Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-27
ALFRED Won HAMMERsTElN,
WHO LOCATED CANADIAN AS.
PAALTUM LANDS, HERE.
is INTERESTED WITH RUTH
AND WILLARD IN PROPERTY
Corporation That Now Owns the Prop
erty Considering Offer For Purchase
BY English Syndicate - Won Ham
merstein's Wanderines Read Like q
Chapter From Fiction.

This city entertained German count
Wednesday. His coming and going was
so quiet that very few knew it, and the
count himself thinks so little of his
title that he would scarcely talk about
ii even when asked. Count Alfred Won
Hammerstein a native of Prussia. but
zation.
Leave off the count" said Won Ham
merstein. when seen at the Stoddard
hotel by T-R. reporter, "it is nothing.
over here it is just So and he hurried
ly scrubbed Alfred Won Hammersteln.
Here to See Backers.
Won Hammerstein was here purely
en- business and to judge by his de-
precating remarks touching on the sub
lect he had long since forgotten that
lie was a count, excepting as one might
judge it by his breeding and evidences
of an excellent education. He stopped
here TO see G. H. Ruth and L. r. Will
lard. of the Marshall Oil Company, who
with others of northwestern states ana
Canada are interested with the count.
in vast holdings of asphaltum and Oil
property in Athabasca province, Can
ada.
English Syndicate Wants to Buy.
Recently Won Hammerstein was in
England. While there an English syn
dicate opened negotiations for the pur-
chase of the property, which IS owned
~ the Athabasca Oil and Asphalt
Company. which was organized In
-, l,- ;yt. n n
italized for s5.000,0Oo Ruth and Will
lard own jointly a one fifth interest In
the property Won Hammerstein owns
similar share in the property. He
was here 10 get the opinion Of Ruth and
Willard on the offer made on the
property
Won Hammerstein was not willing TO
disclose the name of the syndicate that
was negotiating for the purchase or
the exact amount. He minated, how
ever. that it totaled sum that
mounted to seven figures. involving
cash payment of hundreds of thousands
and what amounted 70 royalties on the
GU pu;.
Corporation Meets Nov. I.
The corporation meets at Winnipeg
on NOV. to consider the proposition,
!
did not expect 10 be able to go to VIM
ni,eg at that time that Won Hammer
stein stopped here on his way from
Chicago 10 Minnea polls TO take up the
proposition with them.
Won Hammerstein expressed the
opinion that he was in favor of accept
ing The offer, as he is of middle age
and has led a ing life Of many hard
SHIPS. and he desires 10 spend the rest
Of his years in ease and retirement.
Aas Been a Soldier Of Fortune.
AS Won Hammers tein was led 10
touch from time to time on his varied
career. he recounted years OF eXper-
fence that sounded like a romance OF
adventure Born into a Prussian family
Of rank. educated to high degree IN
th4. schools and universities of his ma
I've country. he served in the German
army. took his degree as a mining en-
sineer and geologist. then came 70
America seeking his fortune.
Tbence his steps led him to Cuba,
10 serve under General Antonio Mar
Geo in The insurgent Cuban army
hghting to throw off the Spanish con-
trol. thence TO the Yukon and Alaska
overland q destination which he never
reached and which resulted In ms
SPEEDING three years among the ma
jaus in far northern Canada. Then re-
turning 10 the states he Joined the rush
for the oil fields of the southwest. ma
ian Territory and Oklahoma. Again
he. returned 10 Canada, having hxed ms
eve upon the asphaltum deposits on the
!Athabasca river which he had seen
wears before when he turned back from
the Alaskan "trip. Most of the time our
ing the last six wears he has spent on
the Athabasca river near Fort McMur
raw Such. in brief, is a sketch OF the
experiences of this German during the
/ last fourteen Years.
Has Borne Charmed Life.
! Won Hammerstein, despite the hard
/ ships that his wandering life has
brought him face to face with, seems
TO have borne a charr'ed life. Twice
his two companions have died of suf-
fering or met violent deaths. In the
wild race for the Yukon, by what is
known as the Edmonton. Canada. ov-
erland route, far beyond civilization In
northwestern Canada, one died of the
scurvy and the other. as Won Hammer
stein expressed it, Just laid down ano
died" Again last summer in the rap
ids Of the Athabasca river, their boa'
vas sucked into whirlpool and went
down. His two companions on that tril
were drowned, but Won Hammerstein es-
capped. He lived to acquire possession FOL
himself and those who had grubstaked
and backed him, property that is I'M
doubtedly Of immense value.
Sighted Rifles For Cubans.
4 It was in 1896 that Won Hammersteir
landed in the United States. The
Cuban war for independence was being
revived with vigor. and II was in Bos'
ton that Won Hammerstein was enlisted
IN the cause for 800 month in golt
and $50 for equipment. The pay looked
big to me-" said Won Hammerstein.
His military education and exper'
fence stood him in good stead and M
was detailed for duty on the staff o.
General Marceo and was assigned t.
resight the old Mauser, the German
rifles the Cuban army was being equip
ped with. He was wounded slightly
once. He returned to the states jus
in time to catch the fever that wa.
rampant because of the rush for golt
! in Alaska in 1897.
Starts Overland to Alaska.
With Won Hammerstein in the CubaI
army were a young Hollander. and :
native Of Belgium, whom he hid me