The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-11-11

olnef Gay ana LOOK his bride To his
country home. Mariahalden. at Baden
Baden. Kaiser Wilhelm has thirty
three palaces and vast landed posses
sions, but no one of his estates ap-
proaches i'm beauty or extent that own
ed 10y Herman Sielcken. Kaiser Will
helm is limited to the German empire.
Herman Sielcken is monarch of com
mence and his rule extends the world
over. Kaiser Wilhelm was born a
prince. Herman Sielcken was born
poor. Perhaps 100000 900 persons pay
tribute To Emperor Wilhelm. Perhaps
500,O00,O00 persons pay tribute to
Herman Sielcken
Sielcken IL but one of hundreds of
immigrants who came to America with
little more than energy and hope. and
today are kings of industry. many Of
them with wealth greater than that of
any hereditary monarch
OF the tremendously rich and pow
crful men of the United States Sielc-
ken is one of the least known. He was
born i'm Hamburg and before he was
twenty-one went TO Costa Rica to work
for a German firm there. He didn't
like the country and within Il year
left for California, where he got a Job
as shipping clerk. As soon as ne
learned to speak English with reason
able huency he sought work that
would give an opportunity to him to
travel and get acquainted with people.
a wool concern engaged him as buyer
and for five or six years ne traVersed
the territory between the Rockies and
the Pacific buying wool. ON one of
these trips he was in train wreck
in Oregon and nearly lost his life.
When he recovered from his injuries
he came To New York seeking work.
He got clerical position i'm a concern
that imported crockery and glassware.
1t was in 1868 that Sielcken left
Germany. 1t was in 1876 that he
reached New York. In those eight
years he made a fair living. nothing
more. Then there came a remark
able change.
In Costa Rica he had learned To
was able in 1876 to obtain employment
with the firm Of w. II. Crossman q
Son. which handled coffee on a-com-
mission basis. Siecken went To South
America To solicit consignments for
the Crossmans. His success was sur
prising. For six or eight months ev-
cry mail from the southern continent
brought business to the house. Then, |
as the story goes. his reports ceased |
suddenly. Weeks and months passed |
ana the firm heard nothing from him |
Becomes a Partner.
What has become of him the Cross |
mans mad no idea. They feared he had |
'aught fever ma 4ied. 70 trace him |
VAS difficult. He had no regular itin- |
'rary II distressed them a good deal |
q lose so promising Representatives |
living up all hope of getting any in
ormation about him they looked
around for man to take his place.
Then one morning he walked into the
'fllce and said, How dye do" Just as
Z he mad departed only the evening
before. The members of the firm
Questioned him eagerly. He answered
'ome of the questions and some he
iidn't. Then he laid package on
phe table.
Gentlemen he said, Il have given
/ large amount of business to you. far
more than you expected, as the result
If my trip. | have lot more bust
I,f I .,f, ~
II black and white in the papers i'm
his package. think any person who
las worked as hard as | have and so
veil, deserves a partnership i'm this
lrm. If you want these orders you
nay have them. They represent
zig profit to you. Good work deserves
roper reward. Look these papers
yer and then tell me if YOU want me-
q continue with YOU as member of
he firm.
After the CrOssmans looked those
apers over they had no doubt of the
dvisability of taking Sielcken into
lartnership. He was only a junior
or SOME years, but i'm 1894 the firm
'ecame Crossman Il Sielcken. It pros
'ored amazingly. For the last fifteen
ears it has been the leading coffee
louise of the world.
\ various times Sielcken was cred
ted with working corners i'm coffee.
Because of this he got To be- one OF
he most feared and hated men i'm the
Office exchange. After while coffee
idn't offer enough play for Sielcken's
energy and ambition. He
Embarked in various en- erprises,
mong them the steel industry and
ailroads. No one was too big for
i'm To cross lances with. He and John
". Gates had titanic fight in Amer
can Steel and Wire. Gates got the
il. Then Sielck got i'm a row
With u. ". Hartman and George j.
;ould. This light was for possession
# the Kansas city. Pittsburgh x Gulf
abroad. now known as the Kansas
lily Southern. Hartman. Gould and
iates had taken it away from Arthur
:. StilIwell. They had no particular
egard for the Kansas City, Pitts
urgh Il Gulf. II was "a north and
outh railroad and disturbed the east
nd west traffic on the trunk lines
hey controlled through the grain belt
n - o -.