Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-06
|CLAUS SPRECKLES,
| SUGAR KING, DEAD
MILLIONAIRE CALIFORNIAN PASS
ES AFTER RETURN HOME
FROM NEW YORK.
STURDY GERMAN, PROMOTER OF
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY, PROM
lNENT IN BUSINESS.

San Francisco, Cal, Dec. 2S.-Claus
Spreckles, widely known as the "su-
gar king of the Pacific coast" died
at 4:3O o'clock yesterday at his home
in TINS city in his S0th year The
immediate cause of death was an at
tack of pneumonia, which developed
during the past few days.
His condition Friday night told his
physicians that the end was near and
relatives remained at his bedside un-
til the hour of his death. Rudolph
Spreckles. who returned from Honolu-
lu on board the steamer Niphon Maru.
was one OF the number.
John ID. Spreckles, proprietor of the
San Francisco Call and head of the
Oceanic Steamship company was also
in attendance at his fathers bedside,
as were Mrs. Harry Holbrook and
Mrs. W. Alexander Hamilton, the
daughters of John d. Spre ckles.
Despite his advanced age, Mr.
Spreckles had devoted large share
Of attention to the various enterprises
in which he was interested and it was
not more than month since he APP
peared before the ways and means
committee of the house in Washing
ton as an authority on the subject OF
sugar duties. Two years ago he was
attacked by severe illness, but his
vigorous constitution enabled him to
withstand his sickness and he was,
after time restored to his health.
Spreckles Family Prominent.
Apart from the Importance which
attached to Claus Spreckles as the
pioneer sugar refiner of the Pacific
coast and as investor of millions in
California and the Hawaiian islands,
the Spreckles family has for many
years been one of the most promi-
nent in the state.
John ID. Spreckles, his eldest SON,
has been for years a deciding infiu-
ence in oriental trade, apart from his
other interests, and Rudolph, presi-
dent of the First National bank, has
been supporter of the graft prose
cutions in this city to the amount of
thousands of dollars in addition to his
active participation.
Born in Germany.
Claus Spreckles was born in Lam
stadt Germany, in 1928, and came to
the United States in 1916.
After being employed for some time
at Charleston, S. c., and New YORK he
came to San Francisco, reaching this
city in 1856 He established store
here and later conducted brewery.
in 1868 he built the Bay Sugar REIN
cry and began the importation OF raw
material from Hawaii. Prospecting in
this business he established other re-
fineries and promoted the beet sugar
industry by establishing refineries
and engaging in the farming of beets
on large scale.
Prominent in Business.
He also built refinery at Phila-
delphia, invested largely in the ocean
| ic steamship company and many otner
enterprises, including the building OF
the San Joaquin Valley railroad
Many of his interests in Hawaii are
reported to have been disposed OF by
his sin Rudolph. during the latters
recent trip to the islands. They in
cluded the banking house of Claus
Spreckles and Co. and some real es-
| tate.
Millions for the Children.
San Francisco, Dec. 27.-Judge era
ham appointed Rudolph Spreckeis
and c. A. Spreckles executors OF the
will of their father, Claus Spreckies.
The will is in the possession OF the
widow Mrs. Anna Spreckels, and will
be opened Monday. 1t is said that
each Of the dead capitalists children
is given share of the estate the val
me of which is estimated at from $40
900 900 to $50 100000.