The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-06
POTTER
PALMER'S
NEIGHBOR.
chicago's Italian Millionaire, Who Laid
Foundation of Fortune in Little Street
Corner Fruit Stand.


Frank Gazzolo. the Italian who gave
Potter Palmer the shock of his life by
offering to buy the Palmer mansion
when Mr.. Palmer had offered to buy him
out because he didn't care for the Italian
as next door neighbor, is a bigger man
than Mr. Palmer VOTED of until then.
Among his countrymen in Chicago Gaz-
zolo is called the king of Italians" but
all that Mr.. Palmer knew was that he
Kept some saloons. Gazzolo held on to
the property he acquired in spite of a
tempting offer Of SIS. 900 for 1t, for it is
characteristic Of the man that once de-
clded upon doing a thing nothing can
change his determination. He built a
brown stone mansion, which has become
one of the show places of Chicago, be-
cause of the history of the man who
lives in it, which first became generally
known through the episode with Mr..
Palmer.
Gazzolo was seventy-three years old on
his last birthday, and was born IN Ge-
noa, Italy 1t was in 1866 that he struck
Chicago having no money beyond few
dollars, and knowing scarcely one word
of English. The several millions of dol
lars which he is rated at now are due
entirely TO his own hard work and
shrewdness. The tiny capital he had
common custam of his countrymen, in
vested in fruit and nuts, and took up
a little corner stand. Chicago was very
new then and comparatively small, and
1ruit was not abundant. Apples were
his principal stock in trade, with oranges
In season, and occasionally bananas; but
IN spite of the difficulties and drawbacks,
S4azzolo made little profit and increased
his stock.
After a time he ventured on a store.
1t was rise in business and a risk,
out the Italian knew what he was about
and succeeded.
Not only did he keep that af1oat, but
IN Iour years he had saved money enough
TO BUY a saloon on Madison street. near
the bridge. Since then he has been in
the saloon business and owns a number
all through the West side.
GazZolo's s accumulation of wealth un-
doubtedly dates from the first saloon,
put those alone are not considered re-
SponSlole Tor 1t by men who profess to
Know. According to them, he is one OF
the shreWdest buyers of real estate in
Chicago, and he has not let his talent
lie idle. Corner lots are his speciality,
and whenever there is a good one in the
market 1t quietly comes into his pos
session. All his saloons are on his own
property, over which is the simple Ie-
gend, "Gazzolo," but the familiar speak
of them as the "Old Mans" He has
started several of his nephews and a
number of other young Italians in the
SdlOOH BUSINESS, ana Keeps an eye over
them that they shall not come to grief
Invariably the stands are on corner
lots he has bought and as the men sue
ceed he gives them a chance to buy him
out. He thus gets a good paying tenant
and g. profit from the saloon besides
Business men say that Gazzolo has over
half million dollars invested in this
way.
Gazzolo got his title of king of the
Italians from his countrymen in Chi
cage who regard him as thegbiggest man
there. It is not due to his wealth alone
but also to the relation in which he
has stood to them. a
It began after the war; when labor was
scarce, but railway construction was be-
Ing pushed all over the country Gazzolo
saw chance of making money easily
by supplying the demand for labor, and
at the same time beneiting thousands
OF his countrymen who wanted to come
to America. Contractors offered a bonus
of several dollars a head for gangs of
iaborers, and the men themselves were
willing to pay whoever could find them
work in America. -Gazzolo seized the
opportunity, and is said to have made
$40O or $500; day. The Italians were
honest and simple senough to regard the
to a new country in the light of a mon
arch. They repaid all his money ad-
vances, and dubbed him "King of the
Italians"
GaZzolo still makes the rounds of his
saloons every. day, but he is beginning
to get out of business. He takes the
greatest delight in his new house, which
is filed with beautiful furniture and brio
a-brac.