The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-16


 Mayor Buckingham considers that he was especially fortunate in ob- taining the consent of Frederick D. Mir. Bakers practical business train ing and the insight he gained into municipal conditions during the years he served the city as a member of the Health and Fire commissions, tend to make his services of the utmost erant and sympathetic his long ex- perience in handling men in the var ious manufacturing concerns with which he has been identified peculiar ly equips him for his new post of du- ty.
 MT. Baker by dint of the hardest kind of work from early in life has prospered and it can in truth be said that he is to-day one of our most successful business men. Born in the little town of West Bloom field, Ontario County, N. Y., in 1853, he obtained his three .R's' in the public schools of the village of his nativity. Early in life he decided to face the world for himself and at the age of IT he went to Egypt a small prairie town in Southern Illin- ois where he secured employment in a general store.
 The wildness and vastness of that section of the country in the days when sturdy pioneers were taking the advice of Horace Greeley and were blazing the trail Westward, made deep impression upon the mind of the York state youth. The two years he passed in that atmosphere accustomed him to unusual rigors and laid a foundation that ever afterward served him in good stead. He had hardly attained to his 10th year when he decided to seek his fortune in the great metropolis of the Western world and he readily found employ of the Holmes & Griggs Mfg. Co, at 22d street and 2nd avenue. Here he applied himself with fidelity until he mastered his business and for nine years he remained in the employ of this concern.
 He found time during these years to improve his education by taking advantage of the splendid night schools that the big city afforded giv- ing especial attention to that line of endeavor which would be of particu- lar assistance in a business career.
 In 1881 he came to this city to ac- cept a responsible position with the Holmes & Edwards Silver Co.,, in Seaview avenue now a branch of the International Silver Go. MT. Baker soon became secretary and director of the company and it's general su- poTiACGuOeuC as we'll. lie continued with this concern for nine years con- stantly adding to his business equip ment. At the end of that period he became connected with the Bridge port Chain Co.,, and the Acme Shear Company being vice president and di- rector of the latter concern. In the winter of 1904 in company with Wal ter B. Lashar of this city and a num- Der of other gentlemen prominent in, the business world he aided in the establishment of corporation under the laws of New York state known as the Weed Chain Tire Grip Co.,, makers of chains which when attach ed to automobile tires prevent skid ding. He became vice president and treasurer of this company whose plant is situated here and has contin- ued in this capacity since.
 As vice president and director of the Acme Shear Co.,, he takes an &C., tive part in the welfare of that con- cern. It may be of interest to know that even after coming to this city to identify himself with the Holmes & Edwards Co, that his quest for knowledge was unabated and that for several years he continued to take advantage of the opportunity of- fered by night schools to further add to his educational equipment
 MT. Baker resides with his wife in Barnum avenue. They sustained an irreparable loss not so very long ago in the unexpected demise of their only son, Harold, a promising and extremely popular young business man.