The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-12-20
HERE'S MORE ABOUT
ALvENSLEBEN
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iage Of 500 souls. they employ moro
than $50 workers on their farm; their
''achioas." or castle. is one % the
show places OF the continent.
To such surroundings was Alvo
Won Alvenslehon born. The eldest
son and heir to the thousands Of
fertile acres, n was naturally fore
Swallowed that he should be brought
up IN the military caste. and In due
time he was commissioned In the
kaiser'a army,
CRANED POWER
AND RICHES
but. junker tho he was. Won Al.
venslehen had ideas OF his own lie
could see no further ahead OF him In
tho army. tho sedentary life OF "a
country gentleman had no appeal 20
him. he wanted power-richen.
And trade was the only way that
these could be acquired. he thought.
But there was an almost insnrmount.
able obstacle. The traditions OF his
family, OF his caste. were explicit on
this subject. No junker had ever
been In frade--certainiy no Won Al
venslebcn. the junkcr Of tho Junk.
crs.
lie auarreicd bitterly with his On.
Their. tho old count. when ho frat
mentioned the subject. hut his mind
was made up. lie was determined TO
manage his own career. and. nltho u
meant definite split with his fam.
iiy, he resigned from the army and
set sail for America.
That was IN 1904. He landed In Van.
oouyer, u. G.. with stbo. plus what.
ever monetary value can be placed
upon an lron.eisd constitution. n
shoro military education and a lot OF
ambition.
For two years he just knocked
about 81 n common laborer. lie
worked In IN. lumber camps. he was
n stcvedoro. he operated a fishing
boat Finally. he built up a stake
modest. but. a. Il was 10 turn out.
adequate FOR his purposes.
FOUND SELF
MILLIONAIRE
lie began TO speculate Ia land
Vancouver land. These spsculations
ushered IN the famous boom that
Vancouver enjoyed IN 1908 and 1907
---sf they didnr actually cause it.
and Won Alvcnriebcn found himself
n millionaire almost overnight
lie brsnehed out ON a gigantic
scale with his new capitai-timber'
lands. coal lands. city iots--he
bought everything: and he bouEh,
right
Their. was apparently no limit
10 his profits Every day hrourh,
In new wealth. He seemed to have
the Midas touch.
And. with his growing fortune.
he increased hts social activities.
He bought magnificent estate. lie
started polo club and acquired q
stable OF ponies. He had . whols
fleet Of high powered. hish-pricsd
motor cars. when he Travelled ~
was In state--hs had his own prt-
vats car. with remarkable luxury
of appointment. lie was an 90
tnowiedsed social lsadsr.
STRANGE STORIES
ARE CIRCULATED
About this time strange stories
began 20 b. circulated ~ was
rumcrcd that he was . oosrsfn Of
the kaiser. that he was acting ~
the kais-rs business agent: that
the millions which he had invested
actually belonged TO the German
war lord.
Thee stories. however. only lent
an added Elamor to him untii war
was declared. Then he Was forced
10 move TO Seattle. while here he
was active In German propa Eanda.
he was known 10 b cioss TO Count
Won Bernstorff. tho German am
hassador. and to Prince Hatfield.
the chancellor OF tho German en-
hassy: he made numerous trips to
Washington.
As n result. he was interned AZ
soon an the United States entered
the war. and for shre. years he
was kept a prisoner at Fort Doug.
las. Utah. When he was finally
released. year and n half after
the armistice. his entire vast for.
tune had been diaaipated. Some
had been confiscated: some had been
sold on terms. there was nothing
left.
He had exactly, ISL when he was
restored TO freedom. but he wasn't
downcast. Taking the ssi--and his
nerve-he plunged immediately into
the importing and exporting bust.
meas.
FIRST VENTURE
PROVED Lucky