El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-12-01

} What he is worth tx day neither. BIZ
nor any living msn knows for a Ger
, tainty. [ SAW au inventory # hi:
! belongings which was prepared il
1894, 1t showed that he Then owned
: 1872 900 acres of "a d. had 43, 600 he ad
, Of cattle, had 100000 out at inter Ell
and bad property here and there
which brought his entire possessions
up to 50, 100000. This inventory was
on a very conservative basis, and wai
prepared under his direction. Since
1894 he has bad three most prosperous
years. in his career, and has added
greatly to his wealth. Cattle in 1891
we're cheap. To-Day they are selling
for the highest price reached in thirty
years. The lands which MIR. Pierce
owned have appreciated in value. Not
only that, but he has picked up large
tract in the Indian Territory, and has
established ranch there. Judging
by the inven tory mentioned it would
appear that he is worth today at least
$1,000 600.
There is no doubt that "Shangbi's''
education has been more practical than
poetic. In illustration to this 1 may
tell a story about the one vacation that
| Mr.. Pierce is known to have taken in
the sixty-three years of his life. He
vent abroad. He visited London and
Paris and Berlin and Vienna and
Florence and Milan and the deuce only
knows where. In Rome he stood near
the spot where Rienzi addressed the
multitude, he rested within the shades
of ST Pc ter'-. he saw the Va'ican and
the Quiripal and he eazed out upon the
seven hills. He saw it all. Aud when
be came back and one of bis frie IDS
asked him where he had Wis ted
''Shapghi" told him all the places.
"What did you think of ROme?' bis
friend asked him.
81 saw some mighty fine cattle just
outside of that town, was "Sbapghi So
reply.
Mr.. Pierce is big and bluff and
hearty. The frugal tempe ate hab is
he learred in the early day S in little
Rhcdy he still retains. He lives sim
ply, but well. There is no osteutation
about him. He drinks occasionally but
sparipgly. He never uses tobacco, ard
doesn't want anybody about him who
does. He is curious admixture of
the Yankee and the.Texap. Some pao-
pie do not like him. If he likes any
one particularly we'll, if be takes a
utmost confidence. Here is an exam
Pile: Some years ago "Shanghi" did
his ranking business in Galveston at
the Hand City bank. Ia that bank
was young man named Ed Mccarthy
This young man attended to Pierces
affairs He was polite, quick, accurate
and sharp. In mary instances he went
out OF his way to accommodate "Shang-
hi.' Mr.. Pierce at the time showed
no evidence of appreciation. Today
that young man is member of the
big banking horse of Weekes, Nc
Car;hy & Co., of this city. He rups
the banking end of the estab ishment
exclusively. ''Shanghi'' is the ''com-
Dany." Mr.. Pierce not only provided
the capital for the bank. but the pres
t1ge of his great wealth is behind it.
1t is understood that just before the
last presidential election, when money
was fearfuliy tight and when banks
were threatened with disaster if BRYAN
was elected. Mr.. Pierce sent MESA ye
somewhat after this fashion to Nc
earthly:
"Eddie-Ify you are bothered for ready
money or If you see good chance to
place 1t l can let you have $780,
O0O''
'Shangbi's" home, when he is home,
is at Pierce Station, on the Southern |
Pacific road. To the minds of some |
people there is little to attract p=rsoo |
at Pierce Station. The country is |
bald prairie. The bone of Mr.. Pierce |
Is plain and cOmmOdiOus. 1t Is well |
furnished and comfortable, but there |
are no gee-gaws of furbelows about the |
place. Usually Mrs. Pierce has
number of visitors. "Shanghi'' likes
company aud when he cares to can be
misunderstanding storyteller. But be is
too busy man to give much time to So
cial affairs. He is travelling, travelling.
travelling. His business is now of such a
that he is kept almost con-
stant'y on the go. Despite this fact he
VII ri q hiS 1ntt a.
to every detail of his affairs, just as he
did in the old days when he was strug-
Cling for fortune.
The value of one ''patch'' of Mr..
Pierce's land will be greatly enchanc-
ed by the building of the Galveston,
and Western road, which is
now in course of construction. This
road will cross the patch" south Of
Pierce Sta ion, "Shaughi" has given
right of way and bonus of So, 900,
besides half interest in two town
sites to the road to cross the track just
where he desires. The extent of this
"patch" may be imagined when 1 say
it is seventeen miles across.
There are none but silver hairs on
the head or in the beard of ."Shanghi,
TODAY. They tell the story of his age,
but he is as erect as he was when ii
ye ars old and he is full of energy and
as ever. If he ever thinks
of the old days when he punched cattle
and slept on the frozen prairie with
rat:lers for bed fellows he must marvel
1T the changes wrought by time.
''Shanghi" however, is not sen'imen-
tai and he is rarely reminiscent. He
is a plain, bluff every day sort of Tex
as hustler. Som etimes he gets gay
and puts on a "plug'' hat bit
not often. A soft felt one suits him bet
ter
'Shaughi" has wife and one child
"a daughter. She is married to a
Kansas City lawy er.-Globe Demo-