The Washington herald., 1907-08-04
By DEXTER MARSHALL.

tie doubt that many of the most famous
fortunes in the United States are greatly
overestimafed by the people and the
newspapers
Take the wealth OF Frederick Weyer-
haeuser, Of st. Paul, for instance, herald
ed some months ago as the richest man
IN the United States-richer even than
Rockefeller. Weyerhaeuser really is a
rich man, and this has long been no Sc
cret. since he is described by who's
Who in America" as the Lumber King
and credited with a large fortune. But
no one in ST. Paul thinks that he is the
richest American or that his wealth ap-
breaches that OF the petroleum king.
Weyerhaeuser himself was dazed by the
statement of his alleged mOneyed premier
ship when it was published
That's all wrong and foolish" he said
the other day referring TO the publication
OF the stories making him out TO be so
rich adding in rather more conventional
phrase:
4 have enough to pay my debts, with
sufficient left over TO keep my family and
myself comfortable the rest Of our days.
Size of Fortune Unknown.
All the Northwest knows this well
enough Il has no idea, however. how
great is the wealth thus modestly de-
scribed, and it suspects that Weyer-
haeuser himself doesn't know either. His
big Mississippi Valley company absorbed
a good deal Of his attention for many
years, as his Weyerhaeuser Timber Com
pany does now, and the assets of these
corporations could be arrived at, no
doubt, but they would show only part
of his wealth Weyerhaeuser is a man
of many partners and many business en-
terprises It has been said that none OF
Weyerhaeusers partners knows about the
affairs of the others and that no one
except the old man himself has a COM
prehensive knowledge Of his dealings with
them all It would take lot of figuring
10 get I'D a complete Weyerhaeuser bal
ance sheet.
Undoubtedly his habit Of selecting able
and deserving business associates as part
ncrs and giving them a chance for them
selves, each In an independent enterprise,
which has extended over his entire busi-
ness career has had a good deal to do
with the growth of his wealth. But his
associates and friends declare that it had
its origin In his natural willingness TO see
the other fellow make money as well as
himself They agree that he has been
man of kindly impulse from his youth
up. and that is the way he impresses a
stranger.
His voice is soft and gentle. his man
ners are diffdent almost 10 shyneSs, and,
although he is never at loss for words
and phrases when he has something to
h.. f1 Il hvfaf
Heached st. Paul i'm 1891.
Weyerhaeuser reached st. Paul when he
was hfty-seven in 1891, with a good deal
of his present wealth yet TO make. James
J. Hill had been in St Paul thirty-five
years then. but had not completed his
Great Northern or altogether won the
worlds confidence in that railroad line.
Hill had taken the world into his conf
dence, OF had seemed TO, in the usual way,
as has been his practice from the first
Weyerhaeuser's methods are exactly the
reverse of HiIrs Weyerhaeuser has been
doing things all his life, but he has said
no more about them and himself than was
necessary to the carrying out Of his plans.
Hi always has been doing things, too
but nobody has ever accused him Of keep
ing still about it. To-day these two men.
Weyerhaeuser. seyenty-thTec. and Ger
man born; Hill. siXty-nine, and Of Cana
dian birth, are the two men inevitably
brought TO the mind Of the outsider
whenever St Paul is mentioned; the two
oftenest asked about by the visitor to the
older of the Twin Cities.
weyerhaeuser's Brevity.
Weyerhaeuser's brief speech is proven
bal among those who know him. One
Of these said the other day that the old
man does plenty Of talking but mostly
with his hands end his brain; not with
his lips. AT some sort Of social gathering
which he was induced 70 attend the other
evening he seemed to be enjoying himself
as much as any one there, but his words
We're as monosylIabic as usual He an
swered whatever questions were put 10
him, but that was about all Finally he
was asked, point blank:
why don't you take part in the con-
versation like the rest Of us. Mr.. Weyer-
haeuser, and enjoy yOurself2'
The old man hesitated in his answer.
why, it's this way" he said, after a
while: I have two eyes 10 see with and
two ears to near with, but I have only
one mouth, and that is to eat with"
THAT is WeyeThaeuser all over" COM
mented man who knows him we'll He
sees everything, he hears everything-and
he remembers everything he thinks worth
while, alsO-but what's the use of talking
when it isn't necessary
Weyerhaeuser is considered rather epi-
grammatIc when he does talk and often
has good-natured but apt illustrations at
the tip OF his tongue. More than once he
has brought painful Interview or
stormy discussion to a pleasant termina-
ton, leaving no sting behind.
~ More than once he has indicated his de-
sire for a change in methods or greater
economy on the part OF subordlnates by
some quaint remark without adopting the
form of reproof In his different way he
IS as good 'jollier"as Hill
Didn't Want TasseIs.
Once, when he was inspecting one of
his Northern sawmills, ii was noticed
that, as usual, his sharp black eyes were
busy, but his responses were few. The
manager, of course, directed his notice TO
the shipshape state Of things and the high
grade of the output. Particular attention
was drawn 10 the excellent lath that was
being manufactured
This brought out a response. The old
man had noticed that the strings with
which the laths were tied were seven or
eight inches longer than was absolutely
necessary leaving hanging ends. involv-
ing a waste that in the aggregate
amounted to a good many pounds Of lath-
yarn every day.
The laths are all right" said Weyer-
haeuser but do they bring any better
price on account of the tassels?"
Weyerhaeuser landed in the United
States in 1852. when he was eighteen. He