Imperial Valley press., 1932-01-26
William Wrigley
Dies At Phoenix
Continued From Page Il

mediate benefit to Phoenix and the
state, but these were not revealed
at the time of his death, his secre-
tary declared.
! Although private funeral services
will be held in Pasadena Calf.
probably Thursday, no definite date
has been set for the interment at
Avalon, Catalina Island.
Catalina Island, incidentally, was
bought sight unseen" by Wrigley
several years ago from the Ban
ming estate.
On his next trip to the coast, he
was taken to view his new pur-
chase.
why, it's an island said Wrig-
ley as he neared its shores. II
thought I was buying a mudflat."
The island, noted up and down
the Pacific coast as a recreation
center, included the town Of Ava
len. silver mines and thousands of
wild goats.
With the island. he purchased the
Wilmington Transportation COM
pany, and bought more ships to
carry the thousands of visitors to
Avalon.
He advertised it in a typical
Wrigley manner. I'm all the world
no trip like this" was the favorite
advertising slogan. Low hotel rates
and steamer fares made Catalina
Island the most popular summer
resort in California.
Hated School
Wrigley founded the chewing gum
business which bore his name and
made it one of the most striking
merchandising successes of the de-:
cade. His son, Phillip x. succeed
ed him several years ago as pres
ident. The elder Wrigley became
chairman of the board.
He was a travelling salesman when
other youngsters his age still were
poring over school books, he mar
ried at 20 on a salary of $40
week, and started his rise to for
tune with an empty pocketbook.
The oldest of nine children, Wrig-
ley grew up to hate manufactur-
in. his father owned a soap factory
in Philadelphia, where Wrigley was
born, and the latter never TOOK
kindly to the business. He was too
full of spirits to settle down to
interest in prosaic things.
Regularly he was sent home from
school, suspended. Regularly his
father interviewed and got him back.
At II, he ran away from home, 10
New York City and walked down
Broadway. jingling a few pennies
he had left after buying a ticket.
He became a newsboy, sleeping
at night on a grating by the old
Tribune building. his coat rolled up
as a pillow, and the air from the
pressroom keeping him warm. Other
times he slept under wagons.
As he became accustomed to the
city, he branched out into other
little enterprises, running errands,
carrying bundles.
He was not out of touch with
home, for he sent postcards back
to Philadelphia regularly telling of
his thrills, but he never gave re-
turn address. He remained in New
York all one summer and we'll into
the fall, then got homesick.
Young Wrigley went to work in
the hated soap factory at the age
OF -. He mixed soap-and it was
q long, tedious task. He became
strong, but rebelled. Shortly after
acquiring long trousers, he went on
the road at 13 as a salesman.
Thus life continued for Wrigley
until he was 10. Then he heard
the call of the west, deserted his
job and used all his savings to buy
tickets for himself and a chum.
They we're going to Leadville, Colo.
but at Kansas City. Mo, a puff of
wind swept their tickets out of
Wrigleys hat. So they got off
there.
Started As Waiter
From a waiter in a restaurant
Wrigley progressed to cashier-"be-
cause, he could read and write" &"
He became a salesman again when
a rubber stamp vendor trusted him
with a $40 stock. He sold it at a
profit of $500.
Suddenly he packed and went
home 10 Philadelphia and took up
his soap selling task again, but not
for long. He wanted to get into
business for himself. He went to
Chicago in 1891 with S32 capital
and began selling securing powder
Through premiums. he built up
the business, but his spur came
when he decided to sell baking
powder and offered a free cook
book with each can.
He got into the chewing gun
business in a roundabout way. He
bargained with the Zeno Manufac-
turing company to use its gum as
q premium. The gum became more
popular than his baking powder.
He was doing business as William
Wrigley Jr., and Company, but in
1911 he bought out the zeno Man
ufacturing company, changed his
own firm name TO William Wrigley