The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-09-27
PASSING OF H. F. FISCHER
He Died Tuesdav-Laid to Rest in Cry
stal Lake Cemetery Thursday.

H. F. Fischer, one of the most
prominent milling men in Oregon
and a leading factor in the busi-
ness arrangements of Benton 'coun-
ty, lies under the sod in Crystal
Lake cemetery, He died at 7:2o
O'Clock Tuesday evening, and his
remains were laid to rest in, the
family burial lot Thursday after
noon.
The end wasN not unexpected.
For two years Mr. Fischer has been
in falling health. Early last July,
with his son Ernest. he went to
Sulphur Springs, twelve miles be-
vond Ashland, in quest of health.
For a time, he improved slightly,
and then took a turn for the worse,
and rapidly declined. While there,
he gave up all hope OF continued
life, and declared that he was COM
ing home to die. About two weeks
ago, he returned from the Springs,
and thereafter kept his room until
the end came.
The funeral occurred from the
family residence Thursday after
noon. Many old neighbors and
friends attended the service and
followed the remains to the grave.
The service was conducted by Rev
Carrick of the Presbyterian church.
The ceremony was simple, and in
keeping with the quiet, earnest life
of the deceased. Beautiful floral
emblems and flowers in vast pro-
fusion covered the casket and the
mound, and bore silent, but sweet
witness of the high esteem in which
the dead was held. The pail bear
ers were, P. Avery, E. Allen. M S
Woodcock, Caleb Davis, Levi
Oren and w c Corbett. The sur
viving members of the family are,
the widow, four sons, August, Err
nest, and Fred of Corvallis, and
Louis of Si1verton, and Mrs Rich
ard Kiger and Miss Martha Fisch-
er of Corvallis.
Henry Fred Fischer was born in
14dlioou1 S, A1dAoFSi, 1SlAIduy,
March IS, 1898. With his par
ents he came to America in 1912,
and settled in Du Page county, II
1inois. The site of the new home
was about "A miles west of Chicago.
The parents lived on a farm, and
young Fischer engaged in the early
part, of his career in agricultural
pursuits.
From boyhood, Mr. Fischer man
ifested deep interest in machinery
While on the farm he conceived
the idea Of operating a chopping
mill with wind as the motive pow
er. He built large windmill,
provided chopper, and had the
satisfaction of seeing his expert
ment work out successfully. After
the success of this project, he con-
c1uded that -four could be manu-
factured by the same agency He
set to work and soon constructed
windmill, the arms of which were
100 feet across. On these, were fit
ted four immense sails. The ma
chine was then attached to two sets
of burrs, and the experiment be-
gan. Like the experiment with the
chopper, the new modelled mill
was complete success, and it con-
tinued in operation for number of |
years. The success of the expert |
ment was so marked, that many
mills of the kind were built in var
ious parts of the state. Competi-
ton became great, and the devel-
opment of the corn industry indi-
Gated a decline in the wheat busi-
ness. Mr. Fischer determined to
seek a new field, and in 1877, he |
sold ont and came with his family
to Oregon, settling in Corvallis. He1
purchased Immediately one third
interest in the Corvallis FIGURING
Mills, then owned by Gray and
Korthauer. The business was at
the time in bad financial condition.
The plant was not of the kind that
Mr. Fischer desired, and after two
years, proposition was made by
him to his partners to either buy or
sell, and in negotiations that fol-
lowed, Mr. Fischer became sole
owner. He set about Immediately
to make Improvements on the pro-
perty, and success rewarded his ef-
forts. His whole time, thought
and energy were devoted to study
and DEVELOPMENT of the property.
For eighteen years thereafter. the
continued to grow in
business and reputation, until fin
ally other mills of the valley had
to be hired to fill portion of the
orders The capacity was increas-
ed time after time, until it reached
200 barrels. At last in order to
meet the demand for his flour, Mr.
Fischer bought and improved the
Silverton mill in Marion county,
a1so with, a oanacitv of 200 barrels F.