The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-16

men on IldL must HdIdI uuuh VI
all lumber work-driving logs on
the white water OF a river-be-
fore his own face was roughened
by whiskers.
II OBERT DOLLAR was born in
N Falkirk, Scotland, in 1874, in
to seagoing family.
The year OF his birth three of
His uncles we're lost at sea when
typhoon struck their ship,
Helen Mar. while it was on voy-
age from Bombay to Calcutta.
Captain Dollar left school when
he was IL, and in his memoirs he
told Of how he ran the whole way
home 10 show his first weeks
salary. a half crown go cents to
his mother. He was employed in
a machine shop.
His mother died and his father
took TO drinking occasionally to
drown his sorrow
Writing Of his life at this time,
Captain Dollar said:
This brought about the neces-
sity for our emigrating to Canada
and it made me a strong temper
ance man. as l vowed / never
would touch liquor as long as /
lived"
In 1853 when Dollar was IL. the
family emigrated TO Canada.
Young Dollar worked in an Otta-
wa lumber mill for IS month
for a while. and then went into
the woods as a lumberjack. There
he increased his education by con-
slant study and became camp
foreman.
TIE followed the Canadian lum-
IL Der camps. his pay increas-
ing. continually storing away
knowledge Of books and men and
lumber. AS his pay increased.
his savings grew. and when only
q years old he went into business
for himself.
In 1882, Dollar moved his in
terests to the United States, fol-
lowing the receding timber line
westward.
For five years he numbered in
northern Michigan and adjoining
territory. and then in 1887 he
moved again, this time to the Pa
cfic coast.
The Dollars numbered up and
down the coast, until they found
that the shortage of shipping
facilities was handicap to great
er fortune.
Thus shipping, renowned by
the Dollars when the Helen Mar
went down, again became i'm
portant to them.
Dollar discovered shortly after
his business had been firmly
established in California that he
could cut his water transportation
charges in half If he had his own
vessels.
The steam-schooner "Newsboy."
of 800 tons, was purchased. and
proved to be the first Of a great
fleet.
ORIGINATING as a by-prod-
~ uct OF numbering activities.
the Dollar shipping was to be-
come a great deal more famous
than Dollar lumber.
In 1901. a Dollar steamer made
its first trip 10 the Orient. The
trip was repeated in 1902, and
soon the Dollar flag few over ell
the seas.
Dollar saw his lines enjoy the
greatest growth after he passed
his SEVENTEEN birthday.
1t was IN the hectic years of
the Dollar expansion, between
1915 and 1890. that Captain DOL
lar became San Francisco
legend.
Hsi good friend. Peter b. Kyne.
wrote stories about "Cappy Kicks"
and Captain Dollar was Cappy
Ricks-although neither Kyne
nor Dollar ever admitted il.
Captain Dollar liked to tell of
his first experience with the cleo
trio light. He read of 1t first n
a newspaper. he said, and was
so disguised at the crazy idea
that I threw the paper in the
waste basket"
In 1901 the Dollar concern
made its first venture in China
trade with the steamer Arab.
The vessel carried only half a
cargo of Dollar lumber on its
maiden voyage, and Captain Dol
lar saw there was need of an Cr-
ganization on both sides of the
Pacific If the steamship venture
was to be success.
r
A YEAR later he and Mrs. Dol
"A lar. lifelong helpmate.
made their first trip to the ORR
ent to stimulate business.
That year a steamer carried a
cargo of Oregon fir to China, and
brought back load Of Japanese
oak ties for railroad building in
Mexico. Dollar was getting started.
Since then the Dollar housefiag
has flown over every sea. Dollar
line Offices have grown in every
maritime country.
The shipping business which
started as an adjunct to the lum-
bering business now has weekly
sailing TO oriental ports. regular
affiliated lines provide complete
coastal schedules.
The early training received in
Scotland" he wrote in his me-