristled with humor and
an originality peculiarly his own.
In the death of Charles II. Plummer
Saginaw loses respected AMI enterpris ne
citizen and one whose memory will be cher.
ished. One son, George H.. survives the
deceased, and brother Samuel A. Plum
mer, is one OF the best known citizens OF
West Ray City. The funeral will take
place this morning at II O'Clock from the
residence mentioned. after which the re.
mains will be taken to Weeks Mills, Maine
for interment