Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-13

land as he displays modesty Dy
no means Napoleonic, Frederick Wey-
erhauser clings to other virtues some
times rejected by leaders of men. He
is among the few living refutations OF
the common saying, No man ever
made million dollars honestly
1T was only because he could al
ways be trusted that he secured the
cooperation of so many wealthy men
and so many powerful interests. And,
as he says in his Characteristic way:
Il think I've succeeded, because care
more for my credit than my clothes.
This sterling man is a graduate
from the farm: The farm happened
to be vineyard. 1t was at Neider-
saulheim, ia Southern Germany,
where Frederick Weyerhauser, a
Younger son, was born, Nov. 81, 1884.
Frederick was but 10 years old
when he decided to start for America.
His father had died. But the son
would not leave behind his mother
nor his sisters. They accompanied
him across the ocean and went with
him into Erie county, Pennsylvania.
Reaches Rock Island.
at was four years later, at the age
of %, that he reached the town of
Rock Island, Illinois. He began work
ing in a small lumber yard attained
to the Rock Island sawmill, or the
| lower MILL After six months he Vas
in charge.
He became acquainted with F. c.
A. Denkmann, II compatriot. The two
young men were coSrting sisters.
Each of the men hal saved sur
prisingly from his waget Each also
was more inportant-had
established a reputation pr unremit-
ting industry, unfailiis honesty.
Thus, when the owner If the lower
mill wished to sell his Property, he
did not hesitate to accet the note, of
the German 'chums. Soon after
the copartDers in love- and lumber
married sister sweetheafs.
Partner Weyerhause, the general
outside man. in busirss parlance,
went north. visited til great pine
forests in Wisconsin, al secured the
rudiments of that pint land wisdom
that was to be his ADKINS lamp.
In 1864 the firm had la aside enough
money to permit of an Initial invest
ment in Chippewa Rsr pines. A
wear or two later, Nerhauser q
Denkmann had so marrheap logs on
hand that their one mi was INSULT
cient. 1t was duly erged. and it
runs busily today bend the same
old sign, turning out OOO.OOO feet
of lumber each year. 1870 third
sawmill was secured.
During ID years I'll Rock Island
lumbermen had gained creasiDg inn
4 portance in the westeI trade. The |
l wear 1872 marked thbeginning of
Frederick Weyerhauss successful
, association with lum men outside |
of his own firm-the Inning Of that
indefinite, all-powerfut ency which |
became known as theVeyerhauser |
syndicate
lin that year Wehauser was |
= elected president of 4 Mississippi |
River Logging comPaI and of its |
associate corporation, Beef Slough |
: Manufacturing Boomi Logdriving |
& Transportation comp.
ATypicaI Pur. e.
"As late as 1896 he his friends |
:, made a typical purSe. 1t was
IL rumored one day that Weyerhau-
i ser syndicate had just npleted an
other very important transaction.
u Mr.. Weyerhauser was mptly seen
. by reporter. He did mind say
ing that he was intereswith some |
!: friends in the purchase the Nelson
u Lumber company's init Cloquet,
and of some pine Ian That was
l. all. A few days later developed
l. that he and his 'frien had paid
$4,000. 900 for the greah Der plant
e of the c. n. Nelson Lurcompany,
e at Cloquet, Mimi. neahluth, and
e for 600, 600, 900 feet of ding pine.
i Sat present Mr.. Waauser is n
l. director, and the pra head, of
IN almost a score of compainterested
Il in some department oe lumber
IN business. He owns prally moth
ing as an individual.
Is Differing in anotheint from
u most great capitalists, Neyerhau-
es ser has not divided Investments
among divers preper He has
put little money hundred
d. thousand. perhaps-innks, and
a he is fond of telling howe banks
a failed. He has contrito steer
lg clear of the railroad H. He is
he said to have never bS railroad
IL stocks or bonds upon extensive
to scale. He has no city estate of
n consequence. except mis and his
as own home. He is deaf voice of
IL the promoter.
lie Still another singu of the
lie anomalous millionaire i he has ,
n no recreations. When tired of ,
'e- doing the same thing allhe rests ,
IS by doing the same { all the
IN evening. His amusemI says a
ne friend, is working
when he is near ones mar Y s
offices. he will work from j
- O'Clock in the morning u) O'Clock {
at night, stopping only ! meals. t
When in St. Paul. whichiom. he :
II mill boweyer mass the tv with