The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-02
Henry c. Frick, Steel Mag.
nate, Died at His New
York Home
WASLONG AGO SHOT
BY BERKMAN
His Life Forms Wonderful
Chapter in Big
Finance

here tins morning.
Mr. Frick suffered an attack of pto-
maine poisoning early in November.
He had nearly recovered from this when
serious complications developed He
was so years old.
Although little known in the finan-
cial district, Mr.. Frck became a prom
inent figure in Wall street on the or
ganization of the United States Steel
! corporation in 1901. He was director
and a member of the executive commit
tee of that organization almost from
its inception. According to general be-
lief among financial men, he welded
a greater influence than any other man
in directing the policy of that corpor-
alton.
Financiers familiar with Mr.. Frick'
interest estimated to-day that his
fortune was not less than S200,000,-
600. 1t was said he was one of the
very largest individual holders of Lib
ertv and Victory bonds.
The career of Henry Clay Frick has
formed one of the most fascinating
chapters in the romance of industry in
the United States. At 10. boy on a
farm, in family of only ordinary
means, he was, at 90, man of so
many millions that his fortune, like
those of Carnegie and Rockefeller was
largely matter of guesswork, even to
himself II has been said that he was
worth more than Sl00,000000, perhaps
as much as s200000,00o.
Mr. Frick built up the greatest coke
business in the world, and acquired
such vast interests in steel that he was
Also one OF the principal magnates in
that industry, and in rounding out his
career he became known as one of the
worlds greatest collectors OF master
paintings.
Mr. Frick was born Dee. 10, ls49, at
West Overton. Pa. This village was
named after the maternal grandfather
OF Mr. Frick, Abram Oyerholt, whose
original name was OberholtDcr and who
settled in western Pennsylvania when
that region was regarded as the from
tier of civilization. As the settlements
along the Allegheny and Monongaheia
grew. and Pittsburgh emerged from its
swaddling clothes. Mr., Oyerholt became
the leading miller and dstiller of west
ern Pennsylvania His daughter, Eliz.
abeth. married John w Frick, young
man of Swiss ancestry, who at that
time was working as an engineer in the
tOverholt distillery. 1t was from this
union that the future capitalist was
born The father attempted farming,
but did not make a remarkable success
Of it. and as a result young Henry Clay
Frick was practically adopted into the
Overholt family when he was about II
years old He received a good basic
schooling, but there was nothing in his
| boyhood to indicate the remarkable
ability which characterized his later
| life, except his eagerness 20 get into
business. For a time he was bookkeeper
in his grandfather distillery, and from
this position he went into Morgan 4
Co., coke dealers, and at about p years
Of age he appeared in Pittsburgh as
their agent The coke industry was in
| its infancy. The iron masters of Pitts
burgh were Just beginning to appreci-
ate the value Of coke for their furnaces,
quire a limited interest in a plant hear
Broadford, and out Of the profits Of
this he acquired other holdings. He
later Joined a company to build rail
road to penetrate the Connelsvlle coke
region, and in 1871, the year the road
was opened, Mr.. Frick organized the
corporation of Frick & Co., which
bought coal land and coke ovens in the
| Connelsville region That was the basis
of the Frick fortune
In the midst of this period there
came the panic Of '73 and the financial
crash of many ambitious operators.
| At sheriif's sale, Mr. Prick purchased
additional tracts Of coal land and ovens
and a few years later the MELONS, pow
erful Pittsburgh bankers, became inter
ested in the expanding enterprise of
the young operator
The Carnegies, then developing their
great steel business in Pittsburgh had
taken large holdings in the Frick Coke
company, and in 1882 Mr., Frick found
the Carnegie brothers willing to admit
him as a member of their firm in con.
sideration Of his giving them further
interests in his coke business. 1t was
thus Mr.. Frick became also a great
manufacturer of steel.
Through the Homestead strike OF
| 1892, Mr.. Frick came into national
prominence. Differences had arisen be-
tween the Carnegie Steel company and
its employees over a wage scale, culmi-
mating in strike involving thousands
of men; the calling ont of the National
Guard and the proclamation of martial
law. 1t was at this period, July %,
1892, that Alexander Berkman, a New
York anarchist, tried to assassinate
Mr. Frick. Berkman walked into Frick's
office, drew a revolver and fired, the
bullet lodging in Mr.. Frick's neck. Mr..
Fric< was shot a second time and then
he grappled with Berkman, During the
encounter Mr. Frick was stabbed three
times. but he downed his assailant and
held him until the police arrived. Berry
man was tried and sent to the western
penitentiary in Pittsburgh for q years.
Mr.. Frick maintained beautiful
summer home at Prides Crossing, Mass.
He was one of the largest owners of
Pennsylvania railroad stock, was one
Of that company's directors, and its
dominating factor. He was also pow
er in Reading, Baltimore & Ohio; Nor
folk g. Western, and other railroads,
On Dee. l5, 1881, Mr.. Frick was mar
ried to Miss Ada Howard Childs of
Pittsburgh. -Four children were born to
them; two boys and two girls. Mrs.
Frick, one son and one daughter sur
yive.