The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-30

Ipicturing metropolis Of q millioI
people here, who looked upon tn,
Imperial building as the OPENING
wedge In the new advance. Gil
lies was encouraged. He got on
This plans and went to New York
Don Gillies, HIS cousin, is score
ltary to Charles Schwab. Dor
Gillies presented A. p. Gillies II
Schwab and Schwab became inter
lested In the Imperial building ant
Tacoma. He presented Mr.. Gilliei
Ito other New York financiers anf
the way was easy then with sucf
credentials into the houses thai
deal in millions.
Schwab thought the only fauli
with the Imperial building was
that 1t would not be large enough
big financiers want big things
in which to put their money" he
told Gillies.
Elliott Signs Contract
Mr.. Gillies saw Howard Elliott
president of the Northern Pacific
and Elliott told him 1t was a good
thing If he could put it through
He agreed the N. P.would go into
the building If Gillies would built
1t. He gave Gillies signed state
ment agreeing to give all conces-
sions necessary for the structure
and lease 1000 feet of waterfront
necessary. Gillies has Elliott's
signed statement, yet Elliott pro.
ceeds to build new depot as II
he has no faith in the Imperial
project.
Mr.. Earling was also Interview.
ed by Gillies. He agreed that II
was good thing and IL 1t could
be put through the Milwaukee
would go In.
Harriman's Opinion
ut is q good thing, but not bic
enough. Make 1t twice as big and
we will go in IL you can give 1t to
u.s." e. HI. Hartman told Gillies
in New York.
Sees @. p. Officials 49,
Mr.. Gillie swent to Montreal
and saw Sir Thomas Shaughnessy
president of the Canadian Pacific
With Engineer Sullivan the case
was gone over. Mr.. Hardin went
with Gillies to New York, Mr.
Beatty followed. The Canadian
Pacific agreed to go in IL the
building is constructed.
How Steel Plant Came About
With these promises and assur.
ances, Mr.. Gillies began plans for
enlarging the scope of the enter
prise. He found the building would
take 10000 tons of steel. The
freight is from SIC to $22 ton
from the east, and the freight
alone, he says, will pay for build
ing a 300-ton blast furnace.
He got in touch with Henry
Hewitt and the steel plant project
as an auxiliary to the Imperial
building was launched. Follow
ing this came the mill and COM
mercial power building project for
Chambers creek, the object to
make the propositions large
enough to attract the big fellows
in New York. No small fry was
wanted.
The glass works and dry dock
also were lined up.
Hedden & Sons Come In
With these propositions iEvolv-
ing nearly $50,000,000, Mr.. Gil
lies thought he had something that
would tempt the big Investors in
Gotham. He went back and pre-
scented the proposition to the ".
G. Hedden Sons Co. They are big
contractors, financiers and manu-
facturers and represent the Metro
politan and Prudential Insurance
funds. Their firm passes on prop
ositions that want the insurance
money. l.. o. Hedden is the head
of the enterprise. He reviewed
the whole Gillies scheme. Went
over 1t with his associates and on
his last trip Mr.. Gillies got He'd
den's name to a contract by which
the Heddens became co-promot-
ers for the whole enterprise with
Mr.. Gillies.
$1,000 Forfeit Put Up
1t was at this time that the
81, goo check came to Tacoma as
a forfeit for the subway franchise
to the city.
Townsend Comes Here
Mr.. Townsend, manager for
Heddens, who draws $4,000 q
year salary, came to Tacoma to
at close range the va
rious propositions submitted by
Gillies. After a week here he was
satisfied that they AL possessed
economic advantage that would
make them all winners. He went
back and so reported to his supe.
riors and the financiers who are te
put up the money.
The Steel Project
Julian and Walter Kennedy, the
great steel engineers, have signed
up on the steel plant. Their plar
Is to make Chambers creek q sec
|ond Gary, Indiana. Julian Ken.
NEEDY declares the freight OF SIC
or more a ton on the 1000, 0OO(
tons of steel used on the Pacific
is as good as a government sub
Isidy.
Ore mines have been lined III
and contracts signed by Gillies SC
the steel can be secured wher
wanted. Various big firms have
been enlisted, he says, incmdins
the McClintic-Marahall Co.. w. b
Schaife & Sons and Hemphill 6
Mcintosh company of Pittsburg
the largest steel machinery plan