New-York tribune., 1909-06-13
MRS LONSTORF WEALTHY
Millions Made By Her Husband, a
Pioneer IN Iron Mining.
rBy Telegraph to IN. Tribune.l

milwaukee, June 12-Mrs Margaretha Lonstorf
oyrso was held up by the customs officials at New
Ycrk to-day charged with attempted smuggling, Is
IN. widow Of Nicholas Lonstorf who was one Of
the first realize the presence of iron ore in upper
Michigan. This realization has made multi
millionaire his wife most OF the value of the
estste having accrued since the death Of its
founder
The Ls,nstorfs are among the heaviest individual
owners of iron land In the Northwest. The
family owned the great Mas mine in Iron County,
Mich one Of the first deep mines in that county
Other isolated tracts proved TO have fortunes under
the top layer of the earths crust. and the family
has become known as being among the richest in
the Northwest.
Mrs Ionstorf and her two daughters went
abroad last winter and expected home the
middle OF the coming week. The family here has
of the charge Of attempted smuggling
but George J. Lonstorf. the eldest son and the
active business manager OF the property. Is eX-
pecfed TO get legal advice at once. II is thought
here that he is in New York having gone
there 80 meet his mother
The Lonstorf wealth is the result of one Of the
strange freaks of thu early days in this part of
IN. West. Many fortune made in those
DAYS by the foresight Of some poor immigrant or
uneducated who the possibilities Of the
West The. LoT2storf fortune made from iron ore
is a par with the Stephenson fortune. made
rom lumber. Senator Stephenson was unedu-
Gated when he saw the possibilities of the forests
and similar humble beginning was the basis Of
the wealth Of the Lonstorf estate
George 7. Maas. who q brother-n-iaw Of
Nicholas Ioustorf is said have been pedler
sr the early days Of the lumber business IN upper
Michigan when be made q quiet study of geology
and discovered. he believed. that under the pine
Forests were masses Of iron The two men
pooled their scantv resources, and Mas became
known as the original discoverer of the mineral
possibilities of upper Michigan As others learned
the ore in the hills the brothers arranged 10
have their first property operated on royalty
basis for they had not the money 70 do active
rzirnE. The mining opera tons at this mine known
The Old Mas. quickly brought returns. and as
rauidfv there money in sight Lonsdorf and
Mas bought new lands From this beginning came
tbs fortune, which is still centred in iron
ore
Tns latest notable case in which the bonstort
family became involved the fight over the
so-cslled Section ~ tract In Northern Minnesota,
zariously estimated 20 carry from 25,Haon 20 81
GOO tons OF ore which the L,onstorfs and their
allies finally won. battle carried repeatedly
N various phases o the United States Supreme
Court This property was Of the most mpor-
tan involved in the deal Of the United States Steel
Corporation with the Hill iron ore properties.
Another case in which Mrs LonsT's-f U.fz'T2i-'
reetIy interested the suit OF her daushter-tn-
law Mrs Otto I.onstorf. for S250.oe0 damages for
the alienation OF her husbands affections hE Mrs
Isoustarf and her daughters. The plainuH, who
was pretty searstress IVES not acceptable 70 the
<s-rflz- The case settled out Of court. and
Mrs Otto L-on-torfs address * the same as that
now gwen nv the elder 5frs. Loustorf-