The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-16

of rich men. but Frederick Weyerhauser is
the richest and brainiest of them. He is q
German and he began life in q brewery.
He came to this country without . cent
and he worked for 81 day. After leaving
the brewery he piled slabs in sawmill for
q time at $L25 day and gradually worked
his way up ilA lumber until he is worth
millions. He is as plain today at so ~ he
was when he worked in his first sawmili,
and labors just ~ hard. Heis wrapped up
in his business and goes ut times from
lumber camp to lumber camp. taking pot
luck with his men and having q thorough
know ledge Of every detail Of his business.
He is . man Of great ability, full of COM
mon sense, and his four sons. who are all
in the lumber business, take after him.
The boys have been we'll educated, and
his youngest son is now in Yale college.
He gives great deal in charity and his
Oldest daughter, who lately married .
Dutch Reformed preacher of Syracuse.
spent . year some time before her mar
riage in going about among the lower
classes OF. New York city doing charitable
work.
T. B. Walker, of Minnesota, is another
lumber king. He il said to be worth $iO,-
OOO, 900, and his house hero contains some
of the finest paintings you will find in the
United States.
wish could take You into the houses
of these rich men Of the Northwest They
are as fine as those of the money kings of
New York or Boston. and many of them
will rank with the oldest houses Of Europe
in their artistic furnishing. There is today
more art displayed in the business
blocks and in the fine residences Of st.
Paul and Minneapolis than you will
find in those of Boston, Cleveland or
Cincinnati, and money is shoveied out
here on architecture, art, and might saw
religion as we'll. The finest Young Mems
Christian Association building In the
finer quarters than any club in Washing
ton City, and there are number Of
million dollar business blocks here
which have more hne maroles and
Roman mosaic work than the cathedr al of
ST. Marks at Venice. These men have
made their money quickly and they spend
it freely. Their homes are full of beauti-
Take. for instance, that of Mr..
Thomas Lowry, the street railway
millionaire of Minneapolis. 1t is
a big, old-fashioned mansard house Of
about twenty rooms, which are packed
with art treasures. Old Gobelin
tapestries, some Of which would car
pet q small parlor. hang upon the
walls. Oriental rugs. which Tom Lowry
bought in Egypt, lie upon the doors. and
fine paintings of the great modern paint
ers cover the walls. Rare Sevres vases
stand on the mantels. and pieces of really
fine japanese art and Of rare East Indian
workmanship are scattered here and there
about the rooms.
And Just here l want to say a word
Tom here. and he is every ones friend.
He is still in his forties, but be controls q
capital of ST., 600 0O and his income is
probably something like 500. go q year
He came here from Logan county. ILL.,, as
a young lawyer He wanted TO 60 to some
place where he. could be known as some
thing more than as Just Father Lowry's
son. His father was friend Of Abraham
Lincoln. and had Lincoln not been elected
president Lowry would have studied law
in his Office. He was poor when he came
here, but he at once jumped into Q big
practice and he was soon engaged in
nearly every speculation of the town.
Along back in the seventies the horse car
street railway line of Minneapolis wasin a
bad way and Tom Lowry borrowed u.s.
90 of the Security bank and bought II.
He improved il, extended the lines
and SO managed it that he was
soon able to get hold Of the st. Paul
street car lines as well. and he now prsc-
tically owns the street car lines Of the
two cities. He has made his system the
best, it is said. in the United States. and
his credit Is such that At the time Of the
Barings' failure he was able to raise
IS, 500. COO IN New York at low rate of in
terest. His street car lines were changed
from horse cars TO electricity in twelve
months, and he has $50 miles of track.
The overhead trolley is used and he tells
me that the conduit system which be tried
for one Of the 81. Paul lines was a failure
His franchise of the two cities is an ex-
elusive one, aud it runs, am told, for a
long term of years. These car lines have
immense shops here and power houses
covering acres. They can make everything
connected with an electric car line, and il
will not b surprising if they eventually
add great manufacturing car industry to
their business. Mr.. Lowry 10 eminently
lifted for doing this. He has the best Of
business brains and his credit il such that
he can get any reasonable number of mill
ions 1T per cent.
Tom Lowry - . man Of strong friend
ships. He is - well known in New York
and Washington as he 10 here. He Was
one of the few men who had access to
Blaine at all times, and he largely aided
Senator Washburn In tiding over the
financial troubles il which hs YES in