The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-24
A MILLIONAIRE IS
ALMOST UNKNOWN
Man Richer than Rockefeller,
Living Alone, Is Now
Seriously III.
american News ServiceD

CAmcrlCan news SefVlCeD
ST. Paul, Mimi, Feb. 2f.-Althoush
Frederick Weyerhauser, the billion
aire lumberman, who is reported as
critically i'll at Pasadena, Cal. has
made his home in st. Paul for many
years he is almost as little known to
the people of this city as to the pub
lie in general. And this despite the
fact that he is believed to be the
richest man in the United States, rich
err probably by some millions of dol
lars than John d. Rockefeller, whose
name is synonymous for riches in al
most every part of the civilized world.
Weyerhauser, with his timber land
possessions aggregating 30,000,00O
acres. is said to be worth close to ST.
go, 900. 900, which at the present rate
of advance in lumber increasing by
leaps and bounds.
The personality of Frederick Wey-
erhauser is little known. He is re-
cluse and his own business associates
have never shared his secrets. His
home life in this city is quiet and SIM
pie. Even to those who know him
best he is a living puzzle, an enigma,
a mystery.
Born in Neidersaulheim, hamlet of
southern Germany, in 1884. he work
ed as farm laborer until his eigh-
teenth year. when he made up his
mind to seek his fortune in land
nent part than it did in south Ger
many at that time. So in 1852. &C
companied by his mother and sisters
he, crossed the ocean.
Settling first in Erie, Pa, ne found
| work in brewery, but migrated four
years later to Rock Island, Illinois,
| where he got employment at 81 a day
piling slabs in a sawmill. In a little
more than "a year he owned the mill
Denckman, Weyerhauser found a fel
low countryman. destined in after
years to be close ally in all his
schemes and enterprises. Together
they bought the other men out of the
| business, and soon found themselves
free from debt and with enough CAPT
tai to enable them to strike out with
boldness and confidence.
From the time he acquired his first
sawmill until the present the life OF
Mr.. Weyerhauser has been a slow
unceasing. steady grind of buying
timber cheap, selling it at a profit
then acquiring still larger tracts. He
first visited Wisconsin and Minnesota
where he discovered lands. rich in
timber. that could be purchased for
a few cents an acre. He and his
| partner bought the lands. Sawmills
were constructed. and money began to
roll in fast.
Mr.. Weyerhauser. as the leading
spirit in the partnership, created the
little known and mysterious ''Weyer
! hauser syndicate" which soon was &C
! knowledged by the lumber world to be
the most powerful factor in the trade
/ The Mississippi River Boom and Log
ging company. Of which he was elect
ed president in the early eighties, has
always been the base of his known
| u duSdCilOuS.
! Master of the marvellous forests in
Minnesota, Wisconsin. Michigan and
in Washington and other states in the
far Northwest, Weyerhauser in time
came to control most of the logging
done on the Mississippi. He has been
able to fix the price of logs. the price
of handling them on the rivers. the
price of saving them. and the price OF
the finished product.
And in all this, he stunned pub
licity like the Grand Llama of Thibet
/ Though possessed apparently of ar
unquenchable ambition. he has neve,
made display of his wealth. The
simple life of their earlier days has
satisfied hi mand his family. He has
never cared for yachts. automobiles
fast horses and other Injuries com
mon to the millionaire class. Hi:
| four sons all received excellent edu
cations. but were obliged to work il
the lumber camps and go through the
mills, as their father did before them.