El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-07
WEHNER
DIES ON COAST
Pioneer FL Pasoan, Former
Owner of Light Plant,
Children's Friend.


News has been received in 81 Faso
Of the death Of Peter Wehner. an oIo-
time resident of FL Paso. in the German
hospital in San Francisco, TUESDAY
years.
Born in New Albany. Ind, in 1873,
Mr.. Wehner came west in 1877, settllis
at santa Fe, n. NJ, Here he rema3iineu
until 1882, when he came TO El faao,
which was his home up to the time OF
his death.
Owned Light Plant.
In the early SOS he organized an
Edison direct current plant in Oppose
ton to the original plant established IA
the city. He operated this plant Tor a
time and then removed IL to Roswell
Some time after he sold out his inter-
est in the plant at Roswell, he inter-
ested himself with Z. T. White in the
organization of the FL Paso Gas, Elec-
trio Light d Power company, the DC
ginning OF the present gas company.
lie remained in this company for sew
eral years and then disposed of his IN
terest He then became interested in
the mining business in Lordsburg. In
more recent years he spent most OF his
time in FL Paso.
To san Francisco.
Mr.. Wehner went to San Francisco 10
view the fair from a wheel chair lie
was later to go to Panama, make tho
York and then home to Ell PasO. he
was taken i'll in San Francisco, how
ever, and was never able to leave the
city. Mr.. Wehner Travelled extensively.
At one time he made a trip around the
world, and spent considerable time IN
Japan and China. He made several
trips to Europe
Loved Children.
MIR. Wehner never married, but was
passionately fond of children and was
ell - ~
tie friends as fUncle Pete" He was
constantly buying candy and presents
FOR his young friends. On one oecas-
ion he bought an entire new outfit OF
uniforms for the El Paso baseball team
because he didn't like the soiled uni
forms they were wearing.
To BE buried HeSe.
1t was his request that his remains
be buried in Ell Paso and the body Is
now on the way here Relatives reside
in New Albany, Ind, and in Kentucky
Was Character.
Pete Wehner was one OF the charac-
ters Of old FL PasO. When he was In
charge OF the electric light plant here
he rode about the city in a two wheeled
cart drawn by q COW pony, and he
knew where every pole and light had
been placed. He lived in Bloomington.
Ind at one time and one Of the fine
things in his life was his friendship for
Moses Kahn, p pioneer merchant OF
that city about whom he always asked
whenever one Of the Indiana colony Of
81 Paso returned home for visit He
lived much alone, yet was always seek
ing the company OF young people, with
whom he delighted TO talk about the
old days in Ell Paso and the possible
ties Of the growing city.
"Buy Real Estate"
Buy real estate. my boy, buy real es-
tate, no matter where II is or In what
condition il is in" he told one Of his
young friends. You cannot lose and
i have seen fortunes made right here
by Just buying a few sand lots and
holding onto them until someone want
ed to build a ten story building on
them"
Uncle Pete" was always doing some
thing for his little friends. he would
give a box party at the theater for
them and would I'LL the boxes with u
or IA of his little boy and girl friends
He would give away candy at Christ
mas time TO hundreds Of poor children
and never let barefoOted boy pass his
lavorite seat in front OF the Orndorff
without giving him an order for
pair Of shoes