Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-01-25
FORTUNE OF OVER $4,000, oGo.
Marshall Fields Wealth Invested
in All Parts of the World.

Marshall Fields Wealth Invested
in All Parts of the World.
Although any valuation placed on the
fortune of Marshall Field would neces-
sarily be speculative, it is the consensus
among Chicago business men that his
property holdings represent at least
$125,O0O.0O0. Mr.. Field made it the rule
of his earlier business life never to give
a note. His real estate holdings in Cook
county alone are assessed at a full valu-
alton around $30,0OO,000 and it is fig
ured by real estate experts that they are
worth close to S40,000,000. He was the
largest taxpayer in Cook county and had
held that distinction for years. More
over, he was reputed to be the most
cheerful taxpayer in the county. Tax
officials say he never complained of the
assessment of his property.
Mr.. Fields dry goods business is sup
posed to be worth $25,000,000, although
this is a mere estimate. He owned sew
enteen stores and factories in America
and Europe and his Chicago establish
ment is the largest and most complete
dry goods house in the world. 1t is sup
posed to be worth $10,O00,000. He own
ed real estate in many States as we'll as
in foreign countries and his stock hold
ings were large.
Two years ago it is said Mr.. Field
held $15,000,000 of common and S1O,-
100000 of preferred stock in the United
States Steel Corporation, of which he
was n director. At present market
values this stock would be worth around
S17,000,000 He owned 100000 of
stock in the Pullman company, of which
he was a director. This stock is suppos-
ed to be worth S12,5OO,OOO. He also had
$1,000 900 of preferred stock in the Chi
cago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
Company, supposed to be worth 81, 600
600, and, according to gossip, had
S10,000,000 of st. Paul stock He also
was a large stockholder in the Chicago
and Northwestern Railway Company,
the Erie, Union Pacific and New York
Central. The aggregate of his holdings
in these companies is estimated at S1O.-
100000.
Mr.. Field owned great tracts of land
in Australia and large manufacturing
plant there for the production of yarns
and wo0lens. He was 4 stakeholder in
the American Wooden Company and had
an interest in the Amory Cotton Com
pany, which owns a score of cotton mills
in New England. His wooden and cot
ton investments are roughly estimated at
100000. So vast and varied were Mr..
Fields interests that the general bust
ness public had no adequate idea of his
possessions.
Mr.. Field was rated as the second
richest man in the United States. being
ranked only by John D. Rockefeller. Yet
he never was ostentatious in his living
and at no time in his career .craved no.
toriety. On the contrary. there appears
to have been a studied effort on his part
to avoid publicity.
While it would appear that the bur-
dens of the greatest retail and, next to
one, the greatest wholesale house in
America would be immense, Marshall
Field interested himself in many enter
prises and was the directing force in
immense business institutions.
Among his personal friends, in his
family and among the army of men and
women who work in his institutions Mar
shall Field was universally admired and
respected. While kind and charitable.
even generous, he probably never repos-
ed misplaced confidence and his dig
nifty was never impaired through a mis-
take in this line,