The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-04-10
END COMES AFTER MILLIONAIRE
WAS THOUGHT TO BE OUT
OF GER-PNEUMoNIA
WAS AILMENT.
MADE VAST FORTUNE BY
BUYING TIMBER LANDS
Started Life As Poor Lad But Early
Demonstrated His Shrewd Ability
At Recognizing Money-Mak-
ing Possibilities of Mill.
ing Business.

st. Paul, April 6.-Frederick Weyer-
haeuser, St. Paul lumberman, one of
the wealthiest men in the world, died
ut his winter home in Pasadena. Cal.
after a brief illness from pneumonia.
He was 70 years old.
Began As Poor Lad.
Beginning as poor German immi-
grant boy to pile slabs in a Rock
Island, ILL.,, sawmill at 81 day, by in
dustry and wonderful business FORE
sight, Frederick Weyerhaeuser rose to
be the dominating figure in the lumber
world of the west, and leaves a deep
impress on the business life Of the Mis-
sissippi valley and the Pacific coast.
Dominated Everywhere.
Dominating everywhere, but in every
Held associating himself with men of
capital and brains, Mr.. Weyerhaeuser's
interests were scattered through a
score of states. The various Weyer-
haeuser corporations are credited with
controlling 100000 acres of timber
lands, valued at about $1,000, 00O, 600,
but no definite estimate of the Weyer-
haeuser fortune has ever been made.
Secrecy was a business rule with him,
and the extent of his holdings can
only be estimated.
Mr.. Weyerhaeuser died just as he
was thought to be on the road to re-
covery. Sunday noon Mr.. Weyer-
haeuser's body was sent aboard linn
tied train bound for Rock Island, ILL.,,
the old home, for interment beside the
body of Mrs. Weyerhaeuser, who died
in November, 1911.
Result Of Cold.
Mr.. Weyerhaeuser caught cold Sup-
day, March %, while attending church.
On the following Wednesday his condi-
ton become so alarming that his chill
dren were sent for. Three physicians
were called and remained in attend
ance day and night. They managed to
overcome recurrent sinking spells.
His sons, John p, Frederick E., Ru.
dolph M. and Charles A., and his
daughters, Mrs. Margaret Jewett, of
Chicago; Mrs. w. B. Hill, of Pough-
keepsie, N. Y, and Mrs. S. S. Davis, of
Rock Island, were at the bedside at
the time.
Up to the day that he was taken I'll.
Mr.. Weyerhaeuser had been giving &C.
tive attention to more important ques.
tons connected with his business, but
he had relinquished control of the
business more and more to his sons
and other business associates of late
years, and had been spending nearly
all his time in Pasadena since the
death of Mrs. Weyerhaeuser.
Sons Active In Affairs.
Mr.. Weyerhaeuser's four sons NIL
are actively engaged in the business
In Minnesota. John P. Weyerhaeuse
and Frederick E. Weyerhaeuser, of st.
Paul, Charles A. Weyerhaeuser, of Lit
tie Falls, and Rudolph M. Weyerhaeus-
er, of Cloquet, all are interested in the
various companies. The headquarters
of the syndicate are in st. Paul, but
Weyerhaeuser & Co., the corporation
under which the Offices are maintained
in st. Paul, is not holding company
and has no relation directly with any
of the numerous manufacturing and
timber owning concerns. 1t is q re-
tail lumber company owning nine
yards in as many southern Minnesota
towns.
The secret of the Weyerhaeuser for
tune, lumbermen say, was in his far.
seeing faith in the possibilities of tim
Der lands as an investment. He never
paid high prices for timber lands, but
bought where there were no logging
operations at the time and where the
timber could be had for almost nomi-
nal prices, holding 1t patiently until
the country developed and a demand
arose for it. Then he would, as a rule,
build mills and market the lumber.
From his earliest operations he bought
timber as fast he could raise the
capital for 1t.
How He Lost Money.
Associates say he once was asked
the question: What do you think of
timber lands as an investment"
WELL" he replied, 81 have lost lots
of money on timber lands, lots of 1t,
but all the lands lost money on were
lands / didn't buy"
Mr.. Weyerhaeuser was proclaimed