Book_iW^Jl_ 'il7. Mrs. Harriot Wnlk.r lloliiuiii. «li.. .H.-.l in t'.un, vou.iu.nI .l:i.i;ilH« ol Mr. iiixl Mr-* T. II. \VJilkor. :in >linn<-:i|M>li.s 'I'riluiiM-. Tin- S|«-«-(:i(or, M innvnpolls. ®te Mimiieji|j0li^ Sfibmw MINNEAPOLIS, SUNDAY, OCTOBBK 25, 1903. AN ILLUSTRIOUS MINNEAPOLITAN, THE HONORABLE THOMAS B. WALKER. Business Man, Financier, Philanthropist, Author and Art Connoiseur. Walker would very jirobably be left un- der the impression that he had been listening to a literary man or philoso- pher. While Mr. Walker ranks fore- most among the business men of the entire Northwest, his mind is too broad to be confined to his business alone and is a vast storehouse of all knowledge useful to humanity. And this fund of knowledge has been accumulated by him despite great difficulties; while his success has been won while working for the highest interests of his home, town and state. On the first day of February, 1840 a baby boy was born to Piatt Bayliss Walker and Anstis Barlow Walker, in Xenia, Green county, Ohio. Two other children had come before, and a short time later two more. The baby was named Thomas Barlow Walker, after his mother's brother, Hon. Thomas Barlow, a prominent New Yorker. Two of his mother's brothers were members of the bar and served with distinction as judges. One of them was Judge Thomas Bar- low, of Canastota, N. Y., the other Piatt Walker, the father of young Thomas Barlow Walker, was a descendant of early settlers in this country from Eng- land. At this time he was engaged in business at Xenia, and prospering; but in a few years his adventurous spirit led him to undertake a trip to the newly discovered gold fields of California, and he embarked all his capital in this ven- ture. Fitting out a train of goods and a company of forty-nine travelers he start- ed across the plains in 1849. Misfortune soon overtook the party, the dread chol- era having made its appearance among them. As soon as the men grew aware of this, those who were still well de- serted the party, with the exception of Walker, who stayed with his men, nurs- ing and relieving them as well as he could. But he also was seized with the disease, and died by the wayside at Warrcnsburg, Mo. His partner went ahead with the re- mainder of the party, and upon his ar- rival in the gold camps disposed of the goods at immense profits. The thank- There are few cities that can boast of as many men among its best citizens who stand as mile posts along the road to business success, as can Minneapolis. The public is familiar with many of their names, and their deeds speak for them even outside of the city. The lives of these men, their standing, and their manner of living speak for them, and mark them as guides to which the young men look as the type of coveted success. Among this group of men of Minne- apolis, T. B. Walker stands out prom- inently, as one of the most striking personalities, illustrating what push, en- ergy and determination can do for a young man even in the face of often adverse circumstances. It is not saying more than the fair truth, to say that Mr. Walker in his quiet way has probably made himself known over a wider ter- ritory than any of the men of active life in the city. His keen business acu- men has called him to almost every place of interest in the Northwest seek- ing business adventure, and that alone would have made him known to the Pacific coast. But, added to that, there has always been a touch of philosophy in the make-up of Mr. Walker, that has made him rise above the purely business man and put him among the brighter minds that always breed respect, even where not always understood. Mr. Walker is what would have been called in the old Anglo-Saxon days a homely man. That term, in its original, was the highest compliment that could be paid to humanity. Those who know him now always have when in his presence that feeling of comfort that always comes with the well balanced mind and for which there is always an answering respect. Personal contact with him is wholesome, and his public life has been productive of so much good that when Mr. Walker cares to mingle in affairs of civic life his words are invariably heeded by every element, and the modern local toiler for public weal weighs well his opinions, that are always sought after in crucial mo- ments. A stranger conversing with Mr. less partner never made any returns to the widow and children, and was never heard from again. The boy who has since won recogni- tion among men was but nine years of age, and adversity stared the whole family in the face. The excellent moth- er never gave up hope for one instant, but set out to give her children the best education possible. It was hard times for a while, and Thomas helped as well as he could by selling papers, cutting wood, doing odd jobs in the stores. It was very much in evidence, however, that when he undertook to pick berries or do similar work he would hire other boys to work for him and pay them a certain amount for each quart picked. He seldom failed to realize a profit upon his enterprises. When the lad was sixteen the family moved to Berea, a town a few miles out of Cleveland, Ohio, to be near Baldwin University, where Thomas hoped to complete his education. But these hopes were never fully realized, as the scarcity of money compelled him to go to work. For a while he clerked in a store. With the little money he had saved he entered college, expecting to work his way through. Once he bought a piece of timber on speculation, and hired fellow students to help him cut the timber. This venture yielded some returns, but not enough to enable him to complete his course, and shortly afterwards he accepted an offer from Mr. Hulet to go on the road and sell Berea grindstones. Berea grindstones had never sold so well before young Walker went out with them and orders for them came in thick and fast. But all the time during which he traveled he carried two grips with him; one con- tained his wardrobe; the other — and it was by far the heavier — held his books, which he studied at every opportunity. Such was his diligence that he found time to keep up with his classmates, and when the examinations came at the end of the school year, he always stood at the top. During his whole course at college he could only afford time for one term in the year; yet he was so earnest in his endeavors to learn that he was not content with acquiring all the knowledge which the text books con- veyed, but read and understood as well every work on the subject which he could obtain. He excelled particularly in the higher branches of mathematics; Newton's Principia, Astronomy, Chem- istry and other kindred subjects found a devoted adherent in the young man. In 1869, when he was nineteen years old, he undertook a contract which would have presented insurmountable difficulties to even an old, experienced business man. He was then selling grindstones at Paris, 111., where the Terre Haute & St. Louis Railroad Com- pany were engaged in building their line. Without friends, without capital, without credit at the local bank, he took up a contract to supply the rail- road with cross ties and other lumber. He obtained credit at the bank, bought timber lands, built boarding camps for his crews and soon had things booming. Prospects were bright and his profits would have been very considerable, in view of the fact that his only capital when he started was plenty of nerve and self-reliance, but at the end of eighteen months the railroad company failed, and he w^s left with but a tri- fling fraction of what he had earned. With a few hundred dollars which he had saved, he returned home, where he began teaching school. In this voca- tion, as in everything which he ever un- dertook, he was successful. The war of the Rebellion having broken up the school at Berea and paralyzed business, young Walker hav- ing become a member of an artillery company waited for several weeks to get into camp in Cleveland. Having failed to secure admission to the com- pany, it became necessary to secure employment and for this purpose he went West through Michigan and Wis- consin. Having applied to the presi- dent of the board of regents of the state university of Wisconsin for the position of assistant teacher in mathe- matics which the president found him fully competent to fill, and while he waited for the decision of the board he went West to McGregor, Iowa, and there having met J. M. Robinson, of Minneapolis, who gave him a glowing account of the new town of Minneapo- lis "ten miles above St. Paul," he decid- ed to come to Minnesota, in order to engage in a surveying enterprise with Mr. George B. Wright, of Minneapolis. Having arrived here and met Mr. Wright, he engaged to go on the gov- ernment survey. Soon after starting from Minneapolis towards the frontier, Mr. Walker received the appointment of assistant professor of mathematics in the University of Wisconsin, but had engaged for the surveying work, and refused to change his decision. Thus it would seem that Minnesota has, through an incident of the meeting with Mr. Robinson, acquired the life citizenship of Mr. Walker. He came up the river from Iowa by steamboat, and then traveled over the only nine miles of railroad in Minne- sota to Minneapolis. He had been in the town only an hour when he engaged with George B. Wright to go on a surveying trip for the United States government. They started out in a few days, Wright run- ning the compass while Walker was chain man. One day Wright asked Walker to run the compass, and when he saw the professional way in which his request was obeyed he changed the order of things and after that Walker was compass-man while Wright, the employer, cleared underbrush and car- ried the chain. Before the purpose for which the expedition had gone out was completed, Indian outbreaks drove the party into Fort Ripley for pro- tection, where the small garrison gladly welcomed the addition of sixteen men. Walker made his way back to Minne- apolis. During the remainder of the summer he worked on the survey of the St. Paul & Pacific railroad; and when winter came he rented desk room in the office of L. M. Stewart, a prominent attorney, where he devoted his time to further studies. When he left there in the spring to go with a surveying party on the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, Stewart, who was very scant usually in his en- comia, complimented him in the high- est words of praise on his diligence. Late in the fall of 1863 Mr. Walker returned to his Ohio home, where he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet G. Hulet, daughter of his former em- ployer, the ceremony being performed by Rev. John Wheeler, D. D., president of the Baldwin University, where both had been educated. Dr. Wheeler was a brother-in-law of the bride. The couple remained in Berea until spring, Mr. Walker putting in his time on his books, and then returned to Minneapo- lis, which has ever since been their home. The result of that union, friends of Mr. and Mrs. Walker know. Those who have the entree to the spacious home realize how adapted to each other were the couple then united. The at- mosphere of the home today seems to be that very quieting influence that arises from the natural consequences of the environment of books and pictures, lessons and lectures, and the tastes that gathered such surroundings together. During the early years of their married life Mr. Walker's business kept him much away from home, and the young wife was placed early in full charge of the domestic enginery. In those days money did not go far; the new Minne- apolis was not burdened with wealth and the men owed much of their suc- cess or failure to their helpmates. But it was during those strenuous times that young people were tried out and formed the base for future success In 1868, Mr. Walker formed a com- bination with Levi Butler and Howard W. Mills to exploit the lumber regions. Men laughed at the thought of han- dling the timber in the country which Mr. Walker proposed, but in his earnest- ness convinced these two men and they threw their money in with the experi- ence which Mr. Walker had gained while on his surveying expeditions, the profits to be divided, share and share alike. The enterprises which the new firm undertook were all worked out un- der the personal supervision of Mr. Walker. He examined every piece of land taken up, and knew the exact value of each acre of property. Camps were located and logs were cut and driven to market. From this beginning the firm of Butler, Mills & Walker grew up and flourished. The withdrawal of Mills on account of ill health changed the name of the firm to Butler & Walker. Mr. Walker afterwards associated himself with Major George A. Camp, and they purchased the old Pacific Mills which burned down in 1880, but were rebuilt later. In the meantime mills went up at Crookston and Grand Forks, North Dakota. Those who have followed Mr. Walker closely say that the foundation of his great success was a basic principle of new business methods originating with him, together with an unswerving busi- ness integrity. He made it a point that in his own mind his word would be as good as his bond, and it did not take long to impress others with that same belief. His shrewdness was never bet- ter exemplified than it was only a short time ago, when the great Western coun- try began to develop, while at the same time the Minnesota pine forests were on the wane. In 1889, Mr. Walker be- gan investigating the timber lands of the Pacific coast. Having examined very extensively the timber of Wash- ington, Oregon and California, he be- gan purchasing timber lands in Califor- nia about 1896 or 1897. He chose as the most desirable the immense sugar and yellow pine timber of the upper Sierra Nevada Mountains, where he has become the owner of what is regarded as the finest tract of timber lands in the world. When he began purchasing, it was thought to be a venturesome un- dertaking until the facts became known as to the quality and quantity of the timber and its accessibility, as various railway lines are anxious to extend into the timber, which will make of his hold- ings perhaps the mose desirable lumber plants in the world. The lumbermen of California, as well as those of Minne- sota, are in general agreed upon this point. At the present time Mr. Walker gives most of his time and attention to his Pacific coast timber deals and the vari'- our city enterprises and public mat- ters which he looks after to considera- ble extent. He and his sons and Mr. Charles B. March are the owners and managers of the Red River Lumber Company, with mills formerly at Grand Forks and Crookston, but now having extensive plants at the town of Akeley, a little west of Leech Lake, in northern Minnesota, where the unusual condition prevails of running the sawmill sum- mer and winter, day and night, which is to say the least, quite unusual if not entirely exceptional. The extensive city market and com- mission district of Minneapolis has been built up by Mr. Walker and constitutes one of the most important enterprises in the city, as it has no superior in the country, and has placed Minneapolis the third or fourth city in the United States in the extent of its commission business in vegetables, fruit and dairy products and miscellaneous provisions. The business located there surpasses that transacted in any other city in the United States, with the exception, per- haps, of only two — Chicago and New York. The Land and Investment Company, which built up St. Louis Park, and has added very materially to the suburban business of the city, together with many business enterprises located within the city, have derived substantial benefit and assistance from Mr. Walker. He has probably expended more money for the development of Minneapolis by far than any other citizen. He organized the Business Men's Union, which for a number of years was very helpful in attracting capital and attention to Min- neapolis and building up its industries. Mr. Walker is the managing partner of the extensive logging firm of Walker & Akeley, who have handled perhaps larger quantities of logs than any other firm. The origin of this partnership came about in the following manner: In 1887 Mr. Akeley came to Minne- apolis with a view of investigating the outlook for a location in the lumber business. Having met Mr. Walker and having known of his large timber in- terests, opened up a negotiation for the purchase of a half interest in the largest tract of timber lands that has perhaps ever changed hands in Minnesota. Mr. Walker gave him a price and Mr. Ake- ley told him that he would let him know the next day as to what he would do about purchasing and paying for it. The question was, with Mr. Akeley, as to when and how he could pay, having made up his mind the day before that he would make the purchase. Mr. Walker accepted the terms of payment, the deal was closed inside of two days, all but making up the papers, which took considerable time, a large payment was made in cash, and when Mr. Ake- ley was asked what he proposed to do about examining the land, he affirmed that he did not care to either examine the lands or the titles, but having in- vestigated the character and standing of Mr. Walker, was willing to make this largest of all transactions in the lumber way in the Northwest, with only the statements of Mr. Walker to rely upon for the value of the property which he was purchasing, making one of the most exceptional land deals and business transactions that can be found in the history of business affairs. Mr. Akeley now has to certify, "Hav- ing cut and marketed a large propor- tion of this timber up to the present time, I can say that all the estimates and statements made by Mr. Walker in regard to the timber have been fully and completely verified. His manage- ment of the business has been eminent- ly satisfactory to me. My interests have been protected in all ways by Mr. Walker and his sons." Although Mr. Walker's financial suc- cess has been phenomenal and he is classed among the most substantial men in the Northwest, it is hardly here that his strength of character is most conspicuous. He has been first and foremost among those who believe that common humanity is entitled to more than it is getting; and while what he has done is called charity, he does not believe that he has done any more than any other man in his position ought or should. For instance, when our Cen- tral Market burned a few years ago, leaving a whole block in area filled in in large part with all manner of vege- table produce and provisions that de- manded immediate removal to prevent its becoming a nuisance, Mr. Walker directed Mr. Gorham, his real estate man and building manager, to employ a large force of men immediately and remove this waste material from under the great mass of fallen bricks and stone. He directed that good wages should be paid. The next day, upon inquiry as to the wages that the men were promised, he was told it was a dollar a day, and he then asked if his manager thought that men with fam- ilies could live on a dollar a day. The reply was that he did not think that it was a relevant question as the employ- er was not supposed to be responsible for the maintaining of the men's fam- ilies, and with the further statement that Elevator A, which had just burned a few days before, almost within sight of the City Market, had three hundred men at work who were receiving only eighty cents a day, and hundreds more were seeking employment at that rate, so that the dollar a day was higher than the customary wages. But Mr. Walker insisted that the pay should be a dollar and a quarter a day, and that contractors who were digging founda- tions for commission houses should also be required in their contracts to pay a dollar and a quarter a day to their men. and the contractors charged extra price on this account. Minneapolis is largely indebted to Mr, Walker for its fine Public Library, ranging about fourth or fifth among the cities of the United States in its cir- culation. A short time after he arrived in Minneapoh's. he joined the Athe- naeum Library Association. Having found a couple of memberships at a specially low price, he purchased the two, one for himself and one for his wife. He worked in this way for many years, drifting towards a more liberal policy and larger usefulness, until final- ly, in large part through his instrumen- tality, the library act was passed, es- tablishing the Public Library, and to place within the books of the Athe- naeum as a permanent home, as well as the art gallery under the management of the art society and museum of the Academy of Science. Mr. Walker has been re-elected president annually for the past eighteen years from the date of the formation of the board. Mr. Walker has been the principal patron of the Academy of Science, having done more than others to develop and build up the collection and maintain the in- terests in the scientific work of society. From various remarks and pointers given out by Mr. Walker, it has been known that he has intended at some time to build in Minneapolis an art in- stitute and museum. It has been requently remarked by workingmen and amongst the socialists and discontended element that if all employers were as inclined to use em- ployes well there would be no social- ism or necessity for strikes, as Mr. Walker has never had a strike in his extensive handling of men, as his busi- ness interests have required the help of thousands of men in conducting his enterprises, and every one who has been with him once is glad to return to his employ again. He has the esteem and good will of all classes, and it is a partial key to his success, as his busi- ness flourishes and develops largely through the good will and patronage of others. Many of the boys who came out of the state reform school have good cause to remember the name of Mr. Walker, as that of the man who befriended them when they were in that institution, of which he was a trustee for many years. His services on the board were highly appreciated by the inmates and his as- sociates. Mr. Walker built his residence at 803 Hennepin avenue in 1874, where he has since resided. There he brought his mother, whose early training had been such a help to him. He never forgot what he owed her and always took care of her, giving her his love and assisting her financially from his earliest boy- hood. She lived there happily until her end in 1883, and saw eight children come to her son and daughter-in-law. Of these seven are living. One son passed away at eighteen years of age, after a short illness. The affection of the members of the family for each other is beyond the ordinary, and the Walker homestead is one of the hap- piest of homes. Mr. Walker's private ofifice is in the library of the home, where a large table covered with papers of all sorts serves as his desk. And yet all these papers are not business docu- ments. There is not a charitable insti- tution in the Northwest that cannot number Mr. Walker among its most liberal contributors. There is not a public rneeting held at which he does not receive an invitation to attend and speak. Pamphlets, religious, sociolog- ical, political, hygienic, sound, many of which have been compiled by this lum- ber king. His writings are much in de- mand, as he has a marvelously clear, crisp and concise way of putting things that appeals particularly to every lover of good writing. What he says are facts, and there is no getting away from his arguments. The Methodist church counts his writings among their most valuable helps; the Young Men's Chris- tian Association has circulated his works. As an exponent of the doctrines of the Republican party he has been called upon time and again to help along with his pen the good cause, and the clear manner in which he handles the most profound questions has been a revelation to politicians. No one, a few years ago, expected that the great lumber merchant was paying any atten- tion to politics, until he began to fulmi- nate his truths and carried consterna- tion to the ranks of the opposition. His knowledge of political economy is pro- found, and not only that of this coun- try, but of all times and all places. Mr. Walker believes firmly that every man should have a strong personal in- terest in the good of the country, and that every one should pay the same at- tention which he gives to his own busi- ness to it. In personal appearance Mr. Walker is a well proportioned man of a trifle over the average height. His face has an exceedingly kindly appearance; that of a man who could well be entrusted with anything, and who would faith- fully abide by the trust. Were it not for a tinge of gray in his hair and beard, no one would believe that he was over forty years old, as he has the active movements of a young man and every gesture shows the vigor of the early prime of life. Tine walls of the library in which he has his office are lined with book cases which groan under the weight of books fit to make the heart of a bookworm full of envy. Works on all subjects by the best authors; religion, art, science, poetry, fiction, philosophy, and every possible subject are among them. They are not there for looks only, as their owner is better acquainted with their contents than with their exteriors. His love for sound reading was acquired from Father Blake, an old Catholic priest. Father Blake saw Mr. Walker, when he was a boy reading stories of travel and adventure. The good man gave him books worthier of his atten- tion, and pointed a course of reading which he knew would be of advantage. Besides his valuable library, there is in the house a collection of paintings, and bronzes and rugs, said to be the finest private collection in the world. A gallery of six large rooms accom- modates on its walls gems from the hands of the world's most famous mas- ters of painting. In the bronze room are valuable Chinese and Japanese bronzes, ivory carvings, glassware from all over the world. Most men would keep their magnificent works of art under lock and key, and admit only their most intimate friends. But this man is of different stamp. Absolute- ly without a selfish thought, he throws the door of his home wide open to the world, and invites all to come and en- joy these things with him. The gallery has become a mine for tourists,_and none leave Minneapolis without going there. His enjoyment comes entirely from the pleasure which he can give others with the means at his command. Besides this, he has loaned a part of his collec- tion to the public, and the library build- ing now contains them. The remark- able feature of his art collection is that by common consent of all the best judges from all parts of the world it stands alone in being without a single commonplace or mediocre painting. Every picture on the wall is of the highest type of the painter's art, and worthy of a place in any collection in the world. In this respect it is different from all other galleries, as any one is challenged to point to either a public or private gallery in this country or Eu- rope that does not contain unworthy paintings on its walls. Mr. Walker is looked upon by the art dealers as the only one who makes no mistakes in the selection, as even the committees of a number of different judges in the public galleries make repeated mistakes by selecting large proportions of paint- ings that are not of interest and of high art value. Another token of his consideration for others is in the benches which are set on the sidewalk around the grounds of his home. There weary pedestrians may sit and rest themselves comfort- ably under the shade of beautiful trees. The money which he has given away in charity will not be known. He has always obeyed the Biblical injunction, and never let his left hand know that which the right hand did. How many poor people have been relieved in their anxieties by him, both with cheering word and assistance, how many saved through his help, will never be counted. Every public movement has received his help, wether it was the Young Men's Christian Association, in whose coun- cils he stands high, or a movement on the part of the labor element to build a hall. He has labored hard for the cause of education, and displayed an active interest in the educational pro- gress of the world. APPLAUD MILLIONAIRE. — SOCIALISTS HEAR LUMBERMAN. T. B. Walker Addresses Them on "Fallacies of Socialism." St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 18, 1903. T. B. Walker, the millicMiaire lumber- man, yesterday addressed a meeting of the Socialists in Holcomb's hall, 45 Fourth street south. He spoke on the "Fallacies of Socialism," and was re- plied to by Rev. Carl D. Thompson, of Denver, Colo. The audience was composed almost entirely of local members of the Social- ist party. They accorded to Mr. Walk- er as close and respectful attention, if not so much applause, as to Rev. Thompson, with whom they were in enthusiastic sympathy, and who is gifted with rare eloquence and ingenuity in stating the doctrine in which all present believed. Both speakers talked at great length, the meeting lasting from 3 to 5:30 o'clock. Each marshaled statistics to the support of his position, the quality and quantity of which showed profound reading and intelligent thinking, though from different standpoints. Mr. Walker was warmly applauded at the close of his talk. The chairman, w thanking him for appearing, said that Mr. Walker was the only rich citizen in Minneapolis who threw open to the peo- ple the art treasures his money had purchased. THE NEW YORK HERALD, NEW YORK, SUNDAY. MARCH 1, 1903 -„„.„•? Public Art Gallery in Private House. Many rich men have their hobbies. With some it is the mania for giving away libraries; with others it is a desire to acquire a baronial country estate. With T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, "the Pine King of the West," it is the collection of fine paintings. Ever since he was a boy, with money enough to buy one painting, his craving for fine art has grown, until now, at the age of fifty-two, he has the finest, the largest and the most select gallery in the Uni- ted States. And with it all he is not selfish. Al- though the gallery is in a wing of his private residence, at the corner of Hen- nepin avenue and Eighth street, and the only entrance to it is through his front door, the gallery is open to the public six days in the week, and all who ring his bell and ask to see the old masters receive not only permission from the white aproned maid who an- swers the ring, but also a catalogue as well. This private collection is by far and away better than that furnished by the Public Library Gallery of the city, and were it not for the fifty or more paint- ings which belong to Mr. Walker, and which hang in this gallery as a loan, the city's display of art would indeed be meagre. Thomas Barlow Walker is one of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of Minneapolis. His career is a shin- ing example to all boys of moderate circumstances who are trying to make their way in the world. He was born at Xenia, Ohio, in 1840, and worked his way through Baldwin University. When he went to Minneapolis, in 1862, he was a surveyor on the St. Paul and Duluth Railway. While driving the road through the wilds of the West he be- came interested in the pinelands and to-day he owns more pine country than any other man in America, his interest reaching to California— hence his title of the "Pine King." In the room devoted to old masters is one of the few Raphaels in this country. It is the portrait of Pope Julius II. It was painted by Raphael as a study for the portrait now hanging in the Pitti Palace. Before Mr. Wal- ker acquired it it hung for years in the private gallery of Sir Cecil Miles, at Leigh Court, England. The canvas had been stretched upon a wooden pan- el two inches thick, but the wood had to be planed down to half an inch on account of the honey-combing of the worms. There are two Rembrandts in this room, "The Burgomaster," from the collection of Jacob Anthony Van Dam, of Dorchert, and "The Burgomaster's Wife," a smaller canvas probably a por- trait of Rembrandt's mother. A Ru- bens, "Madonna and Child," represent- ing the Madonna, Christ, and John the Baptist, came to the Walker collection from the gallery of Lord Norwich. Se- bastiano del Piombo's painting of "Vit- toria Colonna," Guido Reni's "Cleopa- tra's Last Hours' " and Cipriani's "As- sumption of the Virgin" are some of the examples of the other famous old Italian masters which add strength to this private collection, but the Napo- leon pictures are the ones which many persons come to Minneapolis specially to see. Mr. Walker's "Portrait of Napoleon" is by Robert Lefevre. painted in 1810. For years it hung in Napoleon's apart- ments at Fontainebleau. When in exile Napoleon presented it to Field Marshal Mortier, who, dying, willed it to his nephew. Count de la Grange, from whom Mr. Walker's agents secured it. As companion pieces are the portraits of Josephine, by Lefevre, in 1808, and a portrait of Empress Maria Louisa. "Napoleon in His Coronation Robes," by David, painted in 1805, is one of the most striking pictures of the great war lord in existence. It was given to Field Marshal Davoust by the Emperor, be- cause Davoust and he were schoolmates at Brienne. Landscape Painters. The brilliant landscape painters of France, Corot. Rousseau, Dupre, Diaz, Harpignies, Cazin, Monticelli and the animal painters Jacquin, Chagnau, Geri- Canet, Vuillefroys, Charles Jacque and Aymar Pezant are all represented with one or more canvases, but by far the most popular is the "Lion," by Rosa Bonheur, and "Cattle Resting in the Shade," by her talented brother, Auguste Bonheur. The painting which has done much toward creating a hatred for war, the famous battle picture, Paul Jazet's "Death of Nelson," is another valuable canvas on Mr. Walker's walls. It is one of the most fearfully real pictures known to art. The reeling figure of the dying Nelson, supported by the solic- itous Hardy; the surgeon, himself wounded, and the stalwart negro ending his life beside the little white boy writhing and shrieking aloud in agony; sailors dying on every side, and the naked gunners, their hard faces cov- ered with sweat and grime, fighting steadily against a wall of smoke and glare — a caldron of man's hate boiling over— a fitting death scene for so great a warrior. The German painter are also well rep- resented in this collection. Signed to many canvases, big and little, are to be found the names of such men as Adolph Schreyer, August Schenk, Schermer, Emil Rau, Andreas Achenbach, Wer- ner Schuch, Ludwig Knaus, Franz Un- terberger, Heinreich, Losson, Lousher- berg, Sinkels, Riedel, Hugo Kauffman, Van der Venne, and many others. Of these artists perhaps the work of Wil- helm von Kaulbach remains with you most after you have been through the gallery. His "Fall of Babel" is an im- mense canvas. It was the cartoon for the mural painting for Staircase Hall in the new Museum at Berlin, and was owned for a long time by Sir. James Duncan, of London. Another painting which served as a preliminary canvas for a greater ^work is Turner's "Crossing the Brook.'" It was the original of the large canvas which now hangs in the National Gal- lery in London, and it came from the collection of Lord Jersey. Jean Rosier, the chief conductor of the Academy of Malincs, received a medal of honor at Antwerp in 1894 for his large picture of "King Charles I. after the battle of Marston Moor." It is one of the chief treasures of Mr. Wal- ker's heart. And the "human interest" in the picture explains why its present owner paid a fabulous price for it and holds it dear. The artists selected the time when Charles is informed that his army is defeated and that Cromwell is on the road to London. The King re- alizes that the worst is to come. He sits like one paralyzed. His dog lays his head on his master's knee and tries to sympathize with him. Prince Ru- pert, Captain Stanly and Minister Oli- ver are grouped about the table. An officer who has brought the news stands in the doorway awaiting an order. The American Masterpieces. In his search over the entire world for paintings Mr. Walker has not for- gotten American artists. One is Benja- min West's "Lear Discovered in the Hut by Gloucester." It is a painting highly prized in England and America because West was the first great Amer- ican artist. The portrait of George Washington which is in this gallery is bv Rembrandt Peale. Mr. Sutton, of the American Art Gallery, has made a study of Washington portraits, and he says that it is "similar to but better than the one hanging in the President's room back of the Senate Chamber in the Capitol." There are two paintings in the Wal- ker collection by George Inness, Sr., who has been called "the American Rousseau," and four by his equally tal- ented son. The historical work of art by E. Schuselle, "General Jackson Be- fore Judge Hall," upon which the ar- tist spent ten years in carefully repro- ducing the scene so that the characters in it would be depicted with all the faithfulness of a perfect portrait, is one of the chief canvases in the Ameri- can room. Edward Moran is represent- ed by a packet ship rolling on high waves, and Thomas Moran's master- piece, "Venice and the Palace of the Doges," hangs beside his brother's of- ferings. J. C. Brewer's "Modern Eve," Weste- beek's "Shepherd and Sheep," H. P. Smith's "Sunset," Arthur Tait's "Mater- nal Solicitude," Robert Minor's "After the Storm," Freeman Throp's "Por- trait of General Miles," Davis Johnson's "A Clearing — Mount Lafayette, N. H.," Arthur Parton's "New England Home- stead on a Stormy Morning." and Hill's "Painting of the City of Minneapolis Fifty Years Ago," are some of the American moderns to be found in the Walker gallery. MILLIONAIRE LUMBERMAN USED TO SELL GRIND- STONES. Thomas B. Walker Found in State of Minnesota His Calling. HE SAW HIS OPPORTUNITY. i First Jobs of Prominent Men.— No. 6. (News, Minneapolis, Minn., Mar. 4, '04.) At 19 years of age, Thomas B. Walk- er, millionaire lumberman, was a travel- ing salesman for a grindstone manufac- turer. He came all the way from Xenia, Ohio, where his father, a humble shoe- maker, lived, to Minnesota, to sell his wares. After he had been in Minnesota a short time he realized that the state promised larger things than did the grindstones of the Buckeye state. His eyes were on the Minnesota pine lands. They held out to him the future prom- ise that he had come to the West in search of, and never did he lose sight of them. T{t>l>rolr. 'I'. II. W iilkor in IS!>0. -iiroil ill lilt- following |Hil>li<-:ilioii >liiiii<-:i|M>li.s 'I'tiiM-N. i\ortli>vcstoru Chri.stiiiii \roilii«-4ioii Irtiiii |ilM>4oKi-a|ili tsikt-ii ol >l r. I'. II. U alkcr in 1S»2. l.sfil (<> illiiMtr:il«' :irti<-l«-.s tlillt »ii|iesir<'linn<':i|i«tli.s 'riiiicN. >liiiii«':i|Hili.s TrilMint'. CriMikMtftn 'rriliiiiio. I NORTHWESTERN EUROPEAN EDITION DAILY TIMES THCXSDAY KORfi LIFE OF T. B. WALKER. (This article was written by Hon. James Gray, formerly Mayor of Minneapolis, and compiled from general biographies and a personal acquaintance with Mr. Walker, extending over some twenty years.) The Story of the self-made man, who battles with the great world and comes out triumphant, morally, financially and intellectually, appeals to every human heart. When success is rightfully earned, it is well earned, and the lowest or the highest of mankind has nothing but congratulation and praise showered upon him who wins such a victory. Among the citizens of the great com- monwealth of Minnesota there is none who holds a higher place in the hearts of his fellows than Thomas Barlow Walker, of Minneapolis. And the high appreciation in which this citizen is held is merited. Integrity of character, honesty of purpose, a high standard of culture and education, and a great sym- pathetic heart, paying heed to the de- mand of the lowly, these are the chief attributes of the man who has a warm place in the heart of every person in the great state of Minnesota. It is always interesting to trace the parental influences, which in a measure dictate the after life, and to note how, step by step, studiousness and ambition will broaden character and thought until the narrow limitations of youth and early manhood are but the incipiency of that which is to follow. His parents, Piatt Bayless and Austin Barlow Walk- er, migrated from New York, where they were connected with many respect- able and eminent families, who in turn trace their lineage to early New Eng- land and Puritan stock. From New York, the parents moved to Ohio, where, at Xenia. on the first of Febru- ary, 1840, their third child, T. B. Walk- er, was born. The name of Barlow was that of the mother, made honorable by two brothers bearing judicial titles, one in New York and the other in Ohio. The father embarked all his means in a Western emigrant train, but before realizing his ambitious project he died of cholera. The wagon train wended its way, but never yielded any return. The wife, left with four children, waged a heroic battle, but, from this time until his 16th birthday, Thomas shared the lot of many a fatherless boy in trial, struggle and longing aspirations to sat- isfy his cravings for knowledge and learning. The lad of 16 entered Baldwin Univer- sity, and with many interruptions con- tinued his study for several years. When not devoting himself to his stud- ies, he engaged as traveling representa- tive of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, the manu- facturer of the Berea grindstone. Books were his companions on his travels. He had an aptness for the mathematical studies, as well as for the sciences, par- ticularly astronomy and chemistry. In these branches he went far beyond the requirements of the curriculum, master- ing the chief problems of Newton's Principia. Ever ambitious to attain financial in- dependence, when 19 years of age, he undertook a contract to furnish a rail> road then under construction, with cross ties at Paris, 111. A large camp was organized and for 18 months the force, headed by the young man, was engaged in the forest with ax and teams. The contract was fulfilled and would have yielded considerable return, but the failure of the railroad corpora- tion deprived the young contractor of all but a few hundred dollars. The following winter was occupied in teach- ing a district school. At McGregor, la., he met J. Robinson, of Minneapolis, on his way down the river at the time. Tha attractions and opportunities of the embryo Northwestern city were pre- sented to him in such a light and with so much enthusiasm that Mr. Walker immediately determined to come to Minnesota and see for himself just what the condition of afifairs was. Arriving in St. Paul with a consignment of grind- stones, he met an energetic and vigor- ous young man, who was employed by the transportation company as a clerk. That man was James J. Hill, now presi- dent of the Great Northern railroad, but who was then entering upon his business career. It was quite a coinci- dence that two such prominent person- ages in the Northwest today should en- ter upon an acquaintance when they occupied humble stations in life. Within an hour of reaching Minne- apolis, he entered the employ of George B. Wright, who had a contract to sur- vey government lands, and began pre- parations to take the field. During the following winter, a desk in the office of L. M. Stewart, one of the prominent lawyers of the city, was occupied, and the commendations that "he had put in the best winter's work on his books that he had ever seen a young man do" was 2 well earned. The following season was spent in examining lands for the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad. The romantic is not wanting in the life of Mr. Walker. Among his com- panion students at Baldwin University- was the daughter of his employer, Miss Harriet G. Hulet. An engagement of marriage had been made before Mr. Walker left the place which he had made his home for several years, and on the 19th of December, 1863, he was quietly married to Miss Hulet. They came to this city, and set about the acquisition of a home. The struggle was a long one and many hardships fell to the lot of the two young people. A humble home was secured, and better ones followed, until today one of the rnost palatial and thoroughly conve- nient of the down town residences is oc- cupied by Mr. and Mrs. Walker, to- gether with their family of seven chil- dren, five of whom remain at home, the next eldest, Leon, having died several years ago. For five years immediately following his marriage, Mr. Walker was chiefly engaged upon government surveys, though for a part of the time railroad engineering occupied his attention. Mr. Walker decided to engage in the lum- ber manufacturing business. He be- came the owner of fine tracts of land well timbered, and set about the manufacture and sale of lumber. His first venture was in 1867. He became associated with Dr. Levi Butler and Howard Mills, at first simply in locat- ing lands, but later in logging and manufacturing lumber, as well as in selling pine stumpage. For five years the firm held together, and then the ill health of Mr. Mills forced him to retire. The firm of Butler & Walker was con- tinued after the retirement of Mr. Mills, and for a number of years until the dis- astrous fire on the East Side of the Mississippi river burned two of the mills, resulting in a large loss to the firm. A new partnership was formed within a very short time, however, as L. Butler & Co., and consisting of Mr. Walker, Dr. Levi Butler, James C. Merriam, James W. Lane and Leon Lane. This firm constructed one of the largest saw mills on the East Side at the new dam. and did a large manufacturing business for several years, the largest at that time of any in the city. Later the firm be- came Butler & Walker again, but during the depression of 72 and 73 the latter retired, showing his business sagacity, for those who remained in business suflfered large losses. In 1877, the times becoming more prosperous the well known firm of Camp & Walker was formed, the partner being Maj. George A Camp, for many years surveyor gen- eral of logs in the district, and a gentle- man thoroughly posted and informed in the handling of them. The Pacific mill, long operated by Joseph Dean & Co., was purchased and operated until the fall of 1880, when it was burned. During the succeeding winter and spring it was rebuilt. It was operated until 1887. Owning their own pine timber, mills and lumber yards, the firm of Camp & Walker did an ex- tensive lumber business. Mr. Walker had located large quanti- ties of pine lands about the sources of Red Lake river, the outlet of which is by the way of the Red river of the North. To utilize the timber he organ- ized, with his eldest son, the Red River Lumber Company and built a large mill at Crookston and another at Grand Forks on the Red river. The attitude of Mr. Walker has always been one of friendliness toward the laboring man. He was the principal contributor to the fund for building the Labor Temple, and has always been on the side of the man trying to make his way in the world. An incident which illustrates this occured last summer. For the first time in 26 years the ordinary employes engaged in the lumber mills of Mr. Walker at Crookston were placed on wages of $1.25 per day. In view of the time, work at any price was considered fortunate to be obtained, but the men at Crookston became dissatisfied and several meetings were held. The own- ers were not particularly anxious to run the mill, even at the price that was be- ing paid. The foreman counseled with the men to show them how foolish a strike would be. They listened to him and never presented their alleged griev- ances. Mr. Walker knew of the cir- cumstances, and as soon as it was evi- dent that his men were not trying to coerce him, he voluntarily raised their wages to $1.40, although it was apparent he would lose money thereby. He did lose money, but there is not a man in the employ of the Crookston mill that doesn't look upon him with the greatest gratitude. Mr. Walker is the managing partner of Walker & Akeley, of this city, the largest timber firm in the state. This company derives its timber supplies from the Minnesota Logging Company, hauling the logs after they are cut by way of the principal logging railway of northern Minnesota, which extends from Leech Lake to Brainerd and over which 60,000.000 to 100,000,000 feet of lumber are shipped every year. He is also the principal owner and stockholder in the Central Market Com- pany of Minneapolis, which owns the city market, on Sixth street, between Second and Third avenues N. This building was recently destroyed by fire at a loss of about a quarter of a million. The work of rebuilding was commenced immediately and already the structure is ready for occupancy. T. B. Walker and B. F. Nelson are the owners of the Hennepin Paper Company, with large mills at Little Falls. He is, besides being interested in the above business enterprises, the president of the Minneapolis Land & Investment Company, the company that has control of the town site of St. Louis Park, a thriving manufacturing suburb located near Minneapolis. The well nown generosity of Mr. Walk- er and his interests in his fellow mortals is shown by his administra- tion of affairs at St. Louis Park, and is so different from the man- ner in which one of other wealthy man, Mr. Pullman, of Pullman, 111., transacts business, that it is worthy of mention. The rent paid by occupants of St. Louis Park houses last summer was from $8 to $14 per month, but late in the fall many of the factories were obliged to close down altogether and those that continued in operation, cut wages about 20 per cent. Instead of holding rents, which were very low, at the same point as formerly, the proprie- tors of the townsite decreased them in proportion and those persons who were thrown out of work were informed that they would not be required to pay any rent unless they could afford to do so. Some of the families were unprovided with food and large sleigh loads of flour and other provisions were distrib- uted among them, paid for out of the private purse of Mr. Walker. These few incidents but illustrate how Mr. Walker first regards the wants of his fellows, even before his own pleasure is consulted in many instances. Always interested above all other things in public education, valuing books and libraries at their true worth, Mr. Walker was a contributor to and a stockholder in the Minneapolis Athe- naeum. The privileges of this corpora- tion were exclusive, and only to stock- holders was the right to draw books given. Believing in his heart that every person who would make the effort was entitled to an education, and such privileges as were afforded by the Athe- naeum. Mr. Walker gave years of labor to make it entirely free. Buying many shares, he distributed them among deserving young people, and procured the lowering of the price of stock. He also secured the admission of the gener- al public to the reading room, and by the payment of a small fee, to the books as well. But the public spirit and interest of Mr. Walker did not stop with these reforms. He saw that a great, free, public library giving out hundreds of books every day. and disseminating knowledge with the most liberal hand, would be a greater instrument in secur- ing the general progress of all the people than any other that could be found. It was through his constant agitation that Minneapolis secured the library building, with its store of nearly 100,000 books, absolutely free for the use of the citizens. To enlarge the edu- cational scope of the library, quarters were secured in the building for the Academy of Natural Science and for the Society of Fine Arts, in both of which Mr. Walker has taken an espe- cial interest. Nor did his interest stop at this point. The walls of the art gal- lery are well spread with his canvases, donated, and some of which are loaned. Through his intervention. J. J. Hill, of St. Paul, and Samuel Hill, of this city, have permitted the use of some of their best paintings. President J. J, Hill added to his loan collection recent- ly- In the midst of his intense interest in business matters, Mr. Walker finds time to devote many hours to his own educational advancement. He is an indefatigable student, and the Bible has been given as thorough study at his hands as it has received from many a minister of the gospel. He gives thor- ough attention to social and political questions of the day, looking at them from a neutral standpoint and then rea- soning out his own opinions. In philanthropic circles he is regard- ed as one of the most benevolent of Minneapolis' citizens. Mr. Walker shows his kindly bent mind by trans- forming his handsome lawn surrounding his residence in the very heart of the city into a park for public use. Seats have been placed in shady nook.s, and many a weary pedestrain stops in his walk on a hot summer day to rest a few minutes. These are all practical kinds of charity, aside from which there are many of those secret acts of assist- ance, only the one benefited can appre- ciate and know. Mr. Walker's art gallery is one of the sights of the city, and many a visitor to the metropolis has found pleasure in the treasures which it contains. It has many fine works chosen with artis- tic taste. Among the more renowned of modern paintings which adorn its walls are the following: "Napoleon in His Coronation Robes." by David; Jules Breton's "Evening Call;" Bouguer- eau's "Passing Shower;" Rosa Bon- heur's "Spanish Muleteers Crossing the Pyrenees;" Corot's "Scenes in Old Rome;" Boulanger's "Barber Shop of Licinius;" Wilhelm von Kaulbach's "Dispersion of the Nations;" Poole's "Job and His Messengers;" Jazet's "Battle of Trafalgar;" Vibert's "Morn- ing News;" Robert Lefevre's original portrait of Napoleon; Josephine and Marie Louise; Pearle's portrait of Gen. Washington; Detaille's "En Tonkin," with fine examples by Kanus, Van Marke, Jacque, Rousseau, Francois, Ga- briel Ferrier, Cazin, Schreyer, Inness, Moran, Lerolle, Brown, Herman, Los- sow, and many other equally famous artists. Mr. Walker has done his greatest good in business directions. The prime- val forests have been transferred under his hands into thriving, bustling cities and towns, and for a quarter of a cen- tury he has continued this process of bringing into existence that which is valuable for man and tends toward his advancement. He has furnished em- ployment to thousands and thousands of men and has paid the very best of salaries, an item which is of great mo- ment to the laboring classes. This, in itself, is the very best kind of practical charity, for so many men, when they attain positions of affluence, withdraw their capital and live upon the unearned increment, to use a Populist expression. Instead of doing this, Mr. Walker broadened his operations, and his work of building up and helping wage earn- ers by giving them good work which has endeared him in the minds of many hundreds of people who have been in his employ. Although wealthy he is not arrogant, or autocratic, but the poorest is on the same plane as himself when it comes to conversation or per- sonal acquaintance. He has acted like the steward of his own wealth, aiming to make it serve the ends of man rather than attempting to hoard it with miser- ly love of wealth for its own sake. A TYPICAL MINNEAPOLITAN A Sketch of One of Minneapolis' Most Prominent Citizens, Hon. T. B. Walker, Nominated by the Republicans as a Member of the Library Board. In this age of struggle and scramble after the almighty dollar, it is a pleas- ure to know that there are some people who can turn aside from the contest and devote some of their time and money to helping their fellow man. When there are such people in the world, one cannot lose hope in the millennium There is probably none in the city who is a better type of such a man than Thomas Barlow Walker. Among the residents of Minneapolis there is not one who stands higher as a business man or whose reputation for integrity and honor is greater. He was born in Xenia, Ohio, in 1840, where he passed his youtli. In early manhood he start- ed out in life for himself and located in this city 32 years ago, where he has since resided. Since 1868 he has been engaged in the lumber business and to- day is probably the largest owner of inne lands in the Nortlnvcst. Mr. Walker, in all his business trans- actions has never swerved from the strictest honesty, and today none can say that he ever acquired a dollar of his fortune in any other than an honor- ble way, or at the expense of his fellow man. In his devotion to business Mr. Walk- er has not neglected the finer side ot life. He is not only a thorough busi- ness man, but possesses scholarly at- tainments of high order. He has a gen- ial and sympathetic nature and impress- es the stranger with his strong person- ality. One cannot converse with him without feeling that he is in the pres- ence of a cultured and refined gentle- man. His artistic nature has made him the possessor of some of the finest paint- ings in the country, and with his cus- tomary liberality he has not only thrown open his gallery to all who may desire to see it, but also has hung some of his finest works on the walls of the art gallery in the Public Library. Of the benevolence of Mr. Walker and his noble wife it is unnecessary to speak. In all public enterprises for the furtherance of the glory and reputation of Minneapolis he has taken an active part. And when financial assistance has been required he gives with a generous hand. However, his public benevolences are but a small part of the sums con- tributed for the benefit of others. The charity is not ostentatious, but is of the kind which finds out the deserving poor and needy and assists them when help is most needed. There are hun- dreds in this city who have had cause to bless the names of Mr. and Mrs. Walk- er. Hs is not of those who grind and tyrannize over their employes in order that a great show of public charity may be made, but his workmen are paid good wages and treated as if they were human beings. Mr. Walker is a patron of literature and owns one of the best private libra- ries in the city. Since the foundation of the public library he has been one of its strongest supporters and has given it his personal attention, in addition to financial aid. When the nominations for the library board were considered by the Republican committee, it paid Mr. Walker but his just due when it placed him in nomination as one of the members of the board. Every one wlio desires to see a library board composed of members who will give their attention to the needs of the library, who will be its active and ener- getic supporters and who are well equipped for the necessary duties, can- not do therwise than cast their ballots for Mr. Walker. — Minneapolis Times, Oct. 16, 1894. FIT FOR THE GODS Such is the Magnificent Building Minneapolis Has Erected as a Home for the Muses. The Public Library and Art Building to be Formally Thrown Open Tomorrow Afternoon. A De- scription of the Beautiful Temple and Its Fine Internal and External Appointments. Minneapolis Tribune, Aug. 18, 1902. The Minneapolis public library and art building, by far the finest creation archi- tecturally and otherwise that the liberal policy of the city has ever suggested or its public-spirited citizens undertaken, will be thrown open to the public to- morrow. The event will be celebrated by a reception at the building which will do honor to the occasion and be an aus- picious opening of a long era of useful- ness in the community. The magnifi- cent structure, standing on the divid- ing line between the busy home of traf- fic and the quite seclusion of the home, will throw its influence over both, and with its precious store of literature and paintings, and other products of the arts, will serve as a mighty inspiration to the people of all classes and condi- tions. It is desired to dispense its bene- fits impartially. Plebeian and aristo- crat will share its advantages alike. It belongs to the city. It is the property of her citizens whose wise legislation and liberal policy made its existence possible, and in architectural design and finish and in the uses it will serve in the commonwealth, is one of its fairest ornaments. Here will be gathered all the literary treasures of the city, and the arrangements are such that all will be shown to their best advantage. Fa- mous books, superb paintings, artistic bric-a-brac, that have hitherto been floating obscurely about the city, seen by but few and enjoyed by less, and like the desert flower, seemingly born to blush unseen, will here find a perma- nent home, a place where they will be ac- cessible to all the world at all times and occasions, and in a position to exert their full measure of influence in the community. The library board is made up of as thoroughly representative and public- spirited men as the city can boast of. Indeed, it was because they possessed these sterling attributes that they were chosen to serve in that capacity. They are not only representative business men, but nearly all have at different times taken the lead in many of the city's grandest enterprises, financial, educational, and, in fact, in all lines aiding in the development of the city and the elevation of its citizens. Most worthy to head the aggregation, both from his long idenlihcatiun with the city and his loyalty and devotion to all her interests, is T. B. Walker, presi- dent of the board. He has given days and weeks of valuable time to further the interests of the library building, even neglecting his private aflfairs to advance those of the library, and has given every detail of business connected with it the same searching attention that he devotes to his own business. While to E. M. Johnson undoubtedly belongs the credit of getting the bill through the legislature which made the present public library possible, it is due to Mr. Walker's indomitable push and devotion to the cause that brought about such splendid results. The two men together have made a tremendous team, and with such coadjutors as Thomas Lowry, M. B. Koon, Swen Offedahl, J. B. Atwater, A. C. Austin, E. C. Babb and President Cyrus North- rop, it is not at all strange that they have wrought so wisely. The president of the board of education, the mayor, and the president of the university are members ex-officio. The other six are chosen by the people at general elec- tions. There is no salary attachment and the members' enthusiasm and ener- gy has been inspired wholly by love for the good cause. ARGUES AGAINST LAND LAW REPEAL. T. B. Walker Says It Would Make Both Poor and Rich Suffer. Globe Special Washington Service, 1417 G Street. Washington. D. C, April 6.— T. B. Walker, of Alinneapolis, appeared be- fore the house committee on public lands today and made an argument against the repeal of the timber and stone act. The bill under consideration was the one which already has passed the senate, which would give the secre- tary of the interior a right to dispose of the stumpage of timber at auction to the highest bidder. Mr. Walker con- tended that it would raise the price of scrip, and that the poor man and the ricli lumbermen would suffer great hardship by its passage. (Globe, St. Paul, Minn., Apr. 7. 1904.) THE ABERDEEN AMERICAN. WARNER, SOUTH DAKOTA, THURSDAY. JUNE 23, 1904. Hon. T. B. Walker at Aberdeen, The power of religion and its in- fluence and force in shaping the course of the world. This was the basis of a talk to the people of Aberdeen Sunday evening, by a man whose life has been inseparably associated with the great interests of this great Northwest in religion, politics, business, Hon. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis. His great in- tellectual attainments, supplemented by a lifetime of studious attention and re- search, enable him to exercise his phi- losophy of reason in a clear, strong, easily understood manner. His tone of voice did not have the usual superfluous inflection, like the rise and fall of a tempest, but was pleasing and distinct. Every statement was full and precise. Every sentence was correctly formed from the foundation of reason and truth. He did not treat of superstition, he did not quote from the Bible, but called your attention to yourself. You have to do with yourself as you will. That, he says, is the plan of creation, people are born without minds anticipating that wisdom will come to them if not repelled, and just as fast as they are prepared to receive wisdom it will be advanced to them. There were no attempts at humor in his address. There were no appeals to passion. It was deep, earnest, unani- mated thought, given life in expression from the best trained business mind in the West. He speaks to us of confi- dence. The reason why people have confidence in his judgment and ability is or lies in the fact that they know that he is as near right as it is jiossible for a human being to be. Trust is a sacred privilege. Extraordinary care should be exercised in its bestowal. And of the many trusts and unions only two are necessary, viz.. Trust in the immortal- ity of man, and the Great American Union. Instead of Unions vs. Trusts, we ought to have a union of trusts or a trust of unions merged into one, and, as McKinley said, it is not by conquest that the world is advanced, but by con- cord. The Rev. Dent once said that busi- ness methods must be installed in the church in order to get the best results. That is right; business is not the op- posite of religion, that part which would be considered the opposite of religion is not business. Real religion is the supreme and es- pecial part of human destiny and our principle mission here is to advance our interests on those lines. Just how to do that is not clear to some, but I think that Mr. Walker's idea is nearer the cor- rect one. We can only aid the supreme Power by aiding ourselves and kind. He does not need our assistance, but we probably do require His, and to get that assistance we must learn that we can- not get it by supplication and appeals on our knees, unless, as Mr. Walker says, we have fitted ourselves for the place that we wish to occupy, which is eternal bliss, and we must not be found repulsive to blissful surroundings and association, but must know that we are in perfect harmony with glory in order to get a position of that kind and the poorest man is as eligible for that life as the millionaire, and there is a possi- bility that he has a little advantage, which fact is one of the distinct features of Heaven. I had supposed that I would find the street blocked with people and every balcony crowded to its utmost capacity, in an endeavor to hear what this dis- tinguished man would say to us. Many that read this will regret that they did not know that Hon. T. B. Walker was in Aberdeen. Mr. Walker is a truly great and a truly good man. In all the channels of religion, business and poli- tics, the Northwest has never had so powerful an advocate as he, in all its array of great men. Aside from his greater qualities, Mr. Walker is the pos- sessor of the greatest fortune of any man west of Chicago and this great wealth he has accumulated along hu- mane and religious lines. That proves that a man has a greater advantage in being honest and kind with his neigh- bors. Everbody in Minneapolis also knows Mrs. Walker, Mrs. T. B. Walker. Her life has been one of benevolence and philanthropy. We hear of the kindness, charity and human sympathy of this leader of Minneapolis women, very often and continuously. Mr. T. B. Walker is not a pessmist, but has wisdom of a superior quality perfected by association and years of mental development. Not over cautious, he made this statement: "I wish to re- peat the stalcment of Senator Davis, made to me in his committee room at the National Capitol shortly before he was taken down with his illness which terminated fatally: 'I see nothing but hopeless gloom before my country, un- less its Government is placed upon a truly religious basis,' " And this whole idea of religion rests with each individ- ual, Mr. Walker says. He furnishes philosophical proof that we are ad- vanced as fast as we advance our- selves. That good comes to the good. That bad comes to the bad. And that it is not necessary for you to quote the Scripture or Bible to convince yourself that it is light when the light is shin- ing full in your face. Air. Walker does not try to make plain that which is not plain. He tries to show, and does show, that we have as his name- sake says, in creation revealed more than enough to convince those who are not determined to shut out the light. That religion, business, politics, are one. Men must not expect especial favors from the Ruler of destiny. But the just and impartial dispenser of justice to mankind will reward those who are entitled to a reward, and with a degree of merit to which the bestowee is en- titled. Whatever may have induced this eminent gentleman to condescend to honor Aberdeen with his presence may only be known to himself, but we do know that his time is far too valuable to be used for any other purpose than that for which men employ the nobler faculties of life. The safety and ad- vancement of the world rest with men like Senator Kyle and T. B. Wal- ker. When South Dakota was flying Kyle's pennant, we knew it was the signal for good behavior and we always put on our best manners. There was that feeling or sensation that we feel but cannot ex- press, when in the presence of men so vastly superior to ourselves. Mr. Wal- ker appears to have no thought of what people term "private life." He ap- pears to be very much interested in the welfare and happiness of the whole hu- man family. In his residence, which is open to the public at all hours of the day, all days excepting Sunday (and he is considering the proposition of Sun- day opening), is the most celebrated collection of rare and almost priceless paintings, selected with a thorough knowledge of art and artists, from the most famous galleries and private studios of Europe. Pictures endowed with everything but life. Pictures that have a history, which would re- quire a volume to tell you all about. In fact pronounced the best pieces of art, from the greatest creations, from the greatest masters, to be found among the many magnificent galleries in the United States. The Belgian Minister to the United States traveled across the continent to see Mr. T. B. Walker's paintings. Would you like to see them? You can most certainly have that pleas- ure, as Mr. Walker extends to every man, woman and child in Aberdeen, as well as those from other localities, an invitation to inspect them at leisure and at all times free of cost. This leads us to believe that if there are special dispen- sations of great fortunes, by a supreme being, then this was like all others a wise one. Mr. Walker's fortune is vast millions. But his neighbors tell me that his heart is larger than his fortune, and that his intellectual ability sur- passes either. If we had a world of men like this, people would not be in such a hurry to get to heaven. The large lawn, beautifully land- scaped, surrounding Mr. Walker's home, appears to be always open to the pub- lic also. Under the stately trees and in their cooling shade you will notice inviting seats conveniently arranged for those who care to rest. H. F. SCOTT. FINE ARTS. Translation of a letter in the Paris Fi- garo by Champier. French Taste is to Find a Rival and to be Surpassed in America. In the new gallery of T. B. Walker, adjoining his residence, on Hennepin avenue, are hung several new canvases representing the work of some of the most noted painters. Mr. Walker's gal- lery is justly famed and he is continual- ly entertaining visitors who frequently come long distances to see his pictures. His new gallery consists of a suite of three rooms hung on all sides. Among the recent additions to his collection is a dark toned portrait of a lady in Rem- brandt rufif, painted in 1651 by Ferdi- nand Bol, a pupil of Rembrandt, and to whose hand is undoubtedly due many of the so-called Rcmbrandts. Two quiet landscapes are by Delpy, a pupil of Daubigny, and one who has bor- rowed many of the best traits of his master. A large Schreyer, pronounced one of the best in the country, a Geri- cault, a capital horse picture, a little bit of landscape, by Julien, of the Aca- demy in Paris, a square of rich luxu- riant green, by George Inness, a large Bouguereau, one of the earliest works of the painter, showing two Normandy girls at prayer, are a few of the more noted works which have been lately added to this collection. — Tribune, Dec. 2, 1893. A noble charity is that of Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, who have given up a large part of their beau- tiful home lawn on Hennepin avenue for a public playground for children. For many years they have kept benches around their lawn for free public use, and the seats are evidently well appre- ciated, for they are almost always in use. Such an example is worthy of general imitation. Morristown Press, Aug. 17, 1899. NEW YORK, JANUARY, 1902. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER A Prominent Lumberman of Minnesota. — Owner of One of the Finest Private Art Collections in the World. Sagacity, perseverance and ability, to- gether with a determination to do al- ways what was best and not what he thought the best, has brought about the conspicuous success of the life's work of the subject of this sketch. Left on his own resources in early youth, Thomas B. Walker has forged his way upward and onward, and has gained fortune and distinction. He has not only demonstrated his ability in his chosen field of business activity, but in art and literature he has also gained fame. His character is above reproach, and he has always practiced the highest type of honesty. In all his transactions, business and social, he has been consid- erate of the rights of others. With a strong belief in the ultimate success of correctly applied endeavor, he labored hard and continuously toward his covet- ed goal, and no dishonest fortune has ever come into his possession. He is indeed a type of the successful Ameri- can that the aspiring young men of the land may well emulate. Mr. Walker was born at Xenia, Ohio, February 1, 1840, and is a son of Piatt Bayless Walker and Anstis Keziah (Bar- low) Walker. His father was a shoe- maker by trade, but by occupation was a contractor and speculator. He was in good circumstances, but, catching the "gold fever"in 1849, he invested his competency in a train of merchandise and started across the plains for Cali- fornia. Cholera broke out in the com- pany, and Mr. Walker was one of the first victims, dying on the plains near Warrensburg, Alissouri. Although the train was carried through to its destina- tion and the goods sold, none of the proceeds ever reached the deceased's family. The mother of the subject of this sketch was a native of New York, as was her husband, but both had lived for years in Ohio. Having been left upon his own re- sources at an early age, and compelled to work for his livelihood, Thomas B. Walker had few opportunities to at- tend school; but he made good use of those presented, and at the age of six- teen he entered Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio. By attending the univer- sity for several years in periods of a term at a time, and keeping up with his class while absent, working as a traveling salesman, he completed his course. On the road traveling, he car- ried two valises, one containing his school-books, which he studied at all sj^are times; and this habit has contin- ued with him through life, and by it he has secured a splendid education, be- coming thoroughly informed upon a number of subjects on which he is a recognized authority. At nineteen years of age, he secured a contract from the railroad at Paris, Illinois, for getting out crossties and cordwood, and he con- tinued this work for eighteen months, when the company failed and he lost all the profits which had accrued. His experience and the knowledge he gained of timber, though of little value to him at the time, proved subsequently to be worth all it had cost. Returning to his home, he taught school for a year, and then resumed the traveling business, ac- cepting a position with Hon. Fletcher Hulet, who was a manufacturer of grindstones at Berea. In 1862, on his v. ay up the Mississippi River, Mr. Walker heard of the attractions and prospects of Minneapolis, which was then a mere hamlet, and he immediate- ly proceeded to that place. Soon after his arrival he engaged to go with a party on a government land survey, which venture narrowly escaped a dis- astrous ending, as it proceeded, through ignorance, into the heart of a country infested with hostile Indians. After many privations, the party finally reached Fort Ripley, where they were welcomed as a reinforcement to the small garrison then holding that point. Mr. Walker sjient two or three years in government survey work, and one year on the survey of the St. Paul & Duluth Railway, where he gained a thorough knowledge of the timber coun- try, and he decided to engage in the pine land business. He organized the firm of Butler, Mills & Walker, putting in his time, knowledge and experience against his partners' money. Under his management, the firm was eminently successful, logging and building and op- erating mills and lumber yards. The partnership continued for several years, terminating with the death of Dr. Levi Butler and the removing of Howard Mills' residence to California. At the same time Mr. Walker was interested with Henry T. Wells in the purchase of pine timber, and he subsequently be- came engaged in the lumber industry in all parts of northern Minnesota and Dakota. Mr. Walker owned and oper- ated mills on the St. Anthony Falls, and for many years with Major George H. Camp, under the firm name of Camp & Walker, operated the "J- Dean" mill. With his son, Gilbert M. Walker, under the name of the Red River Lumber Company, he later built two mills, one at Crookston, Minnesota, and one at Grand Forks, North Dakota. This firm is still active, and three more of his sons are interested in it. The mills are now at Akeley, Minnesota. Mr. Walk- er is also associated with H. C. Akeley, under the firm name of Walker & Ake- ley, in the ownership of large tracts of pine lands. Since 1889, when Mr. Walk- er sent his superintendent of timber to the Pacific Coast as an expert to exam- ine the various timber tracts, he has had in view the purchase of pine timber in that part of the country, and in 1894 he began to personally look over the opportunities for investment in that sec- tion. He proceeded quietly, and when, in the early part of the present year, the annotinccmcnt was made of his our- chases in the Mt. Shasta district, Cali- fornia, the Pacific Coast lumbermen be- gan to realize that they had been out- stripped by a more alert and shrewder rival. Mr. Walker owns now the larg- est tracts of pine timber possessed by any one person or firm in the country. Though busy with his lumber inter- ests, Mr. Walker has been active in add- ing to the material wealth of Minneapo- lis and the adjacent country. He built the Central Market and Commission Row in Minneapolis, where is located the wholesale commission business of that city. The market is one of the largest and most commodious whole- sale and retail markets in the West. Mr. Walker, under the firm name of the Land and Investment Company, was the projector and the builder of St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapo- lis. Here is located a number of large manufacturing concerns and the noted Beet Sugar plant. The construction of the St. Louis Park and Hopkins Street Railway to these thriving suburbs is a part of the plan, and has proven a pro- fitable investment. Mr. Walker was one of the originators of the Business Men's Union, which for many years did not- able work for Minneapolis, and he has also been a supporter of the Board of Trade. Appreciating the value and the good done by public libraries, Mr. Walker became the means and instrument through which the present Minneapolis public library was organized and set in useful operation. H gave liberally in aid of its beautiful building and ap- pointments, and keeps its art gallery supplied with fine works from his pri- vate collection. He has been President of the Board of Directors since its first organization. During the past fifteen years or more, Mr. Walker has been engaged in mak- ing a collection of the best oil paint- ings, bronzes and other works of art, and is the proud possessor of one of the finest, if not the finest, private art col- lections in the world. On the walls of his gallery are found the choicest productions of such masters as Corot, Rousseau, Rosa Bonheur, Diaz, Ho- garth, Sir Thomas Lawrence, David, Le Fevre, Bouguereau, Schreyer, Jacque, Breton, Madam Demont, Turner, Rem- brandt, Peele, Guido Reni, Van Dyke, Rubens, Von Der Heist, Pourbus, Mieswelt, Raphael. Sebastian Del Piom- bo, Sir William Baehy, Ofrie, Rubun, and many other ancient and modern artists of fame. Over fifty of these paintings are hung in the gallery at the public library, but the majority, with the bronzes and ivories, are in his pri- vate gallery at the family residence, 803 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis. This gallery is held open to the public every day, except Sunday, and is visited by art lovers from all over the world. Mr. Walker lias recently added several more rooms to his private galley, and in one of these rooms he has hung his collection of portraits by old and mod- ern masters. This particular collection is unequaled in any private gallery in the world, and contains a number of rare and unsurpassable works of art. Mr. Walker is a member of the Nation- al Art Society, President of the Minne- apolis Fine Art Society, and a member and one of the princii)al supporters of the Academy of Science. He has also in his home a fine private library, equal to any in the country. Science, theolo- gy, political economy, history and other subjects are prominently represented, while he has gathered together for his own use and aid what is perhaps the finest Art Reference Library in the country. Politically Mr. Walker is a Republi- can, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He is a close student of politi- cal economy, and during the last two presidential campaigns delivered a num- ber of able addresses and wrote exten- sively on the issues involved. Mr. Walker was happily married to Harriet G. Hulet, daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, in Berea, Ohio. His wife is one of the most prominent re- formers in the United States, and is ac- tive in all movements for the elevation of her sex. In Minneapolis she takes a conspicuous part in many public and private charities, and is prominent in church circles. Mr. Walker is a pro- nounced Christian, and his purse is al- ways open to charitable and religious movements. His family consists of seven children, five sons, four of whom are in business with their father, and one is still in school, and two married daughters, one of whom is widowed. Mr. Walker has always been devoted to his home and family, and he has provid- ed his children with everything that goes to make them useful and upright men and women. D. E. O'Brien. Local Kit-Kats (in Black and White) By Ashleigh Cooper. T. B. Walker is a virile proof that The man of few words is— The man of force. In Thomas B. Walker is the harmo- nious combination of business activity, intellectual reserve, and aesthetic appre- ciation. Mr. Walker represents the fast declin- ing type of men who are pioneers. He represents the new order which promotes the beautiful and — Advocates the good. This man is an art critic of discretion. He grasps the true color and the natur- al posture with incredible rapidity— And sees in the picture— not the fame of the painter — but — The genius of the man. Thomas B. Walker is philanthro])ic. His philanthropy is that which has caused him to throw open his magnifi- cent art gallery to the public. It has made him feel that benches on his lawn would be agreeable to the many whose destiny is to walk rather than be conveyed through life. Mr. Walker is a man whose social in- clinations are subdued. As a citizen he believes in exerting a certain effort for social relationship. But— Also believes that such intercourse should emanate from the home. Mr. Walker advises all men and women to accept the highest education the state can give them. He comprehends that the situation of today will not be the situation of to- morrow — And feels that the expansion of culture will mean the expansion of good. Tribune, Jan. 29. 1902. Mississippi Valley Lumberman, June 10, A stranger walking up Hennepin av- enue the other evening with a city friend paused in front of the residence of Mr. T. B. Walker and wanted to know who owned that beautiful place. A lot of boys were having a bicycle race on one side of the broad lawn. On the other side some more boys were having a game of ball. Just on the edge of the lawn toward the street a number of comfortable seats were ranged on which ladies and gentlemen were seated, en- joying a pleasant siesta. The stranger was struck, just as a great many who are not strangers have been, by this sight. The stranger was still more sur- prised when he learned that the owner and occupant of the place was a million- aire lumberman, one of the wealthiest men in the city and the Northwest. (I believe Mr. Walker is considered the richest man in Minneapolis.) "Well," said the stranger, "he must have an aw- ful big family or else be the most public spirited and unconventional man in the United States. Most rich men like to have fine residences and beautiful grounds, but there is always a fence, either real or imaginary around, which says to the general public, 'Hitherto may thou come and look into the prom- ised land but no farther.' But this man Walker seems to be running a public park on his own hook." The characterization was correct. If the stranger had seen Mr. Walker him- self walking along the street with his moderate mien and entire absence of any evidence of the pomp and pride sup- posed to mark the presence of wealth he would have been even more sur- prised. Mr. Walker looks a good deal more like a pastor of a Presbyterian church or a professor in a Congrega- tional college than a bloated (?) pos- sessor of pine lands. And he has a good match in his wife — one of the least assuming and unpretentious appearing ladies in the city. She spends a great deal of time, strength and money in looking after the woman's charitable in- stitutions, her relations with which are in many cases almost maternal. As the stranger suspected the public gets al- most as much benefit of their beautiful but not extravagant or pretentious home as do the family. The P^rtoG^R^ESs. THOMAS B. WALKER. Father of Minneapolis' Magnificent Public Library.— Story of a Useful Life. The Philosopher Plato said concern- ing books: "A house that contains a li- brary has a soul." And the modern philosopher Emerson said concerning art: "What is that abridgement and selection we observe in all spiritual activity but itself the creative impulse? For it is the inlet of that higher illumination which teaches to convey a larger sense by simple sym- bols. What is a man but nature's finer success in self-explication? What is a man but a fine and compacter land- scape than the horizon figures; nature's electicism? And what is his speech, his love of painting, love of nature, but a still finer success? All the weary miles and tons of space and bulk left out, and the spirit or moral of it contracted into a musical word, or the most cunning stroke of the pencil?" And George Sand has said: "He who is a true lover of poetry is a real poet, though he may never have written a verse in his life." And we say that a true lover of paint- ing and sculpture, one who fully ap- preciates and truly admires the finest in art, is a real artist, though he may not be able to handle either brush or chisel. T. B. Walker is a great LOVER OF BOOKS AND ART. and though he may never have written a verse, painted a picture or seized mallet and chisel to make a block of marble speak the language of his lofty soul, we see through his patronage of art a noble specimen of Emerson's "electicism of nature," and a true speci- men of George Sand's ideal poet; while in his tribute to literature through his invaluable connection with the estab- lishment of our city's magnificent public library, we see in him Plato's ideal lifted on a broader plane than that of the planter of a soul in a single house; for we recognize in Mr. Walker the planter of a universal and abundant soul for a whole city. While Mr. Loring is hailed as the father of our park system, we behold in Mr. Walker the rightful father of our public library, and in consideration of this, we claim, without fear of dispute, that he is one of this city's greatest and most useful benefactors. Ever since the first incipicncy of the plan to establish the old Athenaeum, Mr. Walker's best energies in behalf of the public good have been directed toward the founding of A COMPLETE FREE LIBRARY. in every sense of the term — a grand public storehouse filled with the very best in literature and art, at which and from which all might intellectually feast without money and without price. That his efforts have been abundantly crowned with success none will gainsay who enter and intelligently observe this master tribute to learning and refine- ment — the Minneapolis Public Library. And for further proof of Mr. Walker's boundless love and patronage of the highest type of the pure and beautiful in literature and art, visit the man's home— where, if you are an admirer of these things, you will be welcomed by their owner — look into his home art gallery and private library, and you will see that nothing has been too rare and costly in the way of books and pictures to be given place by him among his household gods, in order that he might cultivate in his family a wholesome taste for the most elevating environ- ments, and make home to himself and loved ones "the dearest spot on earth." It is such a man as this that the Progress wants to sec retained as a member of the public library board. Let every voter who has the interest of the Minneapolis public library at heart to see to it that the name of T. B. Walker heads the ticket under the cap- tion of Minneapolis Library Board. But in order to appreciate the true charac- ter of the man we must take A GLANCE AT HIS LIFE's HISTORY. Thomas Barlow Walker was born at Xenia, Greene county, Ohio, on the first day of February, 1840, and is still a young man when we compare his age with the measure of his achievements. His father, Piatt Bayless Walker, was of pure English stock his people hav- ing been among the first settlers of New Jersey in the early history of this country. The father of the subject of this sketch left New Jersey early in life and went to New York, where he met and married Miss Austis K. Barlow, who was the daughter of Hon. Thomas Barlow, of New York, and sister of Judge Thomas Barlow, of the same state, and Judge Moses Barlow, of Ohio. Many of our readers will remember the noble and kindly Mrs. Barlow Walker, who was a central figure in the home of her son, Thomas B., having here happily passed the last sixteen years of her life, the doer of many noble deeds of charity. When our sub- ject was but eight years of age, his father was seized with the bold spirit of speculation that was rife with the most enterprising "forty-niners," after the discovery of gold in California, and invested almost his entire fortune in a wagon train of merchandise, and started for Sacramento. But at Westport, Mo., he fell a victim to the cholera scourge, leaving his wife and four young chil- dren to cope, alone, with the adversities of life. But the mother proved equal to the emergency, and as her offspring grew up and took upon themselves the burdens of life she found that she had a fortune in her grateful children that amply repaid her for all the anxious care she had bestowed upon them in their EARLY TRAINING. After a very speedy common school education, necessity drove our young hero into the life of a business man while he was yet a boy in years. We believe that this first early at- tempt at the transaction of business was to go "on the road" in the capacity of a commercial traveller to drum up trade for a well known eastern firm that dealt in grindstones, and, while following this vocation, the stack of books he carried with him for study on the route is said to have been much more bulky and quite as heavy as the balance of his luggage, which he carried in a separate grip. But Mr. Walker was a good salesman, as well as a great stu- dent, and his trips proved profitable to him in more than one sense of the term. For, while he was thus earning a living and saving some money, he found time on the route to keep up with the usual college course of study wliich he had commenced in the Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio, where his parents had moved in order to give their children better educational advantages. Mr. Walker's greatest penchant was for the study of higher mathematics, which studies he so thoroughly mastered as to become well fitted for the position of a college professor of these branches, and was at one time imbued with the idea of taking up teaching as a profes- sion. While he was in this mood, in 1862, he applied to the board of the Wisconsin State University for the chair of assistant professorship of mathematics, and the university board subsequently elected him to the position sought, but in the meantime, before the action of the board was reported to him, Mr. Walker made arrangements to engage in the government survey. About this time he came to the then VILLAGE OF . .INNEAPOLIS. and was so impressed with its beautiful and advantageous location that he re- solved to here make his future home. After arriving in Minneapolis he en- tered into service as a surveyor with Geo. B. Wright, who was then the chief surveyor of the state. But this start at surveying Minnesota lands was of short duration, for the Indian outbreak of that year forced the surveying party to take up quarters for safety in Fort Ripley, and Mr. Walker soon returned to Minneapolis and devoted the winter to his books. The following season he spent in examining lands for the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company, and in the autumn of that year he went back to his home in Berea, Ohio, where, on the 19th day of December, 1863, he was married to Harriet G., youngest daugh- ter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet. Soon after this union, Mr. and Mrs. Walker came to Minneapolis, which has ever since been their home. Life here in those days was attended with the vicissitudes of the LIFE OF THE PIONEER. and Mrs. Walker nobly shared the trials of her husband in their first efforts at home-making, as she has since shared in all the fruits of his prosperity, and dispensing of a good share of their self- earned bounties to others. Thes ummer of 1864 Mr. Walker spent in running the surveys of the St. Paul and Duluth railroad, and for a number of years following, he gave his almost undivided attention to govern- ment surveys. This work gave him a thorough knowledge of the best pine lands of Minnesota and in 1868 he com- menced to profit by this fairly acquired knowledge, associating himself with men of ready means who were willing, also, to profit by Mr. Walker's knowl- edge, and from this time on valuable lands were located and gigantic lumber enter])rises were planned and carried forward to an almost unlimited success. Under such enterprises Minneapolis rapidly sprang into a flourishing town and rich city, and Mr. Walker, as a leader of this spirit of enterprise, soon became known as a man of wealth and vast achievements. He has, today, larg- er and more PROSPEROUS LUMBER INTERESTS. than any other citizen of Minnesota, be- sides many other prosperous enterprises and investments that greatly add to the city's welfare. And after looking closely into Mr. Walker's life and his- tory, we can truthfully say that he has honorably acquired all these and that he administers their profits in such a way as to make the lives of thousands much more happy and useful than they otherwise would be. THE PURLIC LIBRARY. T. B. Walker's interest in the Minne- apolis Public Library commenced with the old Athenaeum, when it had but little more than 4,000 volumes. It was not a very popular institution with the public then, as its rights and privileges were only extended to the few share- holders in the concern. Mr. Walker's first interest in this early and small commencement for a public library was marked by his strong and earnest plea for an increase of books and an exten- sion of its privileges to the general pub- lic. Through his influence and aid new books were purchased, the reading room was enlarged, the hours of service of the assistant librarian lengthened, and the Athenaeum after a time was brought to as liberal a basis of operations as was consistent with its constitution, which was in itself restrictive. The li- brary was opened on Sunday, and the use of its books extended through the privilege that was granted for the pay- ment of membership fees by install- ments. Mr. Walker purchased several hun- dred of these certificates of member- ship, which he kept loaned out to his employees and others. But in the rapid growth of the city, Mr. Walker FORESAW THE DEMAND. for a library that should meet the wants of a large mixed population and be free to all. Yet it seemed unnecessary to duplicate the large number of books then in the Athenaeum, and maintain two separate libraries. He therefore proposed that the city, by taxation, es- tablish a free library, upon condition that the citizens contribute a certain large sum toward the erection of the building, and that the Athenaeum, the Academy of Science, and the Fine Art Society be given space in the building, in consideration that the books of the Athenaeum library be circulated upon the same terms as those of the Public Library, and to be drawn in the same manner. This plan met with enthusias- tic approval, necessary legislation was secured, and Mr. Walker was the first to subscribe to the necessary fund for this purpose. And so our beautiful Public Library building became a reality and one of Mr. Walker's fondest desires for the good of the city was satisfied. The rapid growth of this institution in the past five years since the new building was formally opened (its standing in circulation now being fourth among the public libraries of the United State) and the pride of the citizens in it are the best possible witnesses to the wisdom of the board and liberal policy inaugurated by Mr. Walker. Mr. Walker has been annually elected President of the Library Board, from its organization, in 1885, to the present time. THE LIBERAL PROVISION FOR ART. in this building is also due to Mr. Walker's interest in and devotion to it. He has always been an ardent support- er of the art scliool, which is now so prominent among the educational insti- tutions of this city, and stands in the front rank among the art schools of the land. He has fostered the art school in various ways, and the finest speci- mens in its gallery are donations or loans from Mr. Walker's private collec- tion. His private gallery at his home is pronounced the choicest collection of its size in the United States. The fame of this gallery extends throughout the civi- lized world, and connoisseurs come from a long distance to gaze upon its wonderful beauties. This home gallery is kept open to the public on all days but Sunday, thus furnishing a center of art education which is highly ajjpreciat- ed by our people as well as by "the stranger within our gates." A love of the pure and beautiful is the crowning feature of Mr. Walker's great and manly nature, and the best di- rected energies of his whole life work has been in behalf of the elevation of his kind. Again we say: Keep this always good and genial spirit on the Library Board. His whole soul is in the work, and the best interests of our people in that which is pure and elevating demand it. A Minnesota Millionaire. "Yes," said the Minneapolis man at the Grand Pacific the other evening in conversation with a gentleman from the East. "We have a number of million- aires in our city, many of whom grew rich out of fortunate investments in pine lands. There is T. B. Walker, worth not less than ten millions. Eight- een years ago he came to Minneapolis and rented a little house on the East Side for $9.00 a month. Uj) to that time he had been a country school teach- er and had done some surveying. He took a contract to survey pine lands in Northern Minnesota, and being a smart, energetic fellow, took advantage of the situation, and with the aid of men of money whom he interested with him, he became the richest main in the State of Minnesota."— Chicago Inter-Ocean. MINUEAPOLIS, MINN., SATURDAY, DEC. 7. 1889. THOMAS B. WALKER A Representative Citizen and Leading Business Man. — A Lover of Literature, Student of Art, Liberal and Progressive. Were our citizens asked to name among the many enterprising business men of Minneapolis the one who is pre- eminently a leader in all matters per- taining to the progress of the city, nine out of ten would answer without hesi- tation "T. B. Walker." Modest and unassuming, easily approachable by all, with a clear head and a warm heart, Mr. Walker is one who is thoroughly appre- ciated at home and who is honored wherever he is known. Thomas B. Walker was born at Zenia, Ohio, Feb. 1, 1840. His father died in 1849 and the family moved to Berea, where the lad did all possible to help keep the wolf from the door. There he secured the rudiments of an education. Slow to learn in some directions he had a keen grasp on facts and figures and came out solid on examinations. He was fond of mathematics and gave him- self up to a study of engineering, as- tronomy, etc. He came to Minnesota in 1862. and followed surveying, and en- gineering. Incidentally ascertaining the extent and value of the fine body of pine timber in Northern Minnesota, he, together with other Minneapolis men, secured large tracts of them. In 1868 he formed with Dr. Levi But- ler and H. W. Mills the lumber firm of Butler, Mills & Walker, the firm con- tinuing until 1876, when with George A. Camp he bought the Pacific mills of J. Dean & Co. The firm of Camp & Walk- er continued until a late date, when Mr. Camp retired. Mr. Walker, besides manufacturing lumber here on a large scale, has operated extensively at Crookston and been interested in many other industrial ventures, not only in the line of lumber, but in other directions. Whenever meritorious manufacturing enterprise seeks to establish itself here, Mr. Walker's name is always found at the head of subscribers to its stock, so that his liberality and enterprise are well known and thoroughly appreciated. He wis the leading spirit of a project broached here some years ago to form a Business Men's Union to back up sub- stantially all worthy enterprises seeking sites here or desiring to sell stock in order to get a start. He saw the wis- dom of having a number of men repre- senting millions of capital to quietly in- vestigate the standing of men who de- sired to enlarge their business or start here new enterprises adding largely to our population and product. The pro- ject then defeated by one or two men is likely to be revived this year to the great advantage of all our property owners and citizens. While Mr. Walker is very enterpris- ing he is also wisely conservative. To him more than any other dozen men in Minneapolis is due the stemming of a tide of foolish and suicidal hostility towards the great Manitoba railroad, he helping to secure us the stone arch bridge. Union depot, etc. To close per- sonal friendship for Mr. Walker we may very largely attribute President Hill's late magnificent gift of some $100,000 worth of choice pictures of the library and art society boards, of both of which, Mr. Walker is president. His exact knowledge and conservative wisdom once saved to leading citizens hundreds of thousands of dollars. There was a gold craze here over certain dis- coveries in the Vermilion range. Mr. Walker with his knowledge of mineralo- gy and metallurgy saw at once that gold did not exist in extent to pay working. Those who think Mr. Walker's breadth of knowledge might imply su- perficiality are mistaken. When he takes up a subject he gives it his full attention and masters it. Thus he not only knows the principles of chemistry, but its practice from the elimination of oxygen to blowpipe analysis. Few would suspect it of so plain and so practical a man. but he is an expert in gems and is so recognized not only in the Northwest, but by leading lapida- ries in New York and Paris. His knowledge of art is critical and comprehensive. He has the best pri- vate are reference library in the west and a collection of pictures which in quality rank among the very best in the country. Among leading artists represented by choice pictures are Bouguereau, Diaz, Lefevre, De Nouy, Breton, Detaille and Schreyer. Many of these pictures have been loaned to the ExpositidU and in various ways have been enjoyed by the public. His splen- did collection is not the result of a "picturc-craze" such as often attacks millionaires. It grows out of the nature of Mr. Walker, and his love for the best in all lines. When too poor to buy oil paintings, he bought chromos, but they were the best. Mr. Walker is president of the library board and has contributed largely of his time and money to the free public libra- ry. He it was who by a liberal expendi- ture and much hard work broke the crust of conservatism in the old Athen- aeum library, and thereby paved the way to the present grand consummation of a triple union between the culture forces of literature, science and art in the public library building now about completed as mentioned elsewhere. As leading director and contributor to the Minnesota Academy of Sciences, Mr. Walker has been hardly less prom- inent. Besides liberal r^ifts to the science collection, he has on hand, ready for delivery, a complete set of the re- ports of the British Association from the beginning of its organization, with other valuable scientific books and peri- odicals. He is president of the Minne- apolis Society of Fine Arts and has done as much or mlinn«-a|M>liN. InthiNl rial American, >linii<-a|M>liN. The MlMMi.sMipiti \ alley l.uinlK'rinaii, .MiniieapoliM, let and Breton did not live in the same world. Millet's "Sower," "Man With a Hoe," "Cleaners." they are heavy, ani- mated clods, crushed until tliey are part of the eartli. This woman calling, this one waving her sickle in Breton's "Call," are lithe, vigorous, strong, hope- ful, and the blue haze of falling evening is a fllmy, beautiful veil, not the deadly pall of Millet's night. Millet had the weight of woe around him on his heart; he will not flinch until he has told the world. Vuillefroy carried the "Angelus" up to Paris to sell it for $400. offered it for $200. and carried it back to tell Millet he would have to starve a little longer. What sentimental fools you and your wife are. Millet, to leave the pot-boiling nudes in Paris just to tell the story of poor peasants. You might have had a comfortable home and been admired by barkeeps and the demimonde, and now you go down to history as merely "the painter of the people." Perhaps, however, when "the people" come into their own you may get your crown. Breton is only reconciled to lose his loved dream when he knows that his daughter's masterpiece. "Her Man is on the Sea." is to be with his "Evening Call." Demont-Breton has shown the wife of a sailor, >\'ith baby asleep on her arm, sitting before the fire. She has painted the unutterable loneliness of the weary, waiting, and watching for him who may not come back. The sad, longing, far-away look, the lining of the mouth's corners in sorrow too deep for words. How a human soul may suffer! The great suffering is spiritual, not physical. If you can, meet the man who has collected this great gallery, great be- cause it represents almost every school, and there is not in it all one spurious picture or one poor picture. Bonds and buildings, forests and mills, this is the game that he plays, but plays it as a Christian gentleman should. Libraries, hospitals and churches, these are his duty to humanity. But this beautifully brilliant gallery, this is his love. A Christian gentleman, and spend such a fortune on his own luxurious enjoyment? you ask. Yes, a Christian gentleman, for he only gets that he may give. He gave all his pictures to me. Half-way across Lake Superior in a fog I close my eyes in my cabin and I am back again with them all before my soul. I thank him for making the col- lection, but the pictures are always for- ever mine. "When a person becomes a part of you, then you love," says Hugo. When you have really seen a picture it becomes a part of you. He gives this collection daily to his own city, and all day long men and women arc ac- centing his free gift. Two hours I spent with a man in a blue blouse of a mechanic, but no refinement of color or form escaped his apprehension and ap- preciation, and turning at the door he feelingly said, "But the best thing about this is that this fellow don't keep this all to himself but lets us all own it." When you go to Minneapolis, and it would pay you to go even for this one thing, forget ncjt to see this beautiful ])alace f)f art. RECALLS EARLY DAYS AT HEAD OF LAKES. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, Who As- sisted in Survey of the Lake Superior &Mississippi Line. Tries to Locate Landmark in Duluth Without Success — Heavy Owner of Timber and Iron Ore Lands. (News Tribune, Duluth, Aug. 3, '05.) One of the heaviest timber owners in the United States and one of the most interesting pioneers of Minnesota as well as one of its most active busi- ness men, is T. B. Walker, of Minne- apolis, who is now in Duluth on a com- bined business and pleasure trip, a guest at the Spalding. Mr. Walker helped to survey the first line of railroad to build into Dakota, the old Lake Superior & Mississippi, better known as the St. Paul & Duluth, and now known as the Northern Pacific shortline between the head of the lakes and the Twin Cities. In an interview last evening Mr. Walk- er said: "The survey of the old St. Paul & Duluth line from St. Paul and Minne- apolis to Duluth was made in 1866. H. A. Johnson was the chief engineer and A. L. Thornton and myself were assist- ant engineers. Nelson Miller, for years chief engineer of the Great Northern road, was then rodman in our crew. "At that time there were but half a dozen houses in Duluth. One of these was the land office. I tried to locate the site today but was unsuccessful, and shall try again. I tried to raise the money in 1866 to buy a couple of forties situated along the level area through which Superior street runs, but was unsuccessful. The property at that time could have been purchased for $20 an acre per forty and even less if both forties were taken. I remember the late Commodore Saxton very well. He was a director of the first railroad into Duluth that I have described, and was one of the best promotors of a road that has to be built without money or credit that I ever saw. "Duluth is going to become a large and important city. The census returns of this place will ever show increased population. Duluth is here to stay, and among some of your most promi- nent and valued citizens are some men that came here years ago upon my ad- vice. "Your main street is so situated that it will ever be a center of business, and new structures should be fireproof and modern. They should be provided with foundations that will make it pos- sible to add to their height in future years." Mr. Walker is owner of one half of what are known as the Hill ore lands on the Western Mesaba, J. J. Hill own- ing the other half. The whole tract was his originally but he sold a half interest to Harry Roberts and others, and they in turn to the railway mag- nate. The lands are located between Prairie River and Swan Lake and round Bovey. Mr. Walker says that he has received many applications from men who wish to secure options for leases to explore his lands, but that he has done nothing as yet. Later he expects to make some leases. He is a former owner of the Diamond mine on the western Mesaba, now owned in fee by the Oliver Iron Mining company. He says that he sold the fee of the land on which the Diamond is located for one dollar an acre. Iron deposits were not suspected at that time. Mr. Walker's principal timber inter- ests are now in California. He says that he is planning to build logging rail- roads and mills in that state, and begin extensive manufacturing operations. Mr. Walker declares that the owners of pine lands in Minnesota have been taxed so high that it became necessary for them to cut oflF the timber to pre- vent it being eaten up in that manner. At least that was his experience. It may be of interest to add that Mr. Walker is the owner of one of the finest picture galleries in the United States. TIMBER TABLES. Tabulated by T. B. Walker and The Mississippi Lumberman. (Herald, Aberdeen, Wash., Jan. 2, 1905.) T. B. Walker, the Minnesota lumber- man, who has been gathering statistics on the visible supply of lumber in the United States, has recently published his findings. In the whole country, there are 1,000,000,000.000 feet of stand- ing timber, and of this 625.000,000,000 feet are in California. Oregon and Washington. Of this Oregon has 225,- 000.000,000 feet and Washington and California 200,000.000,000 feet each. Tlie census of 1900 shows that 26,000,- 000,000 feet of lumber were cut that vear. To this Mr. Walker adds 3.000,- 000,000 feet cut into shingles, railroad ties, i^iles and the like, which makes 29,000,000,000 feet cut annually, and the rate of cutting it is constantly on the in- crease. At this rate, in less than thirty- five years the visible supply of timber in the United States will have been ex- hausted. The three Pacific states have more than half the standing timber of the country and this explains why railroads are seeking routes into the timber belts of hitherto considered inaccessible dis- tricts. The best timber of the other states of the country is practically all cut down, while the forests of the three Pacific states are comparatively un- touched. America has not yet learned to do without timber; it must be sup- i^lied from somewhere; and California, Oregon and Washington are the states of the nation best prepared to furnish it. Statements on that standing in the great lumber states show the rapidity with which it has been cut off. Michi- gan has but 4,000,000,000 feet standing, Wisconsin 30,000,000,000, and Minnesota, 35,000,000,000, while Maine, the train- ing school of American lumbermen, has but 8,000,000,000 feet. It may be, however, that 625,000,000,- 000 feet of standing timber in the Pacific Coast states is more valuable to the country standing than the dollars and cents that in the next quarter of a century will be sent here for it. But the effect that the denuding of the Western hills is to have upon the coun- try will be but slightly taken into con- sideration by those intent upon exploit- ing the western forests. Commerce and industry demand the timber. The de- mand will be honored. The dreamer and the scientist may regret in this generation. Practical men of affairs, however, will reserve their regrets for the next. T. B. Walker to Build Structure on Third Avenue North, Near Lyndale. (Tribune, Minneapolis, Sep. 17, '05.) The largest wholesale furniture house in the state will be in operation in^fin- neapolis just as soon as the building can be completed to house the business. Leon Hartman, ])roprietor of the big furniture house of that name, which has been operating in a retail way in Min- neapolis for nearly a year, is in the city, and has completed arrangements for an immense wholesale branch, and T. B, Walker is to build the structure which shall be the home of Hartman's whole- sale plant. ■'We have been in Minneapolis long enough to test its value as a trade cen- ter," said Mr. Hartman, speaking of the new venture. We have secured an ideal location, and Mr. Walker will build us just the kind of a building we want. It will be built for us and will be one of the most handy wholesale furniture buildings in the country, and will be the largest and most complete in the state. SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA, DECEMBER 20, 1903. Lifeof T.B.Walker. It is an undeniable fact that the vast natural wealth of California has met with a more intelligent appreciation by the Eastern visitor than by our own people. This is true of our mines, our agricultural lands, and especially of our redwood and pine forests. In connection with the pine timber interests of California the principal per- son now in the field as owner and pros- pective producer of lumber in these Sierra forests is Mr. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Walker began five or six years ago purchasing timber land in Siskiyou and Shasta counties. Afterward he ex- tended his holdings well into Modoc and through Lassen and into Plumas counties. Entering upon this timber purchasing after the most careful exam- ination, extending over several years, of the whole Coast timber forests, and having sufficient means to carry out a large project, he entered upon the de- sign of purchasing large areas — in fact, practically all the available timber on the Pitt River and down through into the Big Meadows region, upon the pre- sumption and understanding that large holdings would be absolutely essential to make a successful lumber operation in that rather remote timber. Mr. Walker has been looked upon as one of the most successful and capable timbermen in the United States. Hav- ing for many years worked most suc- cessfully in the timber of Minnesota, he came to California and entered upon this project, which at that time no other of the lumbermen could be found to undertake. While it was at first thought that he was erratic, it is now conceded that his plans are not only practicable, but will develop into the most valuable timber operations on the Coast. In describing the pine timber interests in California, the leading factor is the holdings of Mr. Walker, and while it was originally supposed to be very remote and inaccessible, yet a bet- ter acquaintance with the country shows that transportation lines for lumbering purposes and for handling the large lo- cal trade can be readily reached from the East through a section of Nevada to the Central Pacific south on any one of several lines, or westward into the Sacramento Valley. It is not known how soon develop- ments will be made reaching this tim- ber region, but it is probable that it will be undertaken during the coming year. These lumber plants when estab- lished will be on a large scale — larger than has heretofore been done by any firms in the state. The holdings of tim- ber are so large that a continuous run of fifty years on a large scale will not exhaust the first cut of the timber. And under the program proposed by Mr. Walker, which will probably be fol- lowed up by whoever may succeed him, the large trees will be cut, and then, by protecting the smaller trees from destruction or damage by fire, a sec- ond cutting in the next thirty, forty or fifty years may be made in the same way, leaving another equally numerous smaller growth of timber for a future supply. It is the intention to establish permanent lumber plants, unless by some means of excessive taxation a change of program is necessitated, under which the timber will be more rapidly and completely removed. The foregong facts were obtained by a Bulletin reporter in course of a con- versation with Mr. Walker at his hotel. Notwithstanding the vast interests that he controls, East and West, he is the most unassuming of men. Fraught with immense possibilities of good to the industries of California as has been the advent of Mr. Walker to the state one would also like to speak of him as a philanthropist, an author and an art connoisseur, as well as a business man and financier. In the business life of the Northwest he stands as a leader, but his mind is not confined to business alone, for he impresses the listener with the philosophic character of his mind and his literary bent. All these have contributed to his success in building up the moral and material interests of his town and State. As early as 1868, in company with two others, he began to exploit the lumber regions. Wiseacres predicted disaster for the enterprise, but it was worked out with his usual sagacity and fore- sight. His system was so thorough that he knew the exact value of every acre taken up, and success followed. Where he is best known the convic- tion is settled that his methods, origi- nal and daring, founded on principles of honor, compelled success. People soon came to see that this man's word once given was sacred. His vast investments in the choice sugar pine and yellow pine timber of this State will remain a monument to his far-seeing genius, for it is regarded by expert judges as the finest body of timber land in the world. He is devoting a great deal of his time now to his interests in this State, while in Northern Minnesota he has mills running summer and winter day and night. In Minneapolis an extensive city mar- ket and commission district has been built up by Mr. Walker, and consti- tutes one of the most important enter- prises in the city, as it has no superior in the country, and has placed Min- neapolis the third or fourth city in the United States in the extent of its com- mission business in vegetables, fruit and dairy products and miscellaneous provisions. The business located there surpasses that transacted in any other city in the United States, with the ex- ception, perhaps, of only two — Chicago and New York. He has probably expended more money for the development of Minne- apolis by far than any other citizen. He organized the Business Men's Union, which for a number of years was very helpful in attracting capital and attention to Minneapolis and build- ing up its industries. A writer conversant with the facts says: "Although Mr. Walker's financial success has been phenomenal and he is classed among the most substantial men in the Northwest, it is hardly here that his strength of character is most con- spicuous. He has been first and fore- most among those who believe that common humanity is entitled to more than it is getting; and while what he has done is called charity, he does not believe that he has done any more than any other man in his position ought or should. For instance, when our Central Market burned a few years ago, leaving a whole block in area filled in a large part with all manner of vegetable pro- duce and provisions that demanded im- mediate removal to prevent its becom- ing a nuisance, Mr. Walker directed Mr. Gorhani, his real estate man and build- ing rnanager, to employ a large force of men immediately and remove this waste material from under the great mass of fallen bricks and stone. He directed that good wages should be paid. The next day, upon inquiry as to the wages that tlic men were promised, he was told it was a dollar a day, and he then asked if his manager thought that men with families could live on a dollar a day. The reply was that he did not think that it was a relevant question, as the employer was not supposed to be responsible for the maintaining of men's families, and with the further statement that Elevator A, which had just burned a few days before, almost within sight of the city market, had three hundred rnen at work who were receiving only eighty cents a day, and hundreds more were seeking employ- ment at that rate, so that the dollar a day was higher than the customary wages. But Mr. Walker insisted that the pay should be a dollar and a quar- ter a day, and that contractors who were digging foundations for commis- sion houses should also be required in their contracts to pay a dollar and a quarter a day to their men, and the con- tractors charged extra price on this ac- count." Minneapolis is largely indebted to Mr. Walker for its fine Public Library, ranging about fourth or fifth among the cities of the United States in its circulation. A short time after he ar- rived in Minneapolis he joined the Athenaeum Library Association. Hav- ing found a couple of memberships at a specially low price, he purchased the two, one for himself and one for his wife. He worked in this way for many years, drifting toward a more liberal policy and larger usefulness, until final- ly, in large part through his instrumen- tality, the library act was passed, estab- lishing the Public Library, and to place within it the books of the Athenaeum as a permanent home, as well as the art gallery under the management of the art society and museum of the Academy of Science. Mr. Walker has been re-elected president annually for the past eighteen years from the date of the formation of the board. He has been the principal patron of the Acad- emy of Science, having done more than others to develop and build up the col- lection and maintain the interest in the scientific work of the society. From various remarks and pointers given out by Mr. Walker, it has been known that he has intended at some time to build in Minneapolis an art institute and mu- seum. A recent writer says of him : "Mr. Walker believes firmly that every man should have a strong per- sonal interest in the good of the coun- try, and that every one should pay the same attention which he gives to his own business to it. "In personal appearance Mr. Walker is a well-proportioned man of a trifle over the average height. His face has an exceedingly kindly appearance; that of a man who could well be entrusted with anything, and who would faith- fully abide by the trust. Were it not for a tinge of gray in his hair and beard, no one would believe that he was over forty years old. as he has the active movements of a young man and every gesture shows the vigor of the early prime of life. "The walls of the library in which he has his office are lined with book cases which groan under the weight of books fit to make the heart of a bookworm full of envy. Works an all subjects by the best authors; religion, art, science, poetry, fiction, philosophy, and every possible subject, are among them. They are not there for looks alone, as their owner is better acquainted with their contents than with their exteriors. "Besides his valuable library, there is in the house a collection of paintings, and bronzes and rugs, said to be the finest private collection in the world. A gallery of six large rooms accommo- dates on its walls gems from the hands of the world's most famous masters of painting. In the bronze room are val- uable Chinese and Japanese bronzes, ivory carvings, glassware from all over the world. Most men would keep their magnificent works of art under lock and key, and admit only their most intimate friends. But this man is of a different stamp. Absolutely without a selfish thought, he throws the door of his home wide open to the world, and invites all to come and enjoy these things with him. The gallery has be- come a mine for tourists, and none leaves Minneapolis without going there. His enjoyment comes entirely from the pleasure which he can give others with the means at his command. Besides this, he has loaned a part of his collec- tion to the public, and the library build- ing now contains them. The remark- able feature of this art collection is that by common consent of all the best judges from all parts of the world it stands alone in being without a single commonplace or mediocre painting. Every picture on the wall is of the highest type of the painter's art, and worthy of a place in any collection in the world. In this respect it is differ- ent from all other galleries, as anyone is challenged to point to either a pub- lic or private gallery in this country or Europe that does not contain unworthy paintings on its walls. Mr. Walker is looked upon by the art dealers as the only one who makes no mistakes in the selection, as even the commit- tees of a number of diflferent judges in the public libraries make repeated mistakes by selecting large proportions of paintings that are not of interest and of high art value. "Another token of his consideration for others is in the benches which are set on the sidewalk around the grounds of his home. There wearv pedestrians may sit and rest themselves comfort- ably under the shade of beautiful trees. "The money which he has given away in charity will not be known. He has always obeyed the Biblical injunc- tion, and never let his left hand know that which the right hand did. How many poor people have been relieved in their anxieties by him, both with cheering words and assistance, how many saved through his help, will never be counted. Every public movement has received his help, whether it was the Young Men's Christian Association, in whose councils he stands high, or a movement on the part of the labor element to build a hall. He has la- bored hard for the cause of education, and displayed an active interest in the educational progress of the world." It has been frequently remarked by workingmen and amongst the socialists and discontented element that if all em- ployers were as inclined to use em- ployes well there would be no socialism or necessity for strikes, as Mr. Walker has never had a strike in his extensive handling of men, as in his business interests have required the help of thousands of men in conducting his en- terprises, and every one who has been with him once is glad to return to his employ again. He has the esteem and good will of all classes, and it is a partial key to his success, as his busi- ness flourishes and develops largely through the good will and patronage of others. Many of the boys who came out of the State Reform School have good cause to remember the name of Mr. Walker, as that of the man who be- friended them when they were in that institution, of which he was a trustee for many years. His services on the board were highly appreciated by the inmates and his associates. Mr. Walker built his residence in Minneapolis in 1874, where he has since resided. The Walker homestead is one of the happiest of homes. Mr. Wal- ker's private office is in the library of the home, where a large table, covered with papers of all sorts, serves as his desk. And yet all these papers are not business documents. There is not a charitable institution in the Northwest that cannot number Mr. Walker among its most liberal contributors. There is not a public meeting held at which he does not receive an invitation to at- tend and speak. Pamphlets, religious, sociological, political, hygienic, sound, many of which have been compiled by this lumber king. His writings are much in demand, as he has a clear, crisp and concise way of putting things that appeal particularly to every lover of good writing. As an exponent of the doctrines of the Republican party, he has been called upon time and again to help along with his pen the good cause, and the clear manner in which he handles the most profound questions has been a surprise to poli- ticians. No one, a few years ago, ex- pected that the great lumber merchant was paying any attention to poli- tics, until he began to fulminate his truths and carried consternation to the ranks of the opposition. His knowl- edge of political economy is profound, and not only that of his country, but of all times and places. ONE LUMBER KING WHO IS NOT IN TRUST. T. B. Walker of Minnesota Declares No Timber Combine in the North Could Control World's Supply. (San Francisco Bulletin, Dec. 5, 1903.) T. B. Walker, the Minnesota lumber king, who owns half of northern Cali- fornia, arrived at the Occidental this morning, accompanied by B. F. Nelson, of Minneapolis. The Walker tracts in this State extend over five counties, Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Shasta and Plumas counties, and the forests owned by the Minnesota millionaire cover sev- eral hundred thousand acres. He has just come from an inspection trip over his domain, and will be in this city sev- eral days before proceeding east. Mr. Walker's wealth is estimated at thirty millions, but he is as simple in his manner as are most of the great financiers of the West. The only evi- dence of affluence is a diamond shirt- stud of amazing proportions. Several months ago T. B. Walker was named as one of those interested with James J. Hill, the Weyerhausers of St. Paul, and E. H. Harriman, in forming a trust to control the lumber supply of the world. This morning Mr. Walker said that he personally is not interested in a timber trust, and that as a matter of fact there is no timber combine. "I don't own a single foot of lumber with Hill, the Weyerhausers, Hammond or any other man," he said. "My inter- ests are all my own, and I have never had five minutes' conversation about timber with Mr. Harriman. There is in reality no such lumber trust and there is not likely to be one." Further than this Mr. Walker de- clared that Hill has no use for Califor- nia. When Harriman and the Santa Fe awoke to the traffic possibilities in the great forests of Humboldt it was said James J. Hill was eager to extend the Great Northern into California in order to secure a share of the immense timber traffic of the State. It was stated that T. B. Walker would aid and abet him in his ambition, and that relying on the friendly interests of the man who owns five counties. Hill would build a branch of the Great Northern to secure the traffic of that district. It was even said that Hill's surveyors had proceed- ed across the Oregon line and were surveying in California. But according to Mr. Walker, the Northern financier has no intention of extending his sphere to the south. "Hill is not coming into California, and I don't want him to," said Mr. Walker. "The Great Northern has all the business it needs in the north with- out building down into this State, and Hill has no intention of extending his interests to California to get traffic for his road. "There is more timber cut in the north now than the roads can handle and California lumber doesn't want to go north anyway. I want to place my product in the Mississippi Valley. I don't want to send it north to Minne- sota or Montana, where there is plenty. However, that is a matter for the future. I have no mills here and am not manu- facturing lumber in California at pres- ent. "My trip was not for the purpose of establishing mills. It was simply to take a look over the land. Tiinber tracts are good things to hold. Lum- bermen often make the mistake of cut- ting all their timber and then having it on their hands. There is no need to rush matters. The future development of this coast country promises to be immense, and there is plenty of time ahead to manufacture lumber. In the meanwhile it does very well in forests." B. F. Nelson, who is traveling with Mr. Walker, is a millionaire of Minne- apolis, where he has an art gallery built in his home that is the pride of the Northwest. It contains many works of the old masters and the collection is valued at a million dollars. T. B. Walker gives it out that Central Market will be rebuilt larger and better than before the fire. It will be impos- sible to complete the structure this winter, but enough will be built to fur- nish the dealers in meats, flour, etc., ac- commodations. With his usual charac- teristic for generosity, and a desire to aid the suffering and distressed, Mr. Walker sent $1,000 to the people who lost their all in the recent fires. St. Louis Park Mail, Sept. 5. 1894. THE MCSTNEAPOUS JOURNAL. IIMNEAPOLIS. MINM.. APRIL 21, 1906. BUTLER BRO S. COME TO MINNEAPOLIS. One of the Largest Jobbing Companies in America Selects This City as Center of the Great Northwest. H. A. Stillwell, managing director of Butler Brothers of Chicago, New York and St. Louis, will be in Minneapolis Monday to close with T. B. Walker the final arrangements for the construc- tion in Minneapolis of a mammoth job- bing building to be occupied by the northwestern extension of the Butler Brothers' business, one of the largest general jobbing interests in the coun- try. The agreement will call for the construction by Mr. Walker of a mod- ern nine-story and basement building on Sixth street, between First and Sec- ond avenues N., at a cost of $550,000. The value of the property is placed at $200,000, making the full amount in- volved in the transaction $750,000. The conclusion of the arrangements between Mr. Stillwell and Mr. Walker will close one of the hardest fought and most aggressive campaigns ever put up for Minneapolis and brings to grief the hopes of St. Paul. Thru Mr. Walker, who was able to make as a single individual a proposition covering both the land and the desired building, and because of the vigorous campaign put up by the Commercial Club and a committee of prominent business inter- ests, success came to Minneapolis. Four Large Houses. The Butler Brothers Company have three houses, headquarters at Chicago and branches in New York and St. Louis. They do a general merchandise jobbing business, amounting last year to $80,000,000, their business being dis- tributed all over the United States. The establishment in Minneapolis of the fourth house will secure for the city an incalculable prestige as the coming city and jobbing center of the northwest. The building to be erected for the company by Mr. Walker will be the largest in the twin cities occupied by a single mercantile company and will have 513,000 square feet of floor space. From $10,000,000 to $12,000,000 is con- sidered a conservative estimate of the amount of business that will be done thru this branch. From 500 to 600 per- sons will be employed in the various departments. The annual rental of the property will amount to $66,000. Future Benefits. The immediate benefits, however, are almost insignificant when compared to the future benefits that the city will re- ceive thru the establishment of the But- ler company. The advent of the Butler company, in addition to the large num- ber of strong interests already estab- lished here, marks Minneapolis as the future jobbing center of the northwest, and other large concerns looking for openings in the territory cannot fail to be attracted by the superior advantages offered by Minneapolis. With the es- tablishment of the commercial and job- bing prestige of Minneapolis will come the correction of any existing commer- cial evils, more noticeably railroad dis- crimination, which have existed hereto- fore. With the immense shipping in- terests of Minneapolis banded together for the betterment of conditions and because of the competition existing between the railroads, all problems of transportation will be speedily solved. (New York World, June 10, 1905.) The richest man in Minneapolis is probably T. B. Walker, who is a lum- berman. He owned about all of the white pine in northern Minnesota, where the last forest of white pine in the United States is being cut and slashed by 30,000 men today, and he made millions out of it. He also owns miles and miles of timber lands in Cali- fornia and is building a railroad 300 miles long to get the lumber out. That is the kind of a hustler Walker is. He is of the west western. SALARIES RAISED. The Walker Mill Management Surprise Their Employes. MEN GIVEN AN ADVANCE. Those Drawing $1.25 Raised to $1.40 per day — Unexpected. A couple of weeks ago some of the men who were engaged at the Red Riv- er Lumber company's mill, and who re- ceived $1.25 per day, became dissatisfied and wanted a raise to $1.50 per day. The matter was discussed pretty thor- oughly among themselves, and finally Mr. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, was informed of the matter. He at once notified the official here that owing to the dullness of the lumber market the salaries could not be advanced, much as he would like to do so. Mr. Gilbert Walker was here last week and reiterat- ed the same statement and it was under- stood that if the demand was insisted upon that the mill would be closed down. While here Mr. Walker looked into the wage matter pretty thoroughly. The men finally decided that it was bet- ter to work for $1.25 per day than not work at all, and the matter was dropped. This morning they were agreeably sur- prised when they were approached by Superintendent March, who read them a letter from Mr. Walker, Sr., which contained the statement that their wag- es were increased to $1.40 a day. He added that he was very sorry that he could not raise it to $2.00. The informa- tion and raise of salary was a complete surprise to the men, who had only a few day ago come to the conclusion to stick at the old salary. As a consequence they are working today with renewed vigor, and are glad that they did not in- sist on the raise then by walking out. — Crookston Daily News, Aug. 11, 1894. A DISTINGUISHED VISITOR. Worthy Minneapolis Citizen Who is Spending the Day in Town. (News, Aberdeen, S. D., June 20, 1904.) T. B. Walker, the Minneapolis mil- lionaire lumberman, who spoke on the subject of the Y. M. C. A., remained over to visit in the city today. Mr. Walker is a member of the internation- al committee of the Y. M. C. A., and while devoting much time to the in- terests of the association in Minne- apolis, he has found time to give to many other movements, and has been one of the promoters of the great public library of that city. He also maintains a free art gallery containing one of the finest collections of paintings in Ameri- ca. By some his collection is con- sidered superior to the famous Corco- ran collection in Washington, and ahead of any of the private galleries of New York. The gallery is built in connec- tion with his home, and is visited by thousands from every section of Ameri- ca and other lands. "It seemed to me," said the million- aire lumberman in discussing his first job with The Daily News, "as if all the treasures in the world and all the promise the future held out for me were centered in the pine forests of Minnesota. To have allowed the op- portunities T had then to pass would have meant failure." But he had not the money nor the financial backing then to buy a section of timber claims; his father was com- fortably situated, but by no means a man of wealth. He looked for an opportunity to get into the timber belt, and finally joined a government survey party, and spent a year with it in the forests. At the end of that time he had mapped out his business career. What little money he could spare he invested in pine timber, and thus laid the foundation for his present fortune. Let no one imagine that he bought up 500 or 600 acres at a time, for he did not. His capital was almost an unknown quantity, but his keen fore- sight, his rare judgment and, above all, his determination to grasp the oppor- tunity when it first showed itself, made his resources count. Today no man owns so much pine timber in Minnesota as this grind- stone salesman. Today he sits in his office and conducts a million dollar busi- ness. Fate, chance or circumstances did not bring him his start. He faced greater difficulties than does the young man of today. He worked on his own claims; cut down his own timber; transported the logs on ox teams; erected his own mills — in short, he laid the foundation for his own success. He succeeded, because in the days when he was selling grandstones he saw the opportunity of his lifetime in the timber forests of Minnesota, and had the grit, courage and lasting deter- mination to "fight it to a finish." WALKER IS URGED FOR THE SENATE. Times, Minneapolis, Minn. Mar. 2, 1905. Friends of T. B. Walker are urging him to enter the race for the seat in the senate now occupied by Senator Moses E. Clapp. whose successor will be elected by the next legislaation. Mr. Walker has been waited upon by sev- eral delegaticins, but he has dcclitied to commit himself. It is known he has been asked to enter the field on former occasions, but has declined, because his business interests would not permit him to give the proper attention to public affairs. Of late years his business has been so arranged that his friends are of the opinion that he can be induced to ac- cept a seat in the senate. He said yes- terday, when asked regarding the re- port that he had been requested to make a campaign for the senate, that he was in no wise a "receptive" can- didate. WESTERN PACIFIC TO TAP WALKER FORESTS. Makes Deal With Owner of Immense California Tracts. Minneapolis Capitalist Will Erect Mills on His Timber Lands and Plans to Ship Large Quantities of Pine to the Eastern Markets. (New York Commercial, July 7, 1905.) San Francisco, July 6. — One of the latest reports regarding the future de- velopments of the Western Pacific re- lates to the proposed building of a branch line to tap the extensive timber holdings of Thomas B. Walker, of Min- neapolis. Mr Walker is the largest owner of timber lands in this state. Possibly nobody except himself knows the actual acreage he possesses, for it is variously estimated from 200,000 to 1,- 000,000 acres, located in the sugar pine belt of Butts, Shasto, Siskiyou, Lassen and Modoc counties. Some of his vast timber properties lie near the surveyed line of the Western Pacific through Butte county. According to Mr. Walker's own rep- resentatives, an agreement has been reached between him and the Western Pacific for the building of branch roads into his timber tracts, in consideration of the erection by him of sawmills and the delivery to the corporation of the lumber for transportation to the East. It was at one time intended to tap this timber belt by building a railway up the Pit River to connect with the Southern Pacific's line at or near Red- ding, but that was before the Western Pacific entered the field as a prospective link in a new trans-continental railroad. The latter offers a shorter and more direct haul to the East, which is regard- ed by all the larger lumber men of the country as the future market of the products of the western timber lands. In this connection it is interesting to recall the plans of lumbering which Mr. Walker intends to carry out. The for- est undergrowth is to be systematically cleared from his lands and the waste of lumbering is to be removed, as these constitute the chief menace to the de- struction of the timber by fire. Then, instead of denuding the land completely of standing timber, as is done by the ordinary western lumber man, a sys- tematic plan of forestry involving the felling of only the more merchantable standing timber is to be adopted. Under this system the life of his forests will be extended indefinitely and a perpetual source of revenue will be maintained in them. NEW BUILDING FOR WHOLE- SALE FIRM. T. B. Walker to Expend $200,000 on Wyman, Partridge & Co. Ware- house. (Times, Minneapolis, Aug. 27, 1905.) T. B. Walker is to erect a $200,000 warehouse for Wyman, Partridge & Co., the wholesale dry goods merchants, at Seventh street and Third avenue N. Harry W. Jones has been commissioned to prepare plans for the new structure and contractors are already figuring upon the cost. The building will be a seven-story affair and will be built in two sections, the first to be completed May 1 and the other later. Wyman, Partridge & Co. have taken a long time lease of the entire building. The improvement of the corner which this new warehouse is to occupy will mean a number of inci- dental improvements, including the laying of a new twelve inch water main for fire protection and the paving of the adjacent street, which will be done at Mr. Walker's expense. The combined warehouses will have a frontage of 100 feet on Third avenue, 210 feet on Seventh street, and 185 feet on the St. Louis tracks. The building will be of mill construction and brick exterior and will be fully equipped with the lastest improved elevators and water si)rinkling systems. The new warehouse will give Wyman, Partridge & Co. 220,000 square feet of floor space. MR. WALKER ON SILVER. The address delivered by T. B. Walk- er, of this city, at the Hennepin Avenue M. E. Church on Monday evening, the full text of which was published in Yesterday's Tribune, was a strong pres- entation of the case against free and un- limited silver coinage and in favor of the single gold standard. — Tribune, May 13, 1896. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER The National Cyclopedia of American Biography. Thomas Barlow Walker, philan- thropist, was born in Xenia, Greene Co., O., Feb. 1, 1840, the seond son and third child of Piatt Bayliss and Anstis Barlow V/alker. The Walkers were of English stock, and settled during the early his- tory of the country in New Jersey, his father leaving that state early in life for New York. The Barlows were also of sturdy parentage. His maternal grandfather was Thomas Barlow, of New York, and two of his uncles were for many years judges, Thomas in New York and Moses in Ohio. His father died en route to California in 1849, and his mother was left to struggle with adversity with her four young children. From his ninth until his sixteenth year, Thomas led the usual careless life of the average frontier village boy. He was expert with the rifle and shot-gun and at the game of checkers. At sixteen the family removed to Berea, O., where better educational advantages were pos- sible, and where Thomas's boyhood ab- ruptly ended and earnest life began. From sixteen to nineteen his time was divided between work and study. After various business adventures, always at- tended with hard work and generally with success, he returned to his books and studies and the next winter taught a district school in the adjoining town- ship, where he had about sixty scholars, among whom were eight school teach- ers, some of them much older than he. About this time the war broke out, and with his associate students in the Bald- win University he volunteered as a soldier. Having failed to get to the front he, after waiting several months, and while in search of employment, landed in St. Paul, and the next morn- ing took the train to the city of Minne- apolis. On Dec. 19, 1863, he was mar- ried to Harriet, the youngest daughter of Fletcher Hulet. Dating from his mar- riage, the history of Mr. Walker is the history of Minneapolis. His first years were years of hardship, self-denial, and patient toil. The summer of 1863 was spent in railroading, after which, for some years, he gave his whole time to government surveys. In 1868 he began his venture in pine lands. As a con- sequence of his foresight, Mr. Walker today owns more valuable pine lands than any other man in the Northwest. In connection with these surveys and pine land enterprises, Mr. Walker has been, and is yet, extensively engaged throughout various sections of the Northwest in the manufacture of lum- ber. Mr. Walker is extremely liberal in the use of his wealth for the upbuild- ing of Minneapolis, or for the purposes of charity or charitable work. Mr. Walker's whole life has been greatly moulded and influenced by reading the books of public libraries, beginning with the private library of Father Blake, a Catholic priest. Through Mr. Walker's influence and efforts the Athenaeum Library was greatly improved. The reading-room was enlarged, an assistant employed, and hours lengthened. The library was also opened on Sunday, and the membership increased by allowing payment by installments. Mr. Walker purchased several hundred membership certificates, which he kept loaned out among his employees and others. In the rapid growth of the city he foresaw the demand for a library that should meet all the wants of our mixed popu- lation, and be free to all. At the same time it seemed unnecessary to maintain two seperate libraries and duplicate the valuable stock of books now in the Athenaeum. Mr. Walker proposed that the city by taxation establish a free library upon condition that the citizens contribute a certain sum toward the erection of the building, and that the Athenaeum, the Academy of Science, and the Fine Art Society, be given space in the building, in consideration of which the books of the Athenaeum Library were to circulate upon the same terms as those of the public library, and to be drawn in the same manner. This was agreed to, and necessary legislation secured, and Mr. Walker saw the real- ization of his desire of many years. The rapid growth of this institution during the six years which have now passed (1895) since it was first formally open- ed, makes its standing in circulation fourth among the libraries of the coun- try. The perfect harmony of action be- tween the two boards of the library and the Athenaeum, and the pride of the citizens in it, are the best possible wit- nesses to the wisdom of the board, and the liberal policy inaugurated by Mr. Walker. He has been annually elected president of the library board from its organization in 1885 to the present time. 1895. The liberal provision for art in this building is also due to Mr. Walker's devotion tn its interests. From its in- ception he has been a staunch friend and supporter of the Art School, which has taken so high a rank among the edu- cational interests of the city, and among the art schools of the country. On the walls of the spacious gallery he has placed examples of nearly all his own private collection. The art gallery at his home has been pronounced the choicest collection of art treasures, for its size, in the United States, and is open to the public on all days but Sun- day, a liberality highly esteemed and appreciated both by citizens and stran- gers. The fame of this gallery has gone throughout the nation, and even to Europe, and many are the expressions of surprise from Eastern connoisseurs over the unlooked-for treasures displayed upon its walls. Air. Walker's home library consists of a large and carefully chosen collection of choice books. When Mr. Walker constructed his present residence in 1847 his large lawn was thrown open without a fence. This innovation has now become the custom adopted by a large portion of the citizens of Minneapolis. The bench- es placed around the lawn under the trees are occupied free by all classes of people during the summer. The Minnesota Academy of Natural Science is another institution much indebted to Mr. Walker's interest and patronage for its past support and present situa- tion, for through his influence, when the library building was designed, the needs and importance of this association were considered, and spacious and beautiful apartments were assigned to them. For several years Mr. Walker was a mem- ber of the board of managers of the State Reform School, where he made his strong practical business habits felt, and inaugurated many valuable changes, thus becoming a great favorite with its inmates. It was especially through the efforts of Mr. Walker that the Minne- apolis Business Union was organized, which has been a leading factor in build- ing up the business interests of the city, both in the line of manufacturing and wholesale trade. Mr. Walker was elected president of the union, which is composed of the wealthiest and most influential men of the city, and he has devoted a large part of his time, as well as a considerable amount of money, for the benefit of the city. He is the head of the Minneapolis Land and Invest- ment Co. Mr. Walker was for many years president of the Flour City Na- tional Bank. Three years ago he or- ganized a company, of which he is president, which constructed the Central City Market, which is, probably, the finest market building in the United States. In politics, Mr. Walker has always been a radical Republican, be- lieving in a sufficient protective tariff to hold our money at home, so as to build up our manufactories for the em- ployment of our workmen. He is a regular attendant of the Methodist church, of which his wife and several of his children are members. Through much doubt and questioning he has wrought his way up to a clear religious faith, a firm belief in the Bible as the rule of man's conduct, and the only safe foundation on which either men or na- tions can build. He has also taken pains to ground his growing children in the faith to which he has attained on- ly by tiresome research. He has been the constant director of the education of his eight children, as well as their daily and close companion. From their earliest years they have been suppliecf with tools and machinery and shops, which have given the manual dexterity and practical knowledge of applied mathematics for lack of which a large percentage of men are at a disadvan- tage all their lives. As a result, the boys, while yet in their early years, be- came expert in the use of tools, and their beautifully outfitted shops form no inconsiderable part of their home. Remembering his own boyhood, Mr. Walker has encouraged the boys in all out-of-door amusements, especially hunting, which he has shared with them. FOR YOUNG MEN. T. B. Walker Entertains Large Audi- ence at the Y, M. C. A. Some Essentials of a Successful Life Clearly Brought Out for the Bene- fit of the Inexperienced. Yesterday afternoon, in the Y. M. C. A. auditorium, T. B. Walker talked to 300 young men of this city on "Some Essentials of a Successful Life." Mr. Walker is a Minneapolitan well quali- fied to speak to young men on the things which go farthest in the making of a successful career, and the interest shown was evidence that his advice is highly valued. The remarks of the speaker were practical, and came home to the young men as being the things which they had often overlooked in the search for the "open sesame" of success. He placed application, attention to details, independence of thought and action, moral courage and the ability to ap- propriate the experience, before his audience, as some of the most impor- tant things to be considered. Again Mr. Walker said that one of the chief requisites to the man who wished to be successful was good health. "That comes only through do- ing what is best for oneself," he said, "and doing what is best for oneself will bring attainment in all lines." — Trib- une, April 22, 1901. The strike was ended by the influ- ence of T. B. Walker and after all was settled Jim bought the boys a box of Red Ola cigars. — Banner, Kerkhaven, Wis., May 22, 1903. Wvt l^ilg ^mttf ^fi^^ ST. PAUL, MINN., SEPT. 10, 1905. CHILDREN HIS GUESTS AT >FAIR Saves 1,100 Boys and Girls From Disappointment. — T. B. Walker Buys Tickets for Crowd of Children That Had Gathered Under False Impression That Boys and Girls Were to Get in Free. Yesterday was children's day. Al- though it was not announced on the program as such, the children made it so. The state fair management used to set aside the last day of the fair for the children. Any child who came to the gates was admitted free. The man- agement has discontinued the practice in recent years, however. Hordes of Twin City children used to overrun the grounds, overwhelming the superintend- ents of the various buildings with trou- ble and anxiety. The management deemed it expedient to discontinue the observance of the juvenile day, as a measure of self-protection. But precedent is a thing that cannot easily be overcome. There is a frater- nity among children in which they are bound to pass on to their younger sis- ters and brothers any and all informa- tion of "free doin's." Although many of the adults have forgotten the custom of years ago, the little ones bear it in mind, and every year hundreds of them, laden with lunch baskets and shoe boxes filled with home-made sandwiches and cookies, congregate about the east gate near the administration building. More than five hundred urchins had gathered at this gate yesterday morn- ing. Their ages ranged from four to sixteen. Some were ragged and dirty and others were dressed in the best that they possessed. Many of the boys wore but two garments, exclusive of their torn little straw hats, and others were attired in most fastidious fashion and accompanied by their little acquaint- ances. Clamor for Admittance. The "kids" began to gather early in the morning, and by 11 o'clock there was a crowd of them at the east gate. They surged back and forth, tugging at the fences and at each other; shouting and crying their opinions of the unkind treatment of the fair management. "Hully Gee, but they're stingy," seemed to be the consensus of opinion. In reality, however, the fair manage- ment is very considerate, and nothing pleases those at the head of the state fair better than to dispense a little sun- shine among the children of the cities, but experience has taught them that some urchins are rather light-fingered, and in former years many exhibits have been carried away. The management remained obdurate for two hours yesterday. Just at the critical moment, T. B. Walker of Min- neapolis, took upon himself to act as an ambassador for the children. He bore in his hand a small fluttering paper as a Hag of truce, and entered the adminis- tration building. The bit of paper was a check for $100, and Mr. Walker told the management to give a ticket to each little urchin without the gates. Tickets were issued to 1,110 children and paid for by Mr. Walker. When the good news reached the ex- pectant "kids" there was a wild stam- pede toward the ticket office, and several able-bodied men. among them Secretary Randall, B. F. Nelson, of Minneapolis, and Supt. Baird, had a strenuous half hour keeping the children in line. SPEAKS TO ACCOUNTANTS. T. B. Walker Delivers an Interesting Address at His Home. The Bookkeepers' and Accountants' Association of Minneapolis met last evening at the residence of T. B. Walk- er. About eighty members of the or- ganization were present and the meet- ing was one of the most delightful and instructive ones that have ever been held in the history of the organization. The feature of the evening was an address by T. B. Walker. He spoke for an hour upon subjects that were pertinent to the work of accountants, dwelling at length upon their relations to their employers, the wage problems, and the great advantages that were opened to them. He laid special stress upon the re- sponsible positions that accountants were called upon to fill and gave a brief outline of the salient points that make them successful. After the address of Mr. Walker an hour was spent in viewing the pictures in the art gallery. (Times, Minneapolis, Minn., Apr. 9, '03.) HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, BY ISAAC ATWATER, 1893. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. Mr. Walker has been a resident of Min- neapolis since 1862. Since 1868 he has been engaged in the lumber trade, from year to year increasing his operations until he is today the largest owner ol pine timbered lands in the state, and, with possibly one exception, the largest in the Northwest, and manufactures anl handles a larger quantity of logs and lumber than any other one man in the Northwest. His cutting of logs and sale of timber the present year (1891) reaches the enormous quantity of more than one hundred million feet of logs. His extensive lumber business on the Red river, with mills at Crookston, Minnesota, and Grand Forks, North Da- kota, in addition to his heavy logging and timber business on the Mississippi river, forms a mass of business and re- sponsibility that is commonly divided between several lumber firms, and each firm composed of two or more partners. With the detail of planning and man- aging the enormous business, he may be supposed to be a very busy man; yet he finds time to preside over the affairs of one of the largest banks in his city; over a unique organization of business men (his own conception) to promote the material interests of the Business Men's Union; over a gigantic Land and Improvement Company in the vicinity; and, to vary the occupation from its too material tendency, he presides as well over the Managing Board of the City Library and the Society of Fine Arts, and finds still time to devote to the Academy of Natural Science and the spiritual and benevolent work of the church. To a rare business capacity which has conceived, and energy which has exe- cuted, such gigantic enterprises. Mr. Walker has united scholarly attain- ments of a high order, and such artistic taste as has made him the possessor of some of the finest works of renowned modern painters, among which are : Na- poleon in his Coronation Robes by David, Jules Breton's "Evening Call," Bougureau's "Passing Shower." Rosa Bonheur's "Spanish Muleteers Crossing the Pyrenees," Corot's "Nymphs" and "Scenes in Old Rome," Boulanger's "Barber Sliop of Licinius," Wilhelm Von Kaulbach's "Dispersion of the Na- tions," Poole's "Job and His Messen- gers," Jazet's "Battle of Trafalgar," Vibert's "Morning News," Robert Lafevre's original portraits of Na- poleon, Josephine and Marie Louise, Peale's portrait of Gen. Washington, Detaille's "En Tonkin," with fine exam- ples by Knaus, Van Marke, Jacque, Rousseau, Francais, Gabriel Ferrier, Ca- zin, Schreyer, Inness, Moran, Lerolle, Brown, Herman, Lossow, and many other equally well known artists, mak- ing in all a collection of about one hundred paintings, which are generally regarded as the most uniformly fine private collection in this country. It is interesting to trace the influen- ces which have led the studious and am- bitious youth from the narrow limita- tions of his home, step by step, to a newly developing region with wide op- portunities and have forced him to the front of the fortunate few who have achieved success. His parents, Piatt Bayliss and Anstis Barlow Walker had migrated from New York, where they were connected with many respectable and some eminent families, tracing their lineage to early New England sources to Ohio, where, at Xenia, on the 1st of February. 1840, Thomas Barlow, their third child and second son was born. The name Bar- low was the maternal family name, made honorable by two brothers of Mrs. W. Walker bearing the judicial title, one in New York and one in Ohio. The father embarked all his means in fitting out a train for the newly dis- covered El Dorado, and before reaching the plains was smitten with cholera and died. The train proceeded but never yielded a dividend to the furlorn widow, who was left with her four children to breast the storm of life alone and penniless. From the time of this sad bereavement until his six- teenth year Thomas shared the lot of many a fatherless boy in trial, struggle, and longing aspiration. Then the fami- ly removed to Berea to enjoy the ad- vantages offered by the Baldwin Uni- versity for securing to the children an education. The lad of sixteen entered the school and with many interruiitions continued his studies in and out of school for several years. He was able to attend not more than one term in each year, engaging as traveling repre- sentative of the prosperous citizen, Hon. Fletcher Hulet, who was a manu- facturer of the Berea grindstones. On his travels his books were hie com- panions, and he was enabled by diligent study to keep step with the more fortu- nate students who remained at the University. He had an aptness for mathematical studies, as well as for the sciences, particularly astronomy and chemistry. In these branches he went far beyond the requirements of the col- lege curriculum, mastering the chief problems of Newton's Principia. The text books of these days of travel and of study, marred by much jolting over rough roads, and defaced by drippings of midnight oil, occupy a corner in Mr. Walker's fine library. When nineteen he took a contract to furnish a railroad then under construc- tion with cross ties, at Paris, 111., and organized a large camp and for eight- een months was engaged in the forest with his choppers and teams. The contract was filled and would have yielded considerable profit, but that the failure of the company deprived him of all but a few hundred dollars. The following winter was occupied in teach- ing a district school, for which he was well qualified, and which occupation he so valued as to contemplate making it the work of his life. About this time he called on a college acquaintance, who was Professor of Mathematics in tlie Wisconsin University, and demonstrat- ing to his friend that he could solve the most abstruse problems of the Princi- pia, made application for an assistant professorship of mathematics. While the application was under considera- tion he proceeded on his business trav- els, and at McGregor, Iowa, met Mr, J. M. Robinson, of Minneapolis, who so enthused him with a description of the attractions and advantages of the em- bryo city that he decided to visit it. Arriving at St. Paul with a consign- ment of grindstones he met an energet- ic, vigorous and unusually intelligent young man who was employed by the transportation company as clerk and workman on the wharf. This young man sorted out and tallied the grind- stones, and put in a separate pile all the "nicked and spalted" stones, which the purchaser, Mr. D. C. Jones, of St. Paul, was permitted by his bill of sale of the stones to reject. This young man was James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railroad Company, and the most conspicuous and wealthiest rail- road man in the west. Within an hour after his arrival at Minneapolis he entered the employ- ment of George B. Wright, who had a contract to survey government lands, and begun preparations to take the field. He had studied the science but had no technical knowledge of surveying, and engaged as chainman. Mr. Wright himself manipulated the instrument. Not many days had passed in the field before the position changed. The em- ployer carried the chain and the new man run the compass. During the win- ter he occupied a desk in a law office of L. M. Stewart, Esq., engaged in gen- eral study receiving from "Elder" Stew- art the commendation that he had "put in the best winter's work on his books that he had ever seen a young man do." Meanwhile the pending ap- plication at Madison had been decided in his favor, and he had been offered a chair in the University as Assistant in Mathematics. But it was too late; a new career had opened, and the young man was to become a leader of enter- prise rather than a teacher of boys. The following season was spent in ex- amining lands for the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company. Among his fellow students at Baldwin University was the daughter of his em- ployer. Miss Harriet G. Hulet. An engagement of marriage had been made. Mr. Walker returned to Ohio, and on the 19th of December, 1863, was mar- ried to Miss Hulet. They came to Minneapolis and set about the acquisi- tion of a home. The struggle was a long one. Sharing the life of the pion- eers of the day with cheerfulness and industry, with helpfulness and courage, their efforts were successful. A humble home was secured; better one followed. A family of eight children were raised, and today the elegant mansion on Hen- nepin avenue, with its treasures of art, is the happy consummation of labor and hope. Five years following his marriage Mr. Walker was chiefly engaged upon gov- ernment surveys, though for a part of the time he was upon railroad engineer- ing. This employment brought him among the pine forests of the northern part of the State, and the observations then made formed a better wage than the surveyor's pay. His eye ranging from the tall pine acres across the treeless prairies of the West saw visions of vast possibilities of business and fortune in transforming the rugged trees into houses and improvements, in- to villages and cities, to arise on the broad stretches of prairie. The follow- ing year made what was the vision a sub- stantial reality. Mr. Walker became an owner of vast tracts of pine timbered land, a lumberman, a manufacturer and seller of lumber. His first venture in the location of pine timbered lands was in 1867. Possessing no capital of his own, he was obliged to share with others who could furnish it the profits of the business. He became associated with Dr. Levi Butler and Mr. Howard W, Mills, at first in locating timbered lands, and afterwards in logging and manufacturing lumber, as well as in selling pine stumpage. This firm con- tinued for five years, until ill health compelled Mr. Mills to retire from the business. The firm of Butler & Walker was formed and continued the business. This continued some years, until the burning of the lumber mills on the east side of the river, the machinery in two of which belonged to the firm, entailing a serious and embarrassing loss. This led to the formation of the partnership of L. Butler & Co., con- sisting of Mr. Walker, Dr. Levi Butler, O. C. Merriman, James W. Lane and Leon Lane. This firm constructed one of the large saw mills, on the east side, at the new dam, and for several years did a large manufacturing business — the largest at that time in the city. In 1871 this firm was succeeded by Butler & Walker, but was closed up in 1872, as Mr. Walker was unwilling to con- tinue business during the business de- pression which followed and which en- tailed heavy losses upon those who con- tinued in business. The time becoming more prosperous, in 1877 the firm of Camp & Walker was formed, the partner being Major A. Camp, who had for many years been surveyor-general of logs and lumber in the district and was an expert in the handling of logs. The Pacific Mill, long operated by Joseph Dean & Co., was purchased and operated until the fall of 1880, when it was burned. During the succeeding winter and spring, the mill was rebuilt, nearly on the old site, but in so thorough a manner that it was the best mill which had ever been erected in Minneapolis. It was operat- ed until 1887, when the ground which it occupied being required for railroad purposes the mill was torn down. Own- ing their own pine timber, mills and lumber yards, the firm of Camp & Walker did a very large lumber busi- ness. Mr. Walker had located a large quan- tity of pine lands about the sources of Red Lake river, the outlet of which is by way of the Red river. To utilize this timber he organized with his eldest son, Gilbert M. Walker, the Red River Lumber Company, and built a large saw mill at Crookston, and an- other at Grand Forks, on the Red Riv- er. These mills have been in opera- tion each year since their construction, up to the present time, the business being managed mostly by Mr. Gilbert Walker. During these years Mr. Walk- er was connected with Mr. H. T. Welles, Franklin Steele and others, in the purchase of timber lands and in the sale of stumpage and logs. At the time of the devastation of the crops in the western part of the state by grasshoppers, while Gov. Pillsbury was exploring the suffering districts and organizing relief, Mr. Walker made a personal visit to the afflicted country, and perceiving that a late crop might be made by sowing turnips and buck- wheat, purchased all the seed to be had in Minneapolis and St. Paul and tele- graphed to Chicago for all that could be had there and personally distributed it among the farmers. The crop was a success and greatly relieved the suf- fering of families and animals. For some years Mr. Walker served as one of the managers of the State Reform School, giving to the duties much thought and attention, and be- coming much endeared to the unfortu- nate inmates of that institution. Always interested in public educa- tion, valuing books and libraries, Mr. Walker was a stockholder and liberal contributor to the Minneapolis Athe- naeum. It was in its organization a stock company, and the privileges were confined to its members. Desiring to open its doors to a wider circulation, Mr. Walker gave years of labor, against the opposition of many stockholders, to accomplish the cherished purpose. Buying many shares, he distributed them among deserving young people, and procured the lowering of the price of shares and the admission of the general public to the reading room, and by the payment of a small fee to the books also. Yet these concessions did not meet his views of the needs of the public. Through the agitation caused by these changes, and his per- sistent adhesion to the idea of a free library, and in pursuance of plans sug- gested by him, the present free public library was established. The plan was unique and comprehensive. The books and property of the Athe- naeum, together with the fund which Dr. Kirby Spencer had bequeathed to it, were transferred to the City Li- brary, a large subscription by Mr. Walker and other liberal citizens and an appropriation by the city were made for the erection of the building, and a tax on the property of the city of one-half hill upon the dollar of valua- tion was authorized for its support. Quarters were provided in the building for the Academy of Natural Science, and for the Society of Fine Arts, in both of which Mr. Walker had taken an especial interest. Mr. Walker was made President of the Library Board, and under his wise and liberal coun- sels the city has become possessed of this beneficial institution. Nor did his interest in the institution stop with the erection of the building. The walls of the Art Gallery are liberally spread with costly and beautiful paintings moved from his own collection, and his friend J. J. Hill was induced to add some costly specimens which he had gathered among the studios of Euro- pean artists. The Minneapolis Land & Investment Company, of which Mr. Walker is president and which owes its being to his inspiration, is a gigantic undertak- ing. Its leading idea was to benefit the city of Minneapolis by furnishing suit- able sites for manufactories, although it is quite likely to become a profit- able investment as well. Seventeen hundred acres of land were purchased just west of the city limits, and a large amount of money expended in laying out and fitting the tract for its uses. There are fast gathering various industries, and a new city is spring- ing up at St. Louis Park. It was in the same spirit that the Business Men's Union was formed at Mr. Walker's sug- gestion, and he was made its president. These efforts cost time, labor and money, but neither the one nor the other are spared to build up the sub- stantial interests of the city of his home and of his love. These acts in the public interest are supplemented in the same spirit by a private benevo- lence as wide as the needs of the sor- rowful and the suffering, of which no record exists except in the hearts of the grateful recipients, unless the Di- vine Master, whom he acknowledges and serves, has entered them on his book of remembrance. MEN WHO HAVE MADE MIN- NESOTA FAMOUS. Sagacity, perseverance and aMlity, together with a determination to do always what was best, and not what he thought the best, has brought about the conspicuous success of the life's work of the subject of the accompany- ing illustration. Left on his own re- sources in early youth, Thomas B. Walker has forged his way onward and upward, and has gained fortune and distinction. He has not only demon- strated his ability in his chosen field of business activity, but in art and lit- erature he has also gained fame. His character is above reproach, and he has always practiced the highest type of honesty. In all his transactions, business and social, he has been con- siderate of the rights of others. With a strong belief in the ultimate success of correctly applied endeavor, he la- bored hard and continuously toward the coveted goal, and no dishonest fortune has ever come into his posses- sion. He is, indeed, a type of the suc- cessful American that the aspiring young men of the land may well emu- late. — Minneapolis News, Minneapolis, Aug. 16, 1906. WHO S WHO IN AMERICA- 1906-1907. EDITED BY JOHN W. LEONARD. Thomas Barlow Walker, lumberman; born Xenia, O.. Feb.. 1, 1840; son of Piatt Bayless and Anstis Keziah (Bar- low) Walker; graduate of Baldwin Uni- versity, Berea, O.; married Berea, O.. Harriet G. Hulet,; taught school, and later was a traveling salesman. Went to Minneapolis in 1862; was engaged on government surveys and later on surveys for St. Paul & Duluth; has large lumber, pine land and milling in- terests in Minnesota and on the Pacific Coast. Was projector and builder of St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minne- apolis, and has large property interests. President of board of directors of Min- neapolis Public Library; owns large private gallery of fine paintings by the best masters, ancient and modern. Member of National Arts Society; president of Minneapolis Fine Arts So- ciety. Address, 803 Hennepin avenue, Minneapolis. ADVISES YOUNG MEN AS TO MEASURE OF LIFE. T. B. Walker Believes Faith and Hope In the Spiritual is as Necessary as Temporal Prosperity. (Times, Minneapolis, Minn.. Feb. 8.' 04.) A large audience greeted T. B. Walk- er yesterday afternoon in the audi- torium of the Y. M. C. A. building, where he delivered an address on "The True Measure of Life, or. Is Life Worth Living?" Whether life is worth living depends, according to the analysis given by Mr. Walker, upon the application of Chris- tian characteristics to every-day life. Wealth, power and influence can avail but little without faith and hope in something better and more lasting after the probationary period has been served in the life on earth, the speaker said. He pointed out instances where men had been ordinarily recognized as ex- traordinarily successful, and yet their lives were not worth living because when they were brought face to face with eternity they were not satisfied and went into their graves in hopeless despair. Mr. Walker named many of the great men of the world who have been recognized as the most prominent atheists, infidels and disbelievers, and while they attained certain earthly achievements, he showed that they met disaster before they ended their lives on earth and acknowledged that there was no satisfaction in what they had accomplished. Lincoln and McKinley were referred to as men who lived worthy and suc- cessful lives because their ambition looked beyond the earthly success and took trust in God. Preceding the address from Mr. Walker, Miss Mabel Runge sang two solos and several selections were played by Sheibley's orchestra. 1 Itoprodiu-tioii t' I Meil iou'r:i|ilii«>:il sk<-tciii>N ^vliicli linve 3i|t|teiirf«l in llic following s(:insili4>n.<<: iliNtiir> <>i' tilt' 4irc:it \ort iiwest. .Success III I \nicri<-:iiis. l*roKr«>.ssi\ e >lcii of >i iiiii«-sol3i. liioKnipliiciil HiNtor.v ol° tiio \orroiiiin('n( M«>n of liic \\ «■«<. I DAILY TIMES THTOSDAT HOSIIIHO, IXTLt JO. 190S_8XTI>TT TAl SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF HON. THOMAS B. WALKER. Minneapolis Business Man, Financier, Philanthropist and Writer. Owner of the Greatest Absolutely Free Art Gallery in the World. That the greatness of a city is in its men is an accepted fact. Just as high as their minds soar, there is marked the limit of eminence attained by the com- munity of which they are an integral part — provided, of course, the soaring is practical. Fanciful flights of imagination, Uto- pian theories which lapse into film and vapor when brought into contact with the chill of practical appreciation, never marked the fast, up-hill route travelled in the transition from log cabin to sky- scraper in the life of a city. A big city must necessarily be the work of big-minded men — men of many and varied qualities of energy, persever- ance, tact and business sagacity. In such men Minneapolis is rich. From her pioneer days she has boast- ed of them. Through all the years of her making they have been with her. Her fortunes have been theirs and their fortunes have been hers. To enumerate all of these giants of the business and professional world would require many miles of type, but happily Alinneapolis is fortunate in having as one of her favored sons of stalwart citizens of such sterling worth, versatility and breadth of character that he can be accepted as a typical Minneapolitan, embodying all of the virtues and characteristics most com- mendable in his fellows and most no- ticeable to the student of civic affairs. His name is T. B. Walker, whose record and personality stand isolated by their brilliancy in a setting that is even all brightness itself; whose deeds have emblazoned his name inefTaceably on the loftiest pinnacle of public opinion and whose quiet, modestly anonymous works for Christianity and the human races have carved for him a golden throne not for the eyes of this world. In the pursuit of a vocation based on any one of his many accomplishments T. B. Walker would have been a suc- cess. Had he confined himself to fol- lowing any one of a score of lines which have contributed collectively to his fame he would still be a notable man. Few instances are there recorded where so many paths of achievements have been followed by one man. In this respect Mr. Walker may per- haps best be described as in the class of which President Theodore Roose- velt and Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany are such notable exponents. His has been the strenuous life and the gentle, the useful and the adorning. Qualities have manifested themselves in him from the time when as a boy he first showed evidences of marvelous mathematical genius, which stamp him as a paragon. As an example to the youth of the nation he is worthy the attention of the historian for many generations to come. A VERSATILE CHARACTER. How many men in the world are there who can class rightfully and by com- mon verdict of their fellow citizens as well as the world in general, as a cap- tain of industry, philanthropist, patron of art, scholar, scientist, litterateur, municipal expert, civil engineer, forest- ry expert, lecturer, preacher, student of economics, traveler, lumberman and financier? It is safe to say that few city directo- ries in the world today contain the name of such another man as this great Minneapolitan. To narrate in all their picturesque detail all of the eventful features of the carrer of Thomas B. Walker would be to enter into an all too extended w-ord- picture, more than is permitted in the brief space here allotted. Therefore, in order that the story of the man's life be presented in comprehensive outline it is taken up chronologically. Thomas Barlow Walker belongs in that illustrious brotherhood of men who have won their way from a small be- ginning in the face of difficulties — that galaxy of indomitable spirits that has given Ohio her wondrous place as the native state of presidents, statesmen and leaders in the world of industry. He was born in Xenia, Green county, February 1, 1840. the third child of Plntt Bayless and Anstis Barlow Walker. His parents were in circumstances con- sidered comfortable in those days of the development of the western reserve. His father was by trade a shoemaker, but by instinct and i)ractice he was im- bued with those characteristics which in these later days of strenuous devel- opment makg a man the successful pro- moter of great enterprises. Thus does Thomas B. Walker come naturally by his wonderful business sa- gacity and acumen. When the boy Thomas was but nine years of age there came into his life an event fraught with sorrow to his mother but of double significance to the child, whose tender youth obviated the realization of its meaning. His father having amassed sufficient working capital to emba'-k in a venture which for those time was one of magni- tude, invested all his means in a wagon train of merchandise with which he started on the long and perilous over- land route to California, for this was in the year 1849 — that historic epoch-mak- ing period marked by the gold fever of the virgin west. Hardly had the expedition reached the gateway to the western plains when its chief was stricken with cholera, which was then sweeping the country. Death overcame him on the plains near War- rensburg, INIo. Now came the blow which, seemingly greater than the grief- stricken widow could bear at the time, was perhaps pregnant with the greater force in the making of the orphaned boy's character than could be given to the child or woman to grasp in the hours of their affliction. The merchan- dise train was carried through to its destination and the goods sold at the enormously inflated prices which then prevailed in the new-found El Dorado of California. But not a penny of the proceeds ever reached the widow and her fatherless babes. HIS mother's mainstay. Then began the mother's brave battle against adversity and the children's piti- ful efforts to console and aid her and to contribute to the family's store. Spurred on by the beacon light kindled by his noble and devoted mother, young Thomas began to bend his efforts to- ward fitting himself to take up the battle which his mother was thus obliged for a time to bear alojje. His oppor- tunities for schooling were few indeed, but his mother's teachings so devel- oped his mind that at the age of sixteen he was enabled to matriculate at Bald- win University at Berea, Ohio. There he remained in nominal at- tendance on his classes for several years, winning a term's instruction, perhaps, each year, by devoting the re- mainder of that period to the avocation of a commercial traveler. While on the road as a salesman he continued his studies, devoting every moment he could snatch from his business to the development of his mind. His school books he kept constantly with him, the heavier of his two valises being a library from which he drew the knowledge which in later years served him in such good stead. The stum- bling block of his school days became the foundation stones of his studious habits, for then did he acquire the cus- [ torn of adding to the storehouse of his knowledge new insight into subjects which have gone to broaden and expand the scope of his remarkable career. During his roamings as a commercial h traveler he gained wide and valuable | knowledge of business, which caused I him to give much thought to the op- I portunities open to young men bent I on making a fortune. In casting about for a larger field of endeavor he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a contractor. He took his first contract at the age of nineteen years. It was for provid- ing cross ties and cordwood to a rail- road having its terminus at Paris, 111. This he followed for eighteen months, successfully, so far as his efforts were concerned, but as events turned out, disastrous from a financial point of view. The company failed and he re- ceived nothing for his long term of toil. Feeling, however, that the experience 1 he had gained in the woods was a valu- I able asset, he decided to make a study I of forestry and pursue it in search of fortune, if at some later day he failed to find the golden fleece in other fields. The fact this this knowledge eventual- ly brought him the nucleus of his pres- ent fortune is worthy of passing com- ment. His versatility manifested itself at this point, however, and he returned home and taught school for a year. Then he resumed for a time his original calling of commercial traveler, meanwhile, con- stantly maintaining his pursuit of knowledge. His "line" was grind- stones, Hon. Fletcher Hulet having commissioned him to create a whole- sale market for him at Berea. During his travels in Wisconsin, in 1862, he was surprised to learn that his reputation as a student and apt mathe- matician had preceded him, and that he was spoken of as the probable recipient of an ofYer from the State University of Wisconsin to fill the chair of mathe- matics in that institution. Not to over- look any opportunities, the young trav- eling man promptly made known to the regents of the university his willingness to accept the professorship. Their dig- nified dilatoriness in the matter, how- ever, was too much for his ardent, pro- gressive young spirit. By the time the chair was properly warm for him, he was flitting on his way again, selling grindstones along the upper Mississippi at a rate they had never been sold before. Fate directed his travels to McGregor, Iowa, where the chance remark of a casual acquaintance changed the whole course of his life and guided his foot- steps into that brilliant pathway of suc- cess from which he never thereafter swerved. The man who thus unconsciously builded so well for Minneapolis and the great northwest was J. M. Robinson, of Minneapolis. Mr Robinson told of the glories of the embryo city by the Falls of St. Anthony. He painted in brilliant colors the prospects and possibilities of the coming metropolis. Won by his word pictures, this budding captain of industry within the hour was on his way to the city of golden promise. He closed up his affairs as a commercial salesman and connected himself im- mediately with a government surveying party under the leadership of George B. Wright. SEES MINNESOTA. Quick to grasp the splendid oppor- tunities for the development of the me- tropolis, afforded by Minneapolis' mag- nificent water power, with his usual prompt decision he wrote back to his Ohio home to his affianced wife: "I have found the spot where we will make our home." For a romance had sprung up during his college days in Berea, Ohio. A young woman awaited the word which would tell her of the suc- cessful outcome of her fiance's quest of fortune. Later in the following season Mr. Walker dropped for the nonce his busi- ness cares. He returned to his parental home. There on December 19, 1863, he was united in wedlock to Harriet G., youngest daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, his former employer. Mr. Walker's former college presi- dent. Rev. J. Wheeler, D. D., was the clergyman who linked the lives of these two for a union which has since been a partnership for the uplifting of mankind and for the rearing of eight children born to them. Their home in this city of the west soon became the rendezvous of Minne- apolis culture. In 1874, when fortune had smiled upon the house of Walker, a palatial residence was erected at the cor- ner of Eighth Street and Hennepin Avenue, where the family has since made its home. To this home Mr. Walker brought his affectionate mother and there his countless deeds of filial affection \vere performed until 1883 when death claimed the noble woman who gave to the world one of the men who were born to serve humanity and whose progress far exceeded her fondest dreams. But one other sorrow has come to this happy home. Mr. Walker's second son, just as life had begun to mature into the promise of a successful busi- ness career, was suddenly stricken with fever and in one brief week the family was bereft of one tenderly loved and whose cherished memory will live for- ever to each heart of the Walker fire- side. There was more Indian fighting about the surveying expedition upon which Mr. Walker embarked on first reaching Minneapolis than there was surveying, however. The little party of sixteen was constantly beset and harassed by the red men, who had just then started on that path of massacre which dyed with blood the prairies and forests of Minnesota. After three days of peril the band reached Fort Ripley, which they helped to defend for some time. Mr. Walker's experience in the gov- ernment survey service lasted nearly three years, after which he engaged for a year in the survey of the St. Paul & Duluth Railway. Here is knowledge of forestry opened his eyes to the pos- sibilities of the lumber industry in the country which he traversed, and re- sulted in his becoming the pioneer of Minnesota lumber magnates. GOES INTO LUMBERING. Although he was without sufficient funds at the time to embark in lumber- ing on a large scale, his sterling busi- ness qualities commended him to Dr. Levi Butler and Howard Mills, who took him in with them and organized the firm of Butler, Mills & Walker. The experience and knowledge which had cost him so dear in his youth count- ed as his capital equally with their money. He managed the business of the firm. He superintended the felling of forests and he built the mills which transformed those forests into villages of symmetrically piled lumber and into towns and hamlets in Minnesota's for- ests and prairies. Personally he operated the camps, the mills and the lumber yards. After sev- eral years of continued success the firm was dissolved, owing to the death of Dr. Butler and the departure of Mr. Mills to California in search of health. Mr. Walker, however, continued in the business, expanding it by leaps and bounds. In some of his undertakings, he was associated with Henry T. Welles, particularly in the purchase of pine lands and timber. He spread his hold- ings over northern Minnesota and Da- kota. St. Anthony Falls whirled the wheels which were now turning out his fortune. He purchased and operated the J. Dean mill and after the plant was de- stroyed by fire he rebuilt it. For many years he operated it with Major George A. Camp, under the firm name of Camp & Walker. Later he organized the Red River Lumber company, his business partner in this instance being his son, Gilbert M. Walker. Two mills were established by the firm, one at Crook- ston, Minn., the other at Grand Forks, N. D. Mr. Walker is also associated with H. C. Akeley in the firm of Walker & Akeley in the ownership of large tracts of pine land, but they operate no mills. Mr. Walker has not confined his at- tention solely to the lumber business, however. He has been closely identi- fied with the growth of Minneapolis in every branch of its commercial develop- ment. The Central Market and Com- mission Row are his creations. The mar- ket, designated to confine the wholesale commission business as well as other wholesale lines, to the district north of Hennepin avenue and west of Fourth street, considered a model of its kind throughout the country. It is largely due to the establishment of Commis- sion Row that the fruit and commission business of Minneapolis is greater than that of any other city in the northwest. Mr. Walker is largely responsible for the existence of St. Louis Park, a sub- urb of Minneapolis, built upon a tract of land owned by Mr. Walker, by the Land and Investment company. Mr. Walker was the originator of the Busi- ness Men's Union, which for many years was a potent factor in the devel- opment of the city. He is an ardent pa- tron of the Y. M. C. A., giving to it freely of his time and money and en- joying the distinction of being a mem- ber of the national committee; for in the development of his career a trend toward things religious and philanthrop- ic asserted itself. With his wife ]\Ir, Walker has turned his attention to and dealt generously for the uplifting of the fallen and the needy. Were his place in the world of trade not so firmly es- tablished, he might be known of men for his good deeds alone. Mr. Walker's career has been remark- able for originality of method and strict business integrity. His word has always been as good as his bond. Ex- tremely liberal in the use of his wealth his charities are unlimited; all classes have been more or less benefited by his beneficience. At the time of the grasshopper visitation in 1875, by which the farmers of the western part of the state of Minnesota were reduced to a condition of poverty and semi-starva- tion pitiful to contemplate. Mr. Walker's eflForts in behalf of suffering humanity were untiring. As soon as the grasshopper scourge had disappeared he organized a scheme for the raising of a late crop that was of inestimable value to settlers. He bought up all the turnip seed and like- wise that of buckwheat to be had in the twin cities and Chicago. He visited the afflicted sections. He made up the seed into paper packages and hiring teams he conducted a system- atic distribution over many townships, The season was so far advanced that only these late crops could be attempt- ed. News of his free distribution of seeds spread as if on the wing and many farmers walked fifteen or twenty miles to meet the teams and thus avail them- selves of Mr. Walker's beneficence. For many years he was one of the managers of the state reform school, laboring untiringly for the reclaiming of waifs on the world's tide. But as one settles on this phase of Mr. Walker's many sided character and decides him preeminent for philanthro- py, some other bent stands out. There- in he is truly like the German emperor, for hardly does the narrator turn to what he would term a distinguishing characteristic, than this noble-minded man stands forth in the light of a stud- ent and writer. Then, as this talent looms out, apparently distinguishing him from others, comes a hint af artis- tic discrimination, and one delves in the depths of a love for the beautiful, as manifested in the patronage of arts, drawing inspiration for a sketch of a man known far and near as a connois- seur. INTERESTED IN THE LIBRARY. Looking for a moment on Mr. Walk- er's literary turn of mind, his labors of love for his fellow man in the estab- lishment of libraries present themselves. For fifteen years or more Mr. Walker worked systematically and persistently to build up the old Athenaeum — a joint stock company — into a fine public libra- ry, and through the agency, assistance and good will of various other citizens he succeeded in the great task. Recog- nizing his achievement, the library board insisted on his acting as its presi- dent. For many years he worked amidst the most persistent and determined op- position from various persons and was seriously misunderstood and misappre- hended. The records of these years show numerous communications, per- sonal letters and criticisms and his an- swers, regarding the part taken by him in the old Anthenaeum in his endeavors to change it from a rigid, close corpo- ration into this public institution, which is now a source of so much pride and satisfaction to the people. No man in the state has taken great- er interest or a more active part in any public institution than he has in this, expending a large amount of time and money in working the desired transfor- mation. The magnificent library build- ing of the city of Minneapolis may be said to be a monument to his persever- ance. It contains not only a splendid library, but also is the home of the Minnesota Academy of Natural Science, an institution with which Mr. Walker has been identified for years and which he has helped more materially than any other man. In this building also dwells the Min- neapolis Society of Fine Arts and its art gallery, which contains many choice paintings, is made the richer by loans of some of Mr. Walker's choicest can- vases. In aiding to develop the public library Mr. Walker has not lost sight of book collecting to gratify his personal, pri- vate tastes. On the shelves in his home may be found scores of valuable vol- umes dealing with science, art, theology and philosophy. This retreat is his delight and in hours of ease he gives himself up to the research and study for which the mind of the youth in college days hungered with little opportunity for gratification. Here in his years of maturity his boy- hood dreams are realized. Here he communes with the master minds whose teachings were denied him in his boyhood and from the erudition thus nurtured and ripened he takes keen delight in giving to the world literary works which mirror his talents and reflect the soul of a man who has known God and held His image ever before him in his struggles through the drear valley of cold, hard commercialism, too often honeycombed by iniquitous pitfalls and glittering temptations of a pathway paved with gold. Turning his versatile mind from liter- ature to art Mr. Walker has for a score of years past been directing much of his attention to the collection of paintings, bronzes, marbles and other works of art. He bears a wide reputation of being a connoisseur of rare discrimina- tion. Yearly he searches the studios and ateliers for articles of virtu, for can- vases enriched by the genius of old masters and modern. His collection today rivals that of the best eastern collector and the owner himself is frequently surprised at the high comparative rating given this col- lection by those who have seen the world's best galleries and who do not hesitate to place this in the first rank. These are the artists whose canvases line the walls of the Walker gallery: GEMS OF THE COLLECTION. Achenbach, Anastasi, Anders, Barker, Benedictor, Berry, Bierstadt, Bogert, Bol; Bonheur, Rosa; Bonheur, August Francois; Both, Bouguereau, Boulan- ger, Breton, Brown, Busson, Cabanel, Cazin, Cederstrom, Chaigneau, Cipriani, Claus, Coomans, Corot, Crochepierre, Crome, Cuyp, Dahl, David, DeBrush, DeHaas, Delphy, Demont-Breton, Deve, Diaz, Dupre, Ernst, Essenlins, Faulk- ner, Ferrier, Foscari, Francais, Franck, Frere, Froment, Gainsborough, Geri- cault, Hamilton, Hamman, Hart, James M.; Hart, William; Hermann, Hire, Ho- garth, Ingres, Inness, Isabey, Jacque, Jacquin, Jazet, Jettell, Johnson, O. S., Julien, Kaufmann, Kaulbach, Klombeck, Verboeckhoven, Knaus, Laurens, Law- rence, LeBrun, LeCompte, du Nuoy, Le- febre, Lefevre, Lely, Lemmens, Lerolle, Leveridge, Lossow, Loutherbourg, Maes, Marihat, Martaens, Massani, Mes- gregny, Matsu, Michel. Minor, Monti- celli, Moran, Morland, Parrocel, Parton, Peale, Pezant, Phillippoteau, Plassan, Pokitanow, Poole, Pyne, Rau, Richet, Riedel, Ritzberger, Rix, Robie, Rosier, Rousseau, Ruisbael, Schandel, Schenck, Schreiber, Schriner, Schreyer. Schuch, Schusselle. Sinkel, Smith, Tait, Thorp, Turner, Unterberger, Vander Venne, Van Marcke, Verboeckhoven, Vernet, Veronese, Vibert, Vuyllefroy, Walker, Watson, Weisse, West, Westerbeek, Wilson, Zanpighi, Zein, Beechey, Car- pentire, Coello, Cotes, Coypel, Harpig- nies, Holbein, KaufFmann. I.aurence, Max, Opie, Del Piombo, Pourbus. Rae- burn, Raphael, VanRijn, Reni, Rigaud, Rubens, VanDyck, Vercke-Heyde. This list of names is incomplete, in that Mr. Walker is constantly adding to his splendid collection. For the most part, it is hung in his private art gallery, a spacious series of rooms which form a part of his beautiful residence near the public library building. In the lat- ter structure are some half hundred more of Mr. Walker's paintings, loaned to the city that visitors to this home of culture may feast their eyes upon its treasures. And here again does Mr. Walker's ever-dominant philanthropy assert it- self. For not satisfied with giving to the eyes of public library visitors the pleasure and profit of a view of his canvases which he has loaned to the city, Mr. Walker throws his private gallery open to the public, refusing to seclude from the public eye, as does the selfish art collecter, the treasures of his quest in painters' retreats. This private gallery is daily visited by lovers of art. It is one of the well- known and much sought places of in- terest in Minneapolis and to its doors are welcome the man of lowly rank as well as the traveler in search of a feast of art. This, then, is the manner of man who is recognized as Minneapolis' foremost citizen. A close glance at his character reveals a man of strength — one with whom to plan is to execute and whose marvelous powers of grasping details and systematizing all of his undertakings, combined with his unswerving tenacity of purpose, his impenetrable integrity, render him one who knows not what it means to fail, once he sets out to ac- complish a thing which his analytical mind has told him is possible of accom- plishment. He is an earnest Christian, who strives to communicate to all with whom he comes in contact in his daily life that God-fearing, humanitarian spirit which has filled his soul to overflowing from the time he first lisped his prayers at his mother's knee in the little Ohio home. Modest withal, domestic in his tastes, he yet finds time to build for the betterment of man and municipality, and when the feet of future generations tread the corridors of Minneapolis' hall of fame, first in the niches of her saint- ed sons will be the noble figure of Thomas Barlow Walker. An Encouraging View of Trusts. Minneapolis Journal, May 12, 1903. That was a most interesting and m- structive address on trusts that Mr. T. B. Walker yesterday delivered before the local Methodist ministers. It was interesting not only for what it con- tained, but for its authorship. A poor or unsuccessful man can condem trusts with force and reason, but he is always open to the argument that he is agamst them simply because they have and he has not. But when a multi-millionaire, like Mr. Walker, condemns trusts every one listens intently, for he is sure that ness world. He specifically condemns what is called a "trust." A trust is not merely an immense corporation, but it is one that seeks to keep prices at an artificial or extortionate level, that un- dertakes by means of effective control or actual monopoly to pay dividends on fictitious capital. Moreover, the men at the head of trusts are, as Mr. Walk- er points out, animated not only by the desire to make money, but by the lust of power; they really aim at con- trolling as much of the property of hat he says is not colored by personal the world as they can get their hands "^ ■ ''-■- '^-~'- on, not so much for the acquisition of wealth as for the power it gives. misfortune or envy. Keeping this fact in mind, it is doubly interesting to find that Mr. Walker is not only an opponent but a radical opponent of trusts, and that he condemns them on both eco- nomic and moral grounds. Mr. Walk- er finds that the trust is not an eco- nomic necessity, but merely the out- growth of greed for power and money. He denies that it can more economical- ly conduct business than smaller or- ganizations and he asserts that it is unprincipled. It is a most hopeful sign of the times when such a man as Mr. Walker dares and does speak out his opinion and judgment of trusts. There has been too much passiveness, if not cowardice, among business men in this respect. Business men who saw independent businesses daily devoured by the trusts, and not knowing whether their turn would come next, have been hypnotized by the oft-repeated assertion that the trust is merely a fulfillment of manifest business destiny, and have been far too willing to join the first trust that came along. There are now signs of a re- action towards individualism in business. Men are recovering from their fear of the trusts' supposed unbounded capaci- ties and are becoming brave enough to compete with them. While Mr. Walker, like Andrew Carnegie, maintains that as a rule the business in which the owner is a worker has great advantages over an immense corporation, he does not undertake to say that there is not a place for large corporations in the busi- None can deny that at some point there is danger to the state in the acquisition of property sought for its power-conferring quality and in pos- session of property used for power. If Pierpont Morgan owned all the proper- ty in the United States the government of this nation or of any of the states would be a hollow mockery, for the man who owned all the property would really own all the people. Accepting Mr. Walker's analysis of trusts as correct, the inference is that it is only a matter of time until some of them will collapse or become harm- less. But those that have a natural monopoly or a process monopoly are likely to continue. These must be regu- lated and restricted, because it lies in their power to do great evil, and they are likely to exercise that power. We thus get back to the elemental argument for government control of monopolistic business enterprises, which is that a free people cannot permit their liberties to be circumscribed merely because the circumscribing tendency is now eco- nomic instead of political, as of old. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, who helped to survey the first line of rail- road to build into Duluth, the old Lake Superior & Mississippi, now known as the Northern Pacific short line between the Head of the Lakes and the Twin Cities, is a guest at the Spalding. (Herald, Duluth, Minn., Aug. 3, 1905.) PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MINNESOTA. Edited by Marion D. Shutter, D. D. and J. S. McLain, M. A., 1897. MINNESOTA'S FOREMOST CITIZEN. Thomas Barlow Walker is one of the most honored names in the city of Minneapolis, where he is known not so much for his large fortune as for his numerous philanthropies, public and private. Mr. Walker was born February 1, 1840, at Xenia, Ohio, the second son of Piatt Bayless and Ans- tis K. (Barlow) Walker. His mater- nal grandfather was Hon. Thomas Bar- low, of New York. When the subject of this sketch was a child his father fitted out a train for the newly dis- covered gold fields in California, in- vesting all his means in that enter- prise. While on his way to California he fell a victim to the cholera scourge. This threw the lad upon his own re- sources and the remainder of his boy- hood was a hard struggle with poverty. He had a natural aptitude for study, however, and notwithstanding the ad- versity which he suffered managed to acquire an excellent education. From his ninth to his sixteenth year he at- tended only short terms in the public schools. At that time his family re- moved to Berea, Ohio, for the better educational advantages to be attained at Baldwin University. Here he was obliged to devote most of his time to a clerkship in a country store in order to support himself, so that he was able to attend the university only one term of each year. His industry and ca- pacity were such, however, that he soon outstripped many of the regular stu- dents. At nineteen he was employed as traveling salesman by Fletcher Hu- let, manufacturer of the Berea grind- stones. His travels brought young Walker to Paris, Illinois, where he be- came engaged in the purchase of tim- ber land and in cutting cross ties for the Terre Haute & St. Louis Railroad. Unfortunately, after eighteen months of successful work, he was robbed of nearly all his earnings through the failure of the railroad company. He then returned to Ohio and during the next winter taught a district school with much success and was subsequent- ly elected to the assistant professor- ship of mathematics in the Wisconsin State University. This position he was obliged to decline, however, because of arrangements already made to enter the service of the government survey. While at McGregor, Iowa, Mr. Walk- er chanced to meet J. M. Robinson, a citizen of the then young but thriving town of Minneapolis. Mr. Robinson presented the attractions and prospects of the young city with such persuasive eloquence that Mr. Walker determined at once to settle there, taking passage one the first steamboat for St. Paul, and bringing with him a consignment of grindstones. There he met an un- usually intelligent and energetic young man employed by the transportation company as clerk and workman on the wharf, of whom he has been a firm and trusted friend ever since. That young man was James J. Hill. From St. Paul Mr. Walker came over the only railroad in the state, to Minne- apolis, and within an hour after his arrival entered the service of George B. Wright, who had a contract to sur- vey government lands. The surveying expedition was soon abandoned owing to an Indian outbreak, and returning to Minneapolis Mr. Walker devoted the winter to his books having desk room in the office of L. M. Stewart, an attorney. The following summer was occupied in examining the lands for the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. In the fall he returned to his Ohio home at Berea, where he was married De- cember 19, 1863, to Harriet G., the youngest daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, a lady whose name is a syn- onym in Minneapolis for good works. Returning to Minneapolis, Mr. Walker entered upon an active career which made him not only a participant in, but the chief promoter of, many good works and enterprises in this city. In the summer of 1864 he ran the first trial line of the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad, after which he gave atten- tion for years to the government sur- vey. In 1868 he began to invest in pine lands and thus laid the founda- tion for the large fortune which he subsequently acquired. His first part- ners in the business were L. Butler and Howard W. Mills, under the firm name of Butler, Mills & Walker, the first two furnishing the capital while Mr. Walker supplied the labor and ex- perience. This led also to the exten- sive m'anufacture of lumber by the old firm of Butler, Mills & Walker, afterwards L. Butler & Co., and later Butler & Walker. Of later years his most important operations in this re- gard have been his large lumber mills at Crookston and Grand Forks, both of which have been leading factors in the development of the Northwest. Mr. Walker's business career has been characterized by strict integrity and honorable dealing, but he has not been content to acquire money simply. At the time of the grasshopper visitation he not only labored for the immediate relief of the starving, b utorganized a plan for the raising of late crops which were of inestimable value. One of the most creditable examples of his pub- lic spirit and munificent influence was his organization of the public library. It was due to his effort that this insti- tution became a public instead of a private collection and was made avail- able to the public without even so much as a deposit for the privilege of using the books. To him also the city owes more than to any one else the possession of the magnificent library building which it now owns. As would seem right and proper under the cir- cumstances, Mr. Walker has been con- tinuously president of the library board since its organization in 1885 to the present time. To him also is due, the credit for the inception and princi- pal support of the School of Fine Arts, of which society he is president. Mr. Walker's love for art is fully exempli- fied in the splendid collection of pic- tures in his own private gallery, a col- lection which has few if any equals in this country, among private individuals. His home library is also an evidence of the scholarly tastes and studious habits of its owner. The Minnesota Academy of Natural Science is another institu- tion much indebted to him for its past support and present fortunate situa- tion. Not the least important of the services rendered by him to Minneapo- lis is his devotion to the building up of the material interest of the city in the line of manufactures, jobbing, etc. It was through his instrumentality that there was organized the Business Men's Union, which has accomplished a great deal for the material interests of the city. The Minneapolis Land and Investment Company is another institution at the head of which Mr. Walker stands and upon which he has expended much time an money. This enterprise is located a short distance west of the city, where a company organized by Mr. Walker purchased a large tract of land and established a number of important industries. This manufacturing center is directly tri- butary to Minneapolis and will no doubt in the course of a few years be- come a part of the city. The Flour City National Bank was organized in 1887 and a year later Mr. Walker was elected, without his knowledge or con- sent, to the office of president. He accepted the duties and responsibili- ties of his position, against his protest, and discharged them until January 1, 1894, when he peremptorily resigned. Three years ago Mr. Walker also or- ganized a company of which he is president for the construction of the Central City Market, probably one of the finest market buildings in the United States. This necessarily brief sketch but imperfectly outlines the numerous activities and beneficent pub- lic services of a man who has been identified very largely with nearly every good work and public enterprise in the city of Minneapolis. No man was ever more favored in the marriage relation. Mrs. Walker has been the inspiration and participant of her hus- band's useful and successful life, and as a leader in every philanthropic ef- fort has brought honor to his name. B. WALKER REWARDS AGED BENEFACTRESS. (Tribune, Minneapolis, Aug. 20, '05.) T. B. Walker has purchased a 360- acre homestead at Hatchet Creek moun- tain, California, and presented the deed to Mrs. Julia A. Carberry, the original owner of the property. The gift was in the nature of a re- ward for services rendered about five years ago when Mr. Walker was taken ill while traveling on the Hatchet Creek mountain. The Carberry homestead was near by and there Mr. Walker was taken, where Mrs. Carberry cared for and nursed him back to health. Mrs. Carberry was 80 years old at the time and had been a widow for about a year. During his stay Mr. Walk- er learned considerable of the widow's history and ascertained that before her husband's death it had been arranged between the two that whoever died first was to be buried in a spot in a garden near the home of the old couple. Judge Carberry died in 1899, and the arrangement was carried out to the let- ter, the widow making daily trips to the grave and keeping the place in good order. Soon afterwards, however, Mrs Car- berry's son came home and on the promise that they would go to Oakland and live in peace and ease, induced his mother to deed the homestead over to him. The deeds were duly executed, but, unbeknown to his mother, he im- mediately sold the place to a man named Kirk. Instead of going to Oak- land, the son took the old lady to a place across the river called Redding. Without home, friends or money, Mrs. Carberry returned to the old homestead, only to find that the doors were shut against her by the new ten- ants. She then went to a tumble-down shack at the far end of the premises and has lived there ever since. When these facts were called to the attention of Mr. Walker, he purchased the Carberry place from the new own- ers for $3,700, and handed the deed to Mrs. Carberry. AMERICA'S SUCCESSFUL MEN. Edited by Henry Hall, 1896. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. Thomas Barlow Walker, manufac- turer and philanthropist, born in Xenia, O., Feb. 1, 1840, is of English descent and a son of Piatt Bayliss Walker, a native of New Jersey and a man of unusual vigor and character. The senior Walker became a prosperous merchant in Xenia and promoted vari- ous enterprises in several States and lost several fortunes. He repeatedly resumed mercantile pursuits in Xenia, and in that line of activity was always successful. In 1849, he organized a company of forty-six men for the over- land trip to California and supplied the outfit, but en route the company was attacked with cholera. Those who were stricken down were deserted in terror by every survivor except Mr. Walker, who nobly remained with several of the sick men until they died. Seeking finally to overtake the party on horseback, Mr. Walker died under a tree by the wayside near Westport, Mo., and was there buried. Thomas B. Walker was a village boy, expert with the gun and rifle and at the game of checkers, thinking much of sport and little of work until the age of sixteen, when he moved, with his family, to Berea, O. The serious side of life then claimed attention, and Thomas toiled with axe and maul in cutting fire wood and hard wood lum- ber for spokes, bowls and blocks. In these labors, he was so successful as to be able to give employment to many students of Berea college. Meanwhile, he gained an education, partly at Bald- win university, in Berea, but mainly by the persistent use of spare hours, which he devoted to his books. Books have been his constant companions all his life. He also travelled as a salesman for manufacturers in Berea; and at Paris, 111., after working at the paint- er's trade, he took a contract to supply the railroad with ties and cordwood, employing from forty to eighty men in a lumber camp for a year and a half. When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Walker joined two artillery companies in succession, but neither was sent to the front, and he then joined a third at Lowell, Mich., but this also was not called for until long afterward. Un- occupied, he then sought employment in Michigan, but being unable to find it, he applied at the State University of Wisconsin. The Dean greatly desired his services in mathematics, but the Board had no money to pay an assist- ant. Pressing northward, Mr. Walk- er finallj^ reached Minneapolis, which has ever since been his home. There he engaged in surveys and spent a win- ter of hard study upon law books. Dec. 19, 1863, at Berea, he was united in marriage to Harriet G., daughter of the Hon. Fletcher Hulett. Mr. Walker has always been an ac- tive influence in his city and state and promoter of many important enter- prises. For several years, he was em- ployed in government and railroad sur- veys, and thereby became acquainted with the value of the vast unlocated pine forests of Minnesota. In 1868, he succeeded in interesting men of wealth to invest jointly for his and their bene- fit in the pine timber lands, and after- ward engaged with the same men in the lumber trade and turned large amounts of the standing timber into logs and timber, from which he paid for his share in the investments. His holdings are now estimated to be more than 200,000 acres. He is managing partner of the firm of Walker & Ake- ley, of Minneapolis, who are extensive- ly engaged in the sale of timber, logs and lumber; president of the Red River Lumber Co., with mills at Crooks- ton, Minn., and Grand Forks, N. D.; and at the head of the St. Louis Park Syndicate, which is building a suburban city on the boundary of Minneapolis. The company has laid out about twelve thousand lots and there are various large factories, a fine electric railway, business houses, and nearly two hun- dred residences on this property. He was also for several years president of the Flour City National Bank. It was Mr. Walker who constructed the Min- neapolis central city market, one of the finest in America, but recently de- stroyed by fire. With B. F. Nelson and his son, Gilbert Walker, he is an owner of the Hennepin Paper Co., and is engaged in many other enterprises, devoted to building up Minneapolis. He organized The Business Men's Union some years ago, which has had great influence in the development of the city. Through Mr. Walker's in- strumentality and many years of work, the old Athenaeum Library Associa- tion was developed into the Public Li- brary, which stands now third or fourth in circulation among those of the cities in this country. He has been presid- ing officer of the Board since its or- ganization in 1885, and was for fifteen years previous to that managing direct- or of the old Athenaeum. While Mr. Walker is a strong Re- pubican, it is interesting to note, that when a vote was taken by a Democrat- ic newspaper in Minneapolis for the citizen most popular and in best stand- ing among the people, Mr. Walker re- ceived over a thousand more votes than any one else. Mr. Walker possesses what is considered the finest private art collection in the Northwest and a large library of books, which he finds time to use daily, although he proba- bly devotes more time to close, hard business work than any other man in Minneapolis. He is a firm believer in a protective tariff. Mr. Walker's married life has been a happy one. Of his eight children, seven survive. Noted for philanthropic spirit, Mr. Walker is expected always to head the list in all subscriptions for charitable purposes or for the building up of his adopted city, and his active personal efforts and large expenditures for relief at the time of the grasshop- per visitation are historic. Beginning his career under difficulties, he has worked his way to the first rank among educated, self-made men. He has large wealth, good judgment, lib- erality and public spirit, and is a con- spicuous example of what the American youth can accomplish by intelligent and persistent work and hard study. — Minneapolis Tribune, Sept. 21, 1897. T. B. Walker's tariff pamphlet, which The Tribune published in full some days ago, is quite generally commented on by the press. The comments of the Republican press are as a rule very favorable, although some of the pa- pers, like the New York Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, assume a patronizing tone, and say in effect: "Mr. Walker has made a very good tariflf argument, but of course we could make a better one." The fact is, how- ever, that no Republican paper or speaker has as yet made a more con- vincing argument. No one before has so completely demonstrated that pros- perity in the country has always been coincident with protection to Amer- ican industry, and that panic and de- pression have been coincident with low tariff. The Poneer Press, which used to make a specialty of advocating (low) "tariff reform" between elections and supporting the Republican ticket and platform during elections, has of late become a much more reliable protec- tion advocate than formerly, which is a gratifying indication of the growth of protection ideas. But the P. P. either willfully or ignorantly miscon- strues Mr. Walker's main contention. It says he contends that the higher tariff the greater the prosperity, and hence that if his doctrine were accept- ed tariffs might be run up to an abso- lutely prohibitory point and thus prove destructive of revenue. Mr. Walker makes no such conten- tion. He shows from the past history of the country that our people have prospered under the higher tariffs in force, but he does not say, or intimate, that there should be no limit to the imposition of a tariff. He believes that in formulating tariff schedules common sense should prevail the same as in any other kind of business. If the princi- ple of protection is admitted to be the correct one, then the task of adjust- ing the rate of duty is a work for ex- perts or men who have made a study of trade conditions. It is evident, in the first place, that the rate of duty should be sufficient to protect American labor against the lower wage scale prevail- ing in competing countries. It is also desirable to protect American capital against the cheaper capital (lower rates of interest) prevailing in older and more densely settled countries. For instance, if the prevailing rate for money in the United States is from 6 to 8 per cent, and in England from 3 to 4 per cent, the men who invest their own or borrowed capital in man- ufacturing enterprises here ought to have an equivalent protection. Then if the higher rate of duty can be imposed without cutting down the government's revenue below its necessities, such higher duty ought to be imposed. In other words, duties should be adjusted as nearly as possible to existing trade conditions, keeping in view the neces- sities of both protection and revenue. It does not stand to reason that a man of Mr. Walker's experience and well known business sagacity would enunci- ate a hard and fast rule that the higher the duty the greater the protection. That would be equivalent to saying that in his lumber business, for in- stance, the higher the prices the great- er his profits, and then fixing his prices so high that nobody would buy of him. Prices of merchandise are adjusted to markets and conditions. A dealer aims to get all he can, but if he understands his business he does not put his own prices way above those asked by his competitors. If prices are too high, no business results. If protective tariffs are too high, no revenue would result. There are some articles on which it would pay to make duty prohibitory. Such are articles of which we could easily produce a sur- plus in this country. On such articles our manufacturers are entitled to the whole domestic market and to such foreign markets as they may command. The old contention that a protective prohibitory tariff enables the domestic manufacturer to practice extortion on the consumer has been disproven again and again by the fact that in high tariff times many articles of domestic manufacture sold in this country at a price per yard or specific quantity ab- solutely below the cost of the duty on such quantity. Competition regulates that. If it is found that one manufac- turer is making an enormous profit on a protected article, others immediately rush to engage in the business and knock prices down. Every housewife knows that she has frequently bought American calico at a price per yard actually less than the duty per yard would have been on imported calico. If the manufacturer always adds the duty to the price of his goods, such things could not be. The Democratic papers treat Mr. Walker's pamphlet rather gingerly. The St. Paul Globe characterized it as a weak argument and promised to re- ply to it in detail, but up to the pres- ent writing, it has not ventured to tackle the job. It evidently finds it too hard a nut to crack. First Citizens of the Republic. Publi.hed by L. R. Hamerly & Co., New York, 1906. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. Thomas B. Walker has been classed variously as a captain of industry, phi- lanthropist, patron of art, scholar, scientist, litterateur, municipal expert, civil engineer, forestry expert, lecturer, preacher, student of economics, travel- er, lumberman and financier. It is safe to say that few communities embrace among their citizens one who can just- ly claim to all these titles in one per- son, but such distinction has been free- ly acorded to this distinguished Minne- sotan. The space allotted to this sketch is all too brief to record all of the eventful features in the career of this remarkable man, and a mere out- line will be all that will be attempted. Thomas Barlow Walker belongs to that illustrous brotherhood of men who have won their way from a small beginning, in the face of difficulties, that galaxy of indomitable spirits that has given to Ohio her wondrous place as the native state of presidents, states- men and leaders in the world of in- dustry. He was born in Xenia, Green county, February 1, 1840, the third child of Piatt Bayliss and Anstis Bar- low Walker. His parents were in cir- cumstances considered comfortable in those days of the development of the western reserve. His father was an artisan, but by instinct and practice he was imbued with those character- istics which in these latter days of strenuous development make a man the successful promoter of great en- terprises. Thus did the son come naturally by his wonderful business sagacity and acumen. When the boy had reached the age of nine years there came into his life an event which brought sorrow to his mother but was of double significance to the child, whose tender years prevented the real- ization of its full meaning. His father had embarked in a venture, one of magnitude for those times, investing all his means in a wagon train of merchandise wMth which he started on the long and perilous route to Cali- fornia, in that period marked by the gold fever of the virgin west. Hardly had the expedition reached the gate- way to the western plains when its chief sickened and died. With the father's death went his entire accumu- lations, and the widow was left penni- less. But she was made of brave stuff, and she battled heroically in her en- deavors to provide for her orphaned children. Spurred on by the noble ef- forts of his devoted mother, young Thomas began to bend his efforts to- ward taking up the battle which his mother was thus obliged for a time to bear alone. His opportunities for schooling were few indeed, but his mother's teachings so developed his mind that at the age of sixteen he was enabled to matriculate at Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio. But his attendance upon the classes was not continuous, as he had obtained em- ployment as a traveling salesman, and many of his studies were pursued while on the road. He carried his school books with him on all his trips, and from these he drew the knowledge which in later years served him in such good stead. The difficulties of his school days became the foundation of his studious habits, for then it was he acquired the custom of adding to the storehouse of his knowledge new insight into the subjects which have gone to broaden and expand the scope of his remarkable career. His first venture as a business man on his own resources was when he entered into a contract when he was nineteen years of age, to supply the cross-ties and cordwood to a railroad having its terminus at Paris, Illinois. The prin- cipal asset remaining, however, after eighteen months of unceasing toil, was the experience he had gained in wood- craft, as the company failed and he lost the greater part of the proceeds of his labors. His experience in the woods had given him a strong taste for for- estry, and he decided to make it a sub- ject of serious study, and this fact had an important bearing on his future fortunes. Returning to Berea after his disas- trous venture in Illinois, he resumed his original calling of traveling salesman. His travels were mainly in the states of Wisconsin and Iowa, and it was while in the town of McGregor, in the latter state, that a chance remark from a casual acquaintance changed the whole course of his life and directed his footsteps into that brilliant path- way of success from which he never departed. The man who thus un- consciously influenced Mr. Walker's career was J. M. Robinson, of Minne- apolis. Mr. Robinson's account of the golden promises of the far Northwest were listened to with unusual interest, and within a few hours he was on his way to investigate its possibilities for himself. The result was that he ended at once his vocation as a traveling salesman and connected himself with a government surveying party under the leadership of George B. Wright. Quick to grasp the splendid oppor- tunities for the development of the metropolis by the splendid water pow- er afforded by the falls of Minnehaha, he decided to make this spot his fu- ture home. Having secured a foot- hold, he returned to Ohio, where he culminated an attachment which had sprung up during his college days in Berea, by marrying, on the 19th of De- cember, 1863, Harriet G., youngest daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, his former employer. Mr. Walker's ex- periences as a surveyor were not un- accompanied by dangers and hardships, for the hostility of the redman was particularly felt at this period in this vicinity. After three years of this life he severed his connection with the government and was engaged for a year in the survey of the St. Paul and Duluth railway. Here his knowledge of forestry opened his eyes to the pos- sibilities of the lumber industry in the country which he traversed, and result- ed in his becoming the pioneer of Min- nesota magnates. Although he was without sufficient funds at this time to embark in lumbering on a large scale, his sterling qualities commended him to Dr. Levi Butler and Howard Mills, who took him into partnership and organized the firm of Butler, Mills & Walker. The experience and knowl- edge which had cost him so dearly in his youth was counted as an offset equal to the capital invested by the others. He managed the business of the firm and personally operated the camps, the mills and the lumber yards. After several years of great success the firm was dissolved, and the business came under the sole ownership of Mr. Walker. It grew to vast proportions, and his holdings were eventually spread over northern Minnesota and Dakota, one of his many mills being located at St. Anthony's Falls, and another at Grand Forks. It is needless to add that Mr. Walker's enterprise brought him great wealth. In 1874 he erected a fine residence in the fashionable sec- tion of Minneapolis, and to this he brought his affectionate mother, and there his countless deeds of affection were performed until 1883, when death claimed the noble woman who gave to the world one of the men who were born to serve humanity and whose prog- ress had far exceeded her fondest dreams. Mr. Walker's career has been re- markable for originality of method and strict business integrity. Extremely liberal in the use of his wealth, his charities are unlimited; all classes have been more or less benefited by his beneficence. With his wife he has turned his attention largely to the up- lifting of the fallen and needy. Were his place in the world of trade not so firmly established, he might be known of men for his good deeds alone. No man in the state of Minnesota has tak- en greater interest or a more active part in her public institutions. The mag- nificent library building of the city of Minneapolis may be said to be a monu- ment to his liberality and persever- ance. It contains not only a splendid collection of books, but is the home of the Minnesota Academy of Natural Science, an institution with which Mr. Walker has been identified for years and which he has helped more ma- terially than any other man. In this building also dwells the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts and its art gal- lery, which contains many choice paintings, and which has been made the richer by the loan of many choice canvases from Mr. Walker's private gallery. In aiding to develop the pub- lie library he has not neglected to do some book collecting to gratify his personal private tastes. On the shelves in his home may be found scores upon scores of valuable vol- umes dealing with science, art, the- ology and philosophy. This retreat is his delight, and in hours of ease he gives himself up to the research and study for which the mind of the youth in college days hungered with little opportunity for gratification. Mr. Walker has for a score of years been directing much of his attention to the collection of paintings, bronzes, mar- bles and other works of art. He bears a wide reputation of being a connois- seur of rare discrimination. His col- lection today rivals that of the best eastern collectors, and the owner is himself frequently surprised at the high comparative rating given to his gallery by those who have seen the world's best collections. Modest withal, domestic in his tastes, Mr. Walker yet finds time to build for the betterment of man and municipal- ity, and when the feet of future gen- erations tread the corridors of Minne- apolis' Hall of Fame, first in the niches of her distinguished sons will be found the noble figure of Thomas Barlow Walker. THOMAS B. WALKER. REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR LIBRARY BOARD. The subject of this sketch is Hon. T, B. Walker, The Appeal can only char- acterize briefly the life of this man. At present he is the Republican nominee for the Library Board, and also indorsed by the Prohibition and Democratic parties. As one can note his popularity it is needless to doubt his election to the office that is being thrust upon him. Mr. Walker was born in Xenia, Ohio, 54 years ago and came to Minneapolis at the age of 22, a poor boy and it was only through his tireless energy, pluck and perseverence, that he acquired his great wealth. It may be well said that in connection with Mr. Walker's great wealth, that his career is remarkable for its originality of method, strict business integrity and honorable regard for others' rights. His word has always been as good as his bond. He is ex- tremely liberal in the use of his wealth, his charities are unlimited. He contri- buted to the Labor Temple more than three thousand dollars for its mainte- nance. This liberality extended to the Hinckley fire sufferers to the extent of $1,000 in cash, which was more than any amount contributed by any other Min- neapolis citizen to the ill-fated ones. Mr. Walker also placed a glittering star in his crown by extending his charity to the inhabitants of St. Louis Park. The Park is largely owned by Mr. Walker, who is looking forward to make it one of the leading manufac- turing centers in this country. During the poverty epidemic last winter he re- duced the rent of more than 100 tenants one third, and in many cases returned the money, besides sending weekly sup- plies to large numbers of families. Thus it can be seen that he is the possessor of the greatest of all gifts. Mr. Walker is at present, president of the following organizations: Central City Market Company, Minneapolis Land & Invest- ment Company, Red River Lumber Company, and many other important connections, including the City Library Board. Forth latter he has spent years of toil as well as a small fortune for its establishment, and to his honor the building stands second to none in the country, in its beauty of design with an unusual selection of the choicest books. Mr. Walker stands before us a perfect type of generous symmetrical manhood. All his life has been an exemplification of all that is best in the human heart and soul. To the thoughtful student there is much to his career to inspire us with the fire of emulation. In conclusion I wish to say that the honored one of this sketch has a collection of superb paint- ings in his spacious art gallery that will alone echo his fame through this country. Mrs. T. B. Walker is to be remembered in connection with her hus- band, her noble qualifications are like those of the subject of this sketch.— The Appeal : A National Afro-American Newspaper. GREAT FUTURE FOR AKELEY. T. B. Walker Addresses Members of the Akeley Cornet Band at Minne- apolis. Mr. and Mrs T. B. Walker opened the doors of their hospitable home to the members of the Akeley Cornet Band during their recent visit to Minneapolis. They boys were conducted through the grand art gallery and also the general offices of the Red River Lumber Co., and all the office work explained to them. Mr. Walker addressed the boys at some length touching upon his fa- mous art collection. Incidentally he com- plimented the boys for their good mu- sic, fine appearance and manly conduct. The most important statement in his address, however, was to the effect that it was the intention of the Red River Lumber Co. to assist in making Akeley one of the largest and best cities in Northern Minnesota, by continually en- larging the plant here and branching out into kindred industries, which will necessitate the employment of hundreds of men.— Akeley Tribune. Biographical History of the Northwest. By Alonzo Phelps, A. M. 1890. THOMAS B. WALKER. What photography is to the human face, biography is to the soul. The one, with the marvellous pen of light, sketches the outward features of phy- sical being; the other traces the pro- gressive development of mind from in- fancy to manhood, demonstrating that the diversity of character in individuals is as limitless as the physiognomy of man. In taking notes of the life of Thomas Barlow Walker, it will be found that he comes into the list of American eminent men who have carved their pathway up the hill of fame with en- ergetic and persistent endeavors. He was born in Xenia, Greene County, O., February 1, 1840. He is the third child, and second son, of Piatt Bayless and Anstis Barlow Walker. In 1848 the father of the subject of this sketch, en route for California, haing embarked nearly all of his world- ly wealth in the enterprise, fell a vic- tim to the cholera at Warrensburg, Missouri. In those days, the low ebb of commercial honor was such that not a dollar of the thousands that had been invested came back to the widow and four young children, one scarcely more than a babe. The widow thus bereft was the daughter of Hon Thomas Barlow, of New York, and sister of Judge Thomas Barlow, of Canastota, New York, and Judge Moses Barlow, of Greene County, Ohio. Though young and inexperi- enced in the business of life, she made a brave fight against adversity, and lived many years to enjoy the fruits of her labor, in the homes of her af- fectionate children. In 1883, May 23, she died at the residence of her son, Thomas, of Minneapolis, of whose family she had been an honored mem- ber for several years. It is due to the subject of this bi- ography to embrace this brief record of his respected parents. It will help us to explain and understand some of the sources of character which are found in the events of his life, and en- able us to appreciate inherited ener- gies and habits of usefulness, and to value the influences of example and practical education. The early days of Mr. Walker were given to industry and study. The ac- tivity and bent of his mind may be inferred from the fact that he early discovered a taste and capacity for the most abstruse studies, especially for the higher mathematics. He was not only a natural student, but a practical one. The adverse circumstances sur- rounding him in these early years ren- dered his opportunities for gaining knowledge from books extremely lim- ited. But, as some one wisely remarks, obstacles sometimes operate as incen- tives to success, if the ardent mind is powerful enough to grapple with them. His thirst for learning was insatiable, and from all available sources he gath- ered up knowledge. In his sixteenth year the family re- moved to Berea, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for the better educational ad- vantages to be obtained in the Bald- win University. This change in the locality of the family seems to have been the turning point in the life of the boy. He, there and then, resolved to drop all the boy out of his life, and take up the man. Here, for the first time, he fully appreciated the worth of an education, and determined at any cost to obtain it. Though at this time financially unable to pursue a collegi- ate course of study, he never lost sight of his books. Aside from the duties of his clerkship, all spare time was rig- idly devoted to study. Although his average attendance at school did not exceed one term in the year, he kept pace with, and often outstripped, his regular college classes. He was a most indefatigable student. During these years, while employed as a commercial traveller, his heavy case of books con- stituted his principal baggage. Throughout life Mr. Walker has been a model of industry. He rightly considered idleness as a vice, and in every period of life work was his espe- cial delight; for he fully realized that without persistent mental and physical labor — such as few will voluntarily un- dertake — he never could have reached the prosperous eminence of his later years. The department of knowledge in which he especially excelled, and ultimately became eminent in the high- est degree, was the higher mathematics, with the kindred branches, astronomy, chemistry, and the mechanical arts. To these studies, thus earnestly pursued and laboriously acquired, he is in- debted, no doubt, for the ability which in later life afforded him that clear perception and foresight, combined with continuous and unremitting labor, which have characterized his whole business career. When nineteen years of age, Mr. Walker's commercial-agency travels brought him to the little town of Paris, Illinois, where a profitable business venture opened up to him, in buying timber land and cutting cross-ties for the Terre Haute & St. Louis Railroad Company. Few boys of his age would have seen the business opening; and fewer still would have thought it pos- sible to overcome the obstacles in the way of the undertaking. A boy with- out business experience, a stranger in the community, without means, and dependent entirely upon the credit which he might be able to establish with the local banks for funds to prose- cute the work, he has probably never in his later business career undertaken any transaction involving so much nerve as well as self reliance, combined with consummate tact and sound judg- ment, as this "cross-tie" contract in the wild woods and pathless forests of Illinois. In a brief time he had his plans matured, funds secured, contracts closed, and boarding camps built; and the clear music of scores of axes was ringing through the woods. This en- terprise consumed eighteen months of time, and was a thoroughly creditable business and financial success in every point that could have been foreseen; but the failure of the company the same month the work was completed robbed him of all, save a small fraction, of the profits arising from the enterprise. With the few hundred dollars thus saved, he returned to his maternal home and books. The following winter he spent in teaching a district school, in which calling he was highly success- ful. Being himself a careful student, clear and direct in views and aims, he was able to present knowledge and the intricacies of study in so plain and simple a form as to make everything easily understood by his pupils. He rightly ranked the teacher's profession above all others, because of its power to make or mar the young and plastic character. In 1862, entertaining the idea of making teaching a profession, he made application to the Board of Wisconsin State University for the chair of the assistant professorship of mathematics, to which he was subse- quently elected. But the action of the board being delayed, he made arange- ments, before their favorable action was reported to him, to engage in the government survey. At this time, while at McGregor, Iowa, Mr. Walker met a citizen of the then almost un- known village called Minneapolis. True to the inborn instincts of the Minneapolis citizen, this casual ac- quaintance, Mr. Robinson, so enlarged upon the beauties of this embryo city that Mr. Walker decided at once to visit it, and accordingly took passage upon the first steamer for St. Paul, thence over the whole length of the only line of railway in the state of Min- nesota, a distance of nine miles from St. Paul to Minneapolis. One hour after his arrival he had engaged to go on a government survey, with the lead- ing surveyor of the state, Mr. George B. Wright, and began active prepara- tions for immediately taking the field. Mr. Walker's impressions of Minneap- olis were so favorable that he wrote back to his Ohio home, and to his af- fianced wife, "I have found the spot where we will make our home." The expedition, however, was des- tined to terminate disastrously. The Indian outbreak forced the party for safety into Fort Ripley. Mr. Walker returned to Minneapolis, devoting the summer to the survey of the first trial line of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad. The following season, T. B. Walker, on revisiting his parental home, was united in wedlock, Dec. 19, 1863, in Berea, Ohio, by Rev. J. Wheeler, D.D., his former college president and broth- er-in-law of his wife, to Harriet G., youngest daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet. In 1868, Mr. Walker began his first deal in pine lands. His knowledge of the vast tracks of unlocated pine for- ests of the state of Minnesota, gained in his vocation as surveyor of govern- ment lands, strongly impressed him with their immense value. The vast field of wealth and enterprise thus opened up by Mr. Walker was regard- ed at this period with little if any inter- est by leading lumbermen of Minneap- olis. His first pine land partners were Hon. L. Butler and Howard W. Mills; they putting their money against his labor, the lands thus found and located becoming the joint property of the three. From this date, during a series of years, the labor of Mr. Walker was severe and unremitting. Himself limit- ed in means, he availed himself of the capital of others to carry forward his gigantic lumber enterprises. All lands thus secured by him he located from actual personal examination, which kept him in the forests with his men many months at a time each year, for some ten consecutive years. In con- nection with his surveys and pine land matters, Mr. Walker is also extensively engaged in various sections of the Northwest in the manufacturing of lumber. Mr. Walker has been largely interested in the old Butler Mills and Walker lumber business, afterwards L. Butler & Co., and later Butler & Walk- er, and the mills built by those firms on the Falls of St. Anthony; and after- wards in the formation of the Camp & Walker business, and the purchase of the large Pacific mills, which were afterwards destroyed by fire and re- built into the finest and most important mills in the city or on the upper Mis- sissippi. Of late years he has been conspicuously interested in the large lumber mills at Crookston, Minnesota, and Grand Forks, North Dakota, both of which are most prominent features in the development of the Northwest. All these mills furnished employment for thousands of men for many years; while those located in the Red River Valley cheapened the price of lumber, and aided materially in the develop- ment of that section of the country. It may be remarked in this connection that Mr. Walker's lifelong business ca- reer, although extremely prosperous, has, nevertheless, on certain occasions, suffered severe disasters both by fire and flood. Mr. Walker's career has been re- markable for originality of method and strict business integrity. His word has always been as good as his bond. Ex- tremely liberal in the use of his wealth, his charities are unlimited; all classes have been more or less benefited by the subjects of his beneficence. At the time of the grasshopper visitation, by which the farmers of the western part of the state of Minnesota were reduced to a condition of poverty and semi- starvation pitiful to contemplate, Mr. Walker's efforts in behalf of suffering humanity were untiring. As soon as the grasshopper scourge had disap- peared, he organized a scheme for the raising of late crops that was of in- estimable value to settlers. He bought up all the turnip seed and likewise that of buckwheat to be had in the Twin Cities, and, at the same time, tele- graphed to Chicago for all that was for sale there. In this labor of love, Mr. Walker himself visited the afflicted sections; making up the seed into paper packages, and with hired teams con- ducted a systematic distribution over many townships. The season was so far advanced that only these late crops could be attempted. This timely aid saved hundreds of fam- ilies and numberless cattle from starva- tion. When the free distribution of these seeds became known in the af- flicted districts, many farmers walked fifteen or twenty miles to meet the teams, and thus avail themselves of Mr. Walker's beneficence. For many years he was one of the managers of the State Reform School. For fifteen years or more Mr. Walker worked systematically and persistent- ly to build up the old Athenaeum (a joint stock company) into a fine public library, and through the agency, assist- ance, and good will of various other citizens, he succeeded in the great task. Recognizing his achievement, the board insisted on his acting as its president, since its organization several years ago. For many years he worked amidst the most persistent and determined oppo- sition from various parties, and was seriously misunderstood and misappre- hended. The records of those years show numerous communications, per- sonal letters and criticisms, and his answers, regarding the part taken by him in the old Athenaeum in his en- deavors to change it from a rigid, close corporation into this public institution which is now the source of so much pride and satisfaction to the people. No man in the state has taken greater interest or a more active part in any public institution than he has in this, expending a large amount of time and considerable money in working the de- sired transformation. The noble and spacious building just completed con- tains not only a magnificent library, but also the Minnesota Academy of Na- tural Science, an institution with which Mr. Walker has been identified for years and which he has helped more materially than any one else; and the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts, with which he has been connected as presi- dent for several years. Taken alto- gether, the library-science-art building makes what is regarded as the finest public institution of the kind in the city or state. Mr. Walker's private library, consisting of a judicious selection of choice books, manifests a mind well stored with useful knowledge as well as a spirit of high culture and refined taste. Of late years Mr. Walker has given much attention to matters of art, and has made a collection of paintings, which exhibit not only a cultivated taste, but likewise an artistic eye for the beautiful in nature. His gallery walls are graced with rare productions of the first masters, both ancient and modern, including Jules Breton's "L'Appelle du Soir," one of the most famous pictures at the International Exhibition, and Madame Demont Bre- ton's "Her Man is on the Sea," pur- chased at the Salon. This exquisite collection of paintings — one of the fin- est private galleries in America or Europe — has recently been described in the Art Review, "The Collector." In 1874, Mr. Walker erected at the corner of Eighth street and Hennepin avenue, for his permanent residence, a palatial mansion, in which the family one year later took up its abode. He is the father of eight children, seven of whom live to cheer and bless the pa- rental home. The second son, Leon, a noble youth of nineteen years, just as he had joined his brother Gilbert in business, was suddenly stricken with fever, and death, in one brief week, bereft the family of one tenderly loved, and whose cherished memory will live l<4'|iro-J. L'Med tit illii.st rate artiele.s that appearetl in the follotviiiK piil>lieati< \e\v ^'<>rk Coinniereial. San Kraneiseo llulletin. >linneap«>liN 'rriltnne. >liiinesipolis 'Tinies. forever in each heart of the home circle. We close this sketch, not because the subject is exhausted, but because enough has been said to cornmand at- tention to a man who, by his acts, is entitled to high consideration for what he has done and what he is doing. He has opened wide paths to industry and enterprise, and extends a helping hand to all honest and well-disposed men who seek labor. In conclusion the following extract from a paper by T. B. Walker, read at the recent Sanitary Conference in Min- neapolis, is subjoined, as suggestive and highly instructive: "The rearing and training of children is justly regarded by the wiser portion of mankind as the highest and most important duty devolving upon the hu- man race. It underlies all other inter- ests, and upon its measure and direc- tion depend the welfare and happiness of the succeeding generation. "The subject is as old as the race; but its antiquity takes not the least from its supreme importance. On the contrary, its great age adds immeasur- ably to the difficulty of rightly deter- mining its bounds. "As each generation comes and goes, and leaves behind in the records of its life-word, and adds to the long list of previous discoveries, inventions, and compositions, it has produced a vast accumulation of wisdom and of folly, of useful and beautiful things so mixed with worthless or injurious ones that the difficulty in rightly directing children's thoughts and studies is in- creased with the vastness of the ac- cumulated records. If men investigat- ed the training of children as carefully and consistently as they do medicine, astronomy, geology, or almost any sub- ject other than this, there would be a step taken which would profit the world far more than in any other re- search to which they might direct their attention. The science or philosophy of education is comparatively an un- cultivated field. The art of teaching is quite extensively discussed. Eloquent appeals are made for men to educate; the supreme necessity of widespread, general education is universally recog- nized; but the astonishing indifference and criminal carelessness concerning the quality, quantity, and method of our so-called education quite neutralizes the great merit of recog- nizing the value of true and appropriate training. Or, in other words, we feel justified in saying that the people gen- erally have retrograoed more by their general forgetfulness or misapprehen- sion of the true object of education, than they have gained by their allegi- ance to the principle of the general necessity for a diffusion of knowledge among all classes. Education implies, according to all authorities, the de- velopment and cultivation of all the physical, intellectual, and moral facul- ties; and it should add, and many do add, that of religion. "The primary necessity of the use- ful citizen and successful man is strong, vigorous, robust health. There is no difference of opinion on this point among thoughtful men. The sickly man is not an efficient producer, agent, or actor of any kind. He is a cripple and a burden upon society in proportion to his lack of vigor and energy. It is not important to state whether the person can answer a hun- dred or ten thousand questions in geog- raphy, grammer, botany, natural his- tory, or the Latin language; but in the time of either peace or war his value to the state is dependent upon the extent of his physical and mental force, directed by a knowledge of facts and principles w^hich our schools almost wholly ig- nore. To obtain an elementary educa- tion in our city schools requires twelve years of close, laborious study. The whole force and machinery of the schools is directed toward the most ef- fective devices and methods for cram- ming and crowding a multitude of things into the memory of the children. Each scholar is compelled to pursue from seven to ten studies. From two and one-half to three and three-fourths hours are consumed each day in recita- tions. They are confined in the school room four and one-half hours per day. Taking out of this the time consumed in the recitations, it leaves for the time to devote to study in the school room from one to two hours; or, run- ning a general average, it takes over three hours per day to get through the recitations, and they have, say, one and one-half hours to devote to study. These recitations are from fifteen to thirty minutes in length, so that they are turning rapidly from one subject to another during the whole day. "Such long-continued attention under most severe and rigid rules, which compel close attention, becomes irk- -some, overtaxes their nerve power, and injures them. Now. when we further consider that so much time is consumed in the recitations, and there are so many of them that it leaves but a little over ten minutes per day to devote to studying each lesson, we readily see that this is insufficient time for learn- ing them; for we must bear in mind that this is the high-i)rcssure system, and each scholar is impelled by all the force of expedients as merciless as cold steel to keep his place. This re- quires more time to study out of school hours than are allowed within; so that it is probably safe to say that each scholar is taxed with giving seven 5 hours' close attention to books each day. Those who have the best memo- ries and readiest tongues are accounted the ablest scholars. And they can com- mit a greater variety of facts, narnes, and dates to memory in a given time than those who have a slower memory, but very likely a better mind. Now when the high pressure is applied to all of them, and the quick memories are more than buried, the others are taxed jjeyond the limit of safety; add to this the fact of very defective heating and ventilation, as well as bad lighting to hurt the eyesight, and it makes a very discouraging view to people having children to educate, or who have any care for the welfare of society. "The efifect of this educational rnachin- ery upon the children, we claim, is, that it reduces to a considerable extent the physical system, not necessarily to pro- duce disease or great apparent weak- ness, though it very often does this or more. It reduces their available force and energy, and lessens their chance of success and usefulness. It also reduces their natural independence and originality, and wears away any marked aptitude or genius which they might possess. "These results are caused by the length of time required each day for so many years of study; by the great number of subjects taught; by the uni- versal selection of subjects by the appli- tion of one great rigid system to all sorts, kinds, and qualities of dispo- sitions; by enclosing them in a machine that allows no independent action, and regards each scholar as a portion of the wheel work that must turn in its groove regularly and without variation; by the bad heating, ventilating, and lighting of schoolhouses. "Children are but young, unmatured men and women. The limit of their capacity to bear strain of this kind without injury is easily reached. Busi- ness men, whose minds are certainly able to bear more than those of chil- dren, are constantly admonished of the danger of mental destruction, and can bear safely but little, if any, more hours' close thinking than is required by our public-school management of the children. One of the unpromising features of the case is that those who are intrusted with the management of the schools deny the existence of any hardships or methods which are in- jurious. But the injury will result just the same as though they did not deny it, and their inability to apprehend it only insures its more certain effects and greater permanence. "Professor Huxley in the Popular Science Monthly says: 'The educa- tional abomination of desolation of the present day is the stimulation of young people to work at high pressure by incessant competitive exammations. Some wise man (who was probably not an early riser) has said of early risers in general that they are conceited all the forenoon and stupid all the afternoon. Now, whether this is true of early risers, in the common acceptance of the terrn, or not, I will not pretend to say; but it is too often true of the unhappy children who are forced to rise too early in their classes. They are conceited all the forenoon of life and stupid all the after- noon. The vigor and freshness, which should have been stored up for the pur- poses of the hard struggle for existence in practical life, have been washed out of them by precocious mental debauch- ery, by book-giuttony and lesson-bib- bing. Their faculties are worn out by the strain upon their callow brains, and they are demoralized by worthless, childish triumphs before the real work of life begins. I have no compassion for sloth, but the youth has more need for intellectual rest than age; and the cheerfulness, the tenacity of purpose and the power of work which make many a successful man what he is, must often be placed to the credit, not to his hours of industry, but to that of his hours of idleness in boyhood.' Those who are not satisfied that our school system is seriously and criminally de- fective in the points condemned in this paper, as well as some others not here considered, owe it to those whose lives are affected by it to at least inves- tigate it." — Biographical History of the Northwest. COMMON SENSE TARIFF PRINCIPLES. T. B. Walker's tariff pamphlet, Mdiich the Tribune published in full some days ago, is quite generally commented on by the press. The comments of the Re- publican press are as a rule very favor- able although some of the papers, like the New York Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, assume a patronizing tone, and say in effect: "Mr. Walker has made a very good tariff argument, but of course we could make a better one." The fact is, however, that no Republican paper or speaker has as yet made a more convincing argument. No one before has so completely demon- strated that prosperity in this country has always been coincident with pro- tection to American industry, and that panic and depression have been coinci- dent with low tariff. The Democratic papers treat Mr. Walker's pamphlets rather gingerly. The St. Paul Globe characterized it as a weak argument and promised to reply to it in detail — but up to the present writing it has not ventured to tackle the job. It evidentlv finds it too hard a nut to crack.— Tribune, Dec. 24, 1895. SILVER ANNIVERSARY EDITION, THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.. NOV. 29, 1903. T. B. WALKER— CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY. Student of Politics and History, and Patron of the Arts and Sciences —Fortune Laid in Early and Judicious Investments in Minnesota Pine Lands — His Operations Now Elxtend to the Coast, Where He is the Largest Individual Holder of Timber Tracts — A City and State Builder — How He Came to Minneapolis. When he was but 19, Thomas B. Walker, of Minneapolis became a traveling salesman for a grindstone manufacturer, of Berea, Ohio. He came west with a consignment of grind- stones, and in St. Paul found a young dock laborer who helped him sort and label them. The young laborer of that early day is now president of the Great Northern railroad, and his name is a household word almost in the length and breadth of the land. Minnesota was in need of young men of the right sort, and Mr. Walker soon recognized the fact that this state promised larger things than did the grindstones of the buckeye state. He spent a year with a government sur- veying party in the Minnesota pine woods. At the end of that time he had marked out a course of business in- vestments. He began putting his means as he could spare into pine tim- ber and thus laid the foundation for his great fortune. To-day no man owns so much Min- nesota pine timber as Mr. Walker. His faith in white pine stumpage has never faltered. His plans for this line of investment were made at a time when his capital was almost an unknown quantity, but he made his resources count. Few men knew the wealth of Minnesota pine in that early time, but Mr. Walker, with the keen foresight and rare judgment that have uniformly characterized his business career, saw the possibilities of the country and its resources, and was quick to seize upon the opportunity. The promise of wealth from these resources, as the country should develop and be peopled, was never vague or uncertain to his mental vision. NATIVE OF THE BUCKEYE STATE. Mr. Walker was born at Xenia, in Ohio, in 1840. His father was one of the "forty-niners" whose graves mark the prairie trail toward the California gold fields. Thomas and three other children were left with the widowed mother in reduced circumstances. He managed, however, to secure a good education for that day by attending one term each year at Baldwin university at Berea, Ohio, and by working the rest of the year to pay his expenses. He developed a remarkable proficiency in mathematics, a talent that came near putting him for life into the ranks of school teachers. His first partners in the pine land business were L. Butler and Howard B. Mills, the firm being Butler, Mills & Walker. Later he went into partner- ship with Major Camp, as Camp & Walker. This company purchased a Minneapolis sawmill and operated it for some years. It also built mills at Crookston, Grand Forks and other points. In more recent years Mr. Walker has built a mill at Akeley, Minn. But with all this lumber manufac- ture — a business large enough in itself to rate Mr. Walker high as a lumber- man — Mr. Walker was not primarily a lumber manufacturer. His first pur- pose was the buying of pine timber, and his best thought and the best of his fortune was turned that way. He bought with other buyers and he bought for himself, not in one section alone, but wherever his good cruisers and his good judgment pointed out good bargains. MODEL LUMBER TOWN. The town of Akeley, started by the mill, has 1,400 or more inhabitants and is unique in some respects among the villages of the state. The mill owners were also owners of all the land in that vicinity for miles around, and they stipulated in the deed of every piece of land sold that it should at no time be used as a site for a dispensary of intoxicating liquors. In conse- quence they have a town where, with- out laws to that effect not a drop of liquor is sold. The result is that no town or city organization has been necessary, and there is not a more orderly or contented community to be found in the state. The mill of the Red River Lumber Company is thoroughly modern. It is equipped with two double cutting bands, a band resaw and the necessary accompanying machinery. The plan- ing mill is one of the best, if not the best of its size in the northwest. Since the mall was first started it has been running day and night, win- ter and summer. A complete electric light plant furnishes light for the mill and town. THE MILL EQUIPMENT. For winter sawing the company built a hot water pond where the frost is taken out of the logs before they go into the mill. The pond is about 125 feet wide and 500 feet long, and the water is heated by exhaust steam from the engine-room. After operating with the hot water pond for a time, the com- pany found that the part of the log that was out of the water retained the snow and frost, and made hard saw- ing. To do away with this difficulty they decided to roof over a part of the pond, and they now have a shed 100 feet wide and 300 feet long, with a capacity for about 200,000 feet of logs from which the frost disappears before they go to the mill. The officers of the company are: T. B. Walker, president; Gilbert M. Walker, vice president; Fletcher L. Walker, treasurer and manager; and Charles B. March, secretary and man- ager of the sales department. The company ranks with the lead- ing concerns of its kind in the white pine country and turns out a quality of lumber second to none. HOLDINGS IN THE WEST. Only last winter Mr. Walker re- turned from an extended trip thru the timber regions of the Pacific slope, and his observations, summarized at the time by the Mississippi Valley Lumber- man, are worthy of reproduction in this connection. Next in extent to the holdings of the Weyerhaeuser syndi- cate and the Central Pacific railroad on the coast comes the timber owned by Mr. Walker. The Lumberman said: The Weyerhaeuser timber is located in Washington and Idaho and consists in the larger part of fir in the first mentioned state and a large area of white pine in Idaho. While the hold- ings of this latter company are much larger in the aggregate than those held by Mr. Walker, yet no one individual in this syndicate owns as large an amount as that belonging to him. By general consent of those who are fa- miliar with matters on the coast and as asserted by the San Francisco and local papers, Mr. Walker is credited with the largest holdings of any one person or firm on the coast. The timber he owns consists of sugar and white pine, with a large intermixture of fir and spruce, and is located on the upper tables of northeastern California in Siskiyou, Shasta, Modoc, Lassen and Plumas counties. PINE REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA. Mr. Walker has been engaged per- sonally and thru his assistants for the past ten or twelve years inspecting and examining the timber lands of the coast, and finally about five years ago began the purchase of timber in the pine re- gions of California. He has spent a considerable portion of his time dur- ing the last mentioned years personal- ly superintending, inspecting and man- aging his pine land purchases. His recent trip was for the purpose of closing up his various land deals and of surveying and estimating his timber holdings. Mr. Walker in securing his large holdings has selected the table lands rather than the mountain regions, not only on account of the large quantity of high grade timber to be found there, but because on the level table lands logging can be done very cheaply and railways built without much difficulty, and at comparatively small cost, for bringing the logs to the mill and carry- ing the lumber away to the trunk line. The demand for this lumber is rapidly increasing and threatens to far outrun the supply. The only perplexing prob- lem at present is the disposal of the common grades. But as the clear lum- ber, shop, door and box stock consti- tute a large part of the output, and the demand is always in excess of the sup- ply, the remaining small fraction will generally find a market in the Sacra- mento valley. SOLID TRACTS. Mr. Walker, having completed his purchase of timber in almost solid tracts of all that is tributary to Pit river and also the large district in Big Meadow district, will begin the devel- opment of a railway scheme and per- haps the location of sawmill plants with a view of converting the timber into lumber on a large scale, not so much under his own management as that of his sons, who are all practical lumber- men and who have most successfully managed and operated his mills and logging operations in Minnesota for many years. The intention is to protect the tim- ber he has recently acquired, by im- mediate measures, so as to keep the fires from running thru and damaging the trees. In the future, while the tim- ber operations are going on, it is pro- posed to cut the larger timber, leaving the small and medium-sized trees for the reproduction of timber for future use, which would probably result in a larger amount on the acre for the sec- ond cutting than that of the first. In the meantime, when the large trees are cut, the brush will be taken care of so as to prevent the destruction of the small trees. From this timber left standing the leaves and brush will be cleared out so there will be little dam- age from tires that periodically run thru the forest. The first cutting from these large tracts will take some- where from si.xty to a hundred years, according to how rapidly the timber is required. CONTINUOUS TIMBER SUPPLY. When the land is once cut over the the next growth will be as large in amount, probably, as the first cutting. Altho the trees themselves will not be as large, yet they will be much larger than any of the timber that grows in other white pine regions. This policy will mean practically a continuous timber supply from that section. The lands are not required for agricultural purposes and are thus particularly adapted to be held for re- forestation. This most desirable leg- acy to posterity is only possible, how- ever, provided the people in the coun- ties in which the timber is located will be reasonable and fair in their tax col- lections, and not compel the immediate removal of the timber, as has been done in Minnesota thru the action of local authorities, the state legislature and the supreme court. By proper methods of handling, these great forests of California will furnish a continuous lumber business for the next 200 or more years. This will not only be of local value in the territory where the timber is located, and to the state of California as a whole, but will contribute towards a supply of lumber for the country generally, of which it will be greatly in need. At the same time the timber lands can and will be continuously used for pasturage purposes by the people living in the valleys and on the flat plateaus located in the timber regions. They are now and will in the future be permitted to graze their stock on these lands with- out expense. The grazing will be as good after the first or second cutting as before, as a variety of grasses that will perpetuate themselves will be sown thru the timber and permitted to spread for the benefit of these stockmen. ON A LARGE SCALE. Proper railway communication thru this region is greatly needed, not only to handle the timber, but for the local freight and passenger trafiic thruout northeast California. The ease with which timber can be handled on these tracts, the remarkable demand for the lumber in the market, makes Mr. Walk- er's venture a prospectively prosperous enterprise, particularly as he is able to handle it on a large scale. The con- ditions in California are so different from those in other white pine timber regions that handling on a large scale is the only successful method by which it can be lumbered. The streams are not generally drivable on account of numerous rapids and falls. The butt logs of the sugar and white pine will sink so that driving is impracticable for these two reasons. In lumbering on a large scale logging railways and big wheel carts move the logs readily and economically direct to the mills. When river driving is attempted the logs that sink are placed on a dry haulway or suported by means of floats used for that purpose. The lumber can always be cut to practically the same advantage or even better than the method used in other timber regions. The very large expense of construct- ing railways, together with the selling of the product in remote markets necessitates large operations in order to make a success. HIS INTEREST IN FORESTRY. Mr. Walker takes a keen interest in forestry, and in meetings of national experts his judgment and opinions are sought and highly prized. When the American Forestry Association met in Minneapolis, in August, he took an ac- tive part in the proceedings and was regarcfed as one of the best authorities at the convention. He led an interest- ing discussion upon methods of pre- venting forest fires, saying in part: A year last spring I put into a large tract of timber in California a crew of about ten men, and that crew was divided into couples who traced the lines of the different sections so that they could know where fhey were, and then, being divided, the land running out into forty-acre tracts, two men were put onto each forty with shovels; each man with a shovel, and one with an ax, and one with a cross-cut saw. They were required to go to each tree; at first only the larger ones, but finally it was changed into taking away everything that would be liable to damage any sized tree, where there were burnt stumps, or trees had fallen beside others, and were dry, so that when forest fires came in it would burn hard along the side of one of the large trees and be liable to burn a spot thru the bark. The bark of those trees is very dense and heavy, and resists burning. It only chars in. Now, when the fire is sufficient along the side of a tree by means of the brush, needles, cones and limbs that have fallen, to burn a hole thru the bark, it begins the de- struction of the large tree. Then, hav- ing got a start, and the pitch running out, some needles will fall into that; so that, if that is continued for tvi^o or three years, and needles enough come to continue the burning, when the fires run again it will increase the size of this burnt spot. Continuing that way year after year (some of them, I think, for half a century, and maybe more before there is a hollow burned into the tree), finally it goes thru and runs up the whole inside of it, so you can walk inside of hundreds of these trees in a wilderness of that kind. At any point from the start to the time that the tree is down, this process of protection can save them, and if there is enough wood left so that the wind will not blow it over, it will begin to gather up again and an increased growth keep it in the future. After they have cleared away the needles and leaves from each of the trees, and around all of them, so that the fire will not run against it, and also cleared away the limbs and brush from the trees, then, where there is a hol- low or burnt spot or hollow burned in the tree, they take these shovels and fill it in with dirt, so that when the fire comes again, instead of hav- ing pitchy burned wood, it has this dirt or earth as a cover, and that will re- main there and protect it for a great many years. In the course of time, if other trees or limbs fall by the side of it, so as to furnish a path for a flame that will reach up to the burned side or inside of the hollow, it might con- tinue; but those will be taken away in the future. It will not be necessary to go over the same land in the same manner for a great many years. At the same time, each year, after one or two years, at least, foresters will not be able to find anything of this kind, and perhaps it will continue thru the future years. NO GENERAL CONFLAGRATIONS. There are no general conflagrations that run thru the California forest. Sometimes in the course of years it will be found that one tree has been burned down and fallen beside some others, and they have tumbled around until there is quite a burned patch in the timber; but this process of protecting timber will practically eliminate that. I think that the timber lands in that state, in Oregon, and I think in Wash- ington, as well as Idaho, can all be protected, where the trees are large and sufficiently so to make it an object. Another thing that is in favor of California to a considerable extent is the fact that the brush is evergreen. Each leaf has a little bit of water, like the little cactus. It furnishes water enough to carry it thru the dry season, there being no rains there from the spring until the fall. This is the only kind that will grow (evergreens), and there is none of the deciduous trees there, or grass. Consequently it is an advantage in that respect. The fires come from the needles and the cones. The squirrels are making a good deal of trouble by bringing the cones onto a burnt spot to get the little nuts out of them, and sometimes they will make half a bushel right in one spot, so if that is on a burned place, when the fire comes again, it will burn the tree still more. NEW PROCESS OF FORESTRY. Now, this process of forestry is new, so far as I know. I have not heard of anyone else practicing it, al- tho last year the Diamond Match Com- pany, who have a considerably extend- ed pine land area, have begun the same practice, as I understand. But I think when it becomes understood all the California pine land owners will prac- tice the same process of protecting their land, because I think it will not only save the timber, but will be pro- fitable, as it will save more than the cost in value of the process of pro- tecting it. I don't know exactly what the cost will be; but it will not be very great. The trees are generally pretty large, and altho there are a good many small ones among them a couple of men will go over a forty-acre tract in a very moderate length of time. It may cost 15 to 25 cents an acre to go over the land. Where you have one large tree that will cut 10,000 or 20,000 feet, and sometimes 30,000 or 40,000 feet of pine timber, that is very valuable — good enough to transport to any part of the world and make good money on it. It is profitable to save one tree oc- casionally, and in this process a great many would be saved, particularly be- fore the time the timber is gone. Afterwards, in the neighborhood of the cutting, these trees may be taken out when they have burned down and fallen, but up to that time every tree that is saved in this way is paid for in its use and value. Each tree has a great deal of value. It is peculiar to the forest lands of that country. It is very dififerent from Minnesota, be- cause here the trees are smaller and contain a great deal less timber on the acre. There is only about 15 or 20 per cent as much timber on the acre here as there is on the timber lands of California, so you cannot protect your timber here as cheaply as you can there. You will have a good deal more timber protected, and each tree is worth a great deal more because there is so much larger proportion of clear timber. The clear timber is a large fractional part of the whole cut. Particularily if the whole cut is handled as it should be; that is, if the large trees are cut, as I think any sane lumberman will do after he be- comes acquainted. He will cut out only the large trees. That will take out, perhaps, a third or a quarter of the trees that would be large enough to cut. When each tree is cut follow it up and take out everj'thing, then clear away the tops, put them out where they will not burn any other trees, either large or small, which will be something of a bill of expense, and leave the remainder of the trees to grow. Then in the course of thirty or forty years a three-foot tree will be a great deal larger. The slow growth they speak of here is much less than they anticipate, I know, in California. They calculate a small tree will be a respectable sized one in thirty or forty years. A WORKER FOR MINNE.\POLIS. Mr. Walker's lumber and timber business in no way covers the range of his business activities. He has been pre-eminently a promoter of Minne- apolis industries. He organized the Minneapolis Business Men's Union for the encouragement of manufactur- ing enterprises and himself invested extensively both his money and his personal attention in such business ventures. A catalogue of the business enterprises in which he is interested would be too bulky for insertion in this sketch. Nor are his interests in these branch enterprises monetary only. Mr. Walk- er has that ability common to great commanders, of carrying a mass of details mentally pigeonholed and ready for accurate application on demand. He is actual manager-in-chief of all the activities in which he is largely interested. STUDENT OF POLITICS, HISTORY AND ART. Aside from these varied activities, Mr. Walker has found time to make himself a thoro student of politics and history, as well as a connoisseur in art. Connected with his residence on Hen- nepin avenue he has a private art gal- lery containing a collection of paint- ings unequaled by that of any private art gallery in the United States. Joe JefTerson has pronounced it superior in quality to any private collection in this country or in Europe. A few collec- tions surpass it in size and money value, but none contain paintings so uniformly great. His home also con- tains many more masterpieces, while the public art gallery of this city is largely made up of paintings loaned by him. BROAD-GAUGED OTIZEN. Mr. Walker is a thoro student of Napoleonic history, and his art collec- tion contains some of the world's most famous paintings of Napoleon and his time. The Society of Fine Arts, the Minneapolis Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Public Library Associa- tion and the Methodist Episcopal Church of this city are among the large beneficiaries of Mr. Walker's wealth and work. He is a city builder in the broadest sense, and a citizen such as any state might wish to own. When young Thomas Walker sold grindstones for Mr. Hulet, the Berea manufacturer, he also fell in love with his employer's daughter. Miss Harriet In 1863 he went back to Ohio to marry her, and returned, bringing his bride with him. Mrs. Walker is a leader among women in as great a measure as Mr. Walker is among men. Their home has been blessed with the com- ing of five sons and two daughters, all now grown. All have been given thoro educational advantages. As the sons have come to manhood they have been put into command of industries in which they have also taken a hard and thoro rudimentary education. In this family of able children may be found some explanation of the life- long plans and persistent patience with which Mr. Walker has pushed his varied enterprises. Mr. Walker has given a large amount of time and hard study to mathemati- cal and other scientific studies during not only his early life, but continually thru the years while conducting his great business enterprises, which alone would tax the abilities of the ablest men to successfully handle. He has been a thoro student of all the questions of social, industrial and political afifairs. He has written quite extensively on all these public questions in the way of numerous newspaper and pamphlet articles. Among these, his "Low Tariff and Hard Times," pub- lished during the first McKinley cam- paign, was printed in full in the Jour- nal and Tribune, and two extra edi- tions of 50,000 copies each republished by the National Republican Club. The diagrams, tables and proofs of the value of protective tariff were used in the campaign by hundreds of speakers thruout the northern states. It was only thru the tardy action of the board of regents of the Univer- sity of Wisconsin that he did not make that institution his home and his per- manent life work the teaching of the various branches of higher mathemat- ics. He has always regarded his fa- miliarity with the exact mathematical principles and methods as the key to the success which has so largely at- tended his many undertakings and varied attainments. His extraordinary success as an art collector is generally conceded by those most competent to judge, both in this country and in Europe. He has never been known to buy a poor pic- ture, and has perhaps the only collec- tion, public or private, to be found any- where that does not include a poor or mediocre picture. In nearly every gal- lery, public or private, a large propor- tion of the paintings found on the walls are unworthy a place in a high class collection, while in Mr. Walker's gal- lery not a picture can be found among the two or three hundred finest ex- amples that is not of the highest grade. He has been a most powerful factor in the development of the best inter- ests of the city and state, and has come to be generally regarded as one of the most capable, reliable and use- ful among the citizens of Minneapohs, of the state of the Northwest.— MAY DAY PROBLEM OF THE RICH. As millionaires go, Mr. Thomas Bar- low Walker, of Minneapolis, is above the average in public spirit and patrio- tism. Indeed, he is about the best sample the sawdust city has produced. Mr. Walker has done many creditable things in his life time, and has ad- vanced many creditable views on public affairs. Indeed, he has always been long on views, and as he grows older and has more leisure to follow his mental in- clinations, his fondness for giving public utterance to his private opinion grows. The world is always glad to hear from Mr. Walker. He is a man of much and varied experience. He picked Ohio as his birth state, and with a heritage of intellectual ambition on his mother's side and of business enter- prise on his father's, he is a well- balanced man of affairs. Mr. Walker's first business venture, most appropriately, was dealing in grindstones. With sharpened wits he has found no difficulty in accumulating a few odd millions of dollars, but they have brought some troubles with them and one has come from the inquisitive- ness of the tax-gatherer. The Minneapolis board of equaliza- tion took a notion that his assessment on credits should be about $500,000. It is not probable that it was more than a notion, just to hear what Mr. Walker would think about it. His thoughts were, of course, on tap and he read them to the board from manuscript. Among numerous other things, he ventured this: This general prejudice against the so-called capitalist, unjustly spread against a most useful class of citizens leading the most strenuous lives in building up and maintaining the public interest, is being promulgated by a far lower and less respectable form of citizenship than that of the wealthy class. As Mr. Walker did not diagram his remarks each reader will have to in- terpret them according to his own fancy. If he meant that the capitalist, because of his philanthropic strenu- osity in getting richer, is entitled to special consideration from the tax- gatherer, he will find few outside his own class to agree with him. Also his intimation that the preju- dice against these hard working mil- lionaire athletes, who have relieved Atlas of his job, is born of "a lower and less respectable form" of the hu- man kind, will not set easily on the public digestion. The prejudice against wealth has its basis in the acts of wealth, and one of those acts which is most pronounced is the marked indis- position of the millionaire to admit that May 1 has ever found him with more than his car fare in his purse. The most strenuous job that wealth annually faces, but the one it never shirks, is to get into the poor man's class on May day. — News-Tribune, Du- luth, Minn., Aug. 11, 1906. Mr. T. B. Walker has published a very handsome brochure on the sub- ject of "Low Tariffs and Hard Times," and amassed about all the arguments, and certainly the most plausable argu- ments, that can be advanced in favor of high protective tariffs. Mr. Walk- er is undoubtedly the ablest represent- ative of that school of economic thot in the Northwest. He has made a study of the subject for years and is thoroughly convinced of the correct- ness of the views which he has so ably presented in his pamphlet. But like all high-tariffites, he denies the postu- late of all the great economists from Adam Smith and David Hume down to the present day, that the taxation of ma- terials and manufacturing production is a burden to labor and an obstruc- tion to industrial prosperity. He ar- rays statistics to prove what nobody denies, that concerning the great su- periority of the home market over the foreign trade of this country. Here- after The Times will consider with care some of Mr. Walker's chief argu- ments and see what there is really in them. His pamphlet is well worthy of such attention, as probably containing the strongest arguments in favor of protection for the sake of protection, from one of the most earnest and well informed representatives of the pro- tectionist school. — Minneapolis Times, December 14, 1895. BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY WITH PORTRAITS PROMINENT MEN OF THE GREAT WEST. By Manhattan Publishing Co., 1894. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. Thomas Barlow Walker, capitalist and philanthropist, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a man of force, a har- monious combination of business activ- ity, intellectual ablity and aesthetic ap- preciation. He represents the fast de- clining type of men who were pioneers, and the new order which promotes the beautiful, fosters the fine arts, and encourages the expansion of culture as the best good for all. His philanthropy has caused him to throw open his magnificent private art gallery to the public, and has made him feel that benches on his lawn would be agreeable to the many whose des- tiny is to walk rather than be conveyed through life. He is progressive and alwaj's ready to meet changed condi- tions, comprehending that the situa- tion today will not be the same to- morrow. From his earliest boyhood he has always been helping others, and it seems marvelous how he managed in the years when he had only his own labor to depend upon, to do so much for his mother and sisters, and in later life for all with whom he had dealings. While never an indiscriminate or emo- tional giver, his life has been a record of continual and thoughtful helpful- ness. The sum of his benefactions to public and private causes will never be known, least of all to himself, but it has been limited only by his means and sometimes has overstepped even that mark. To the church, to the cause of education, to public libraries, to the education of individuals, his wealth, and, the hardest of all for a busy man to give, his own time and strength, have been freely and generously be- stowed. In his personal habits of dress and living, Mr. Walker is plain in the ex- treme, not as an affectation, but be- cause this style of living and dressing appeals the most strongly to his bet- ter judgment. But almost in contradic- tion to this, he has a great love for the beautiful in nature, in art, in archi- tecture, and is satisfied with nothing but the best. When he erects a build- ing it is right when it is finished, architecturally, mechanically, and fitted to its use, whether it is for a church, an art gallery or a business house, and when he builds a structure it al- ways remains. One of Mr. Walker's strong charac- teristics has always been his enjoy- ment of endless work, coupled with the greatest ability to accomplish much in a short space of time. He takes his recreations by changing from one kind of work to another, and it is impossi- ble for him to be mildly interested in anything; he enters into a subject thoroughly or not at all. His long business hours are supplemented by as long ones in his library in study or writing, or in his gallery of pictures, and no moment of his life runs to waste. He is social in his nature, but has no taste for general society or club life. Much of his time in earlier years was spent among his children, whose education he personally superin- tended. He is a thoroughly well in- formed man and an entertaining speak- er. He has written and spoken ex- tensively on social and political topics, is a recognized authority on art mat- ters, a staunch Christian gentleman, al- ways ready to testify to his faith, and ever loyal to his country, his family, his friends, his political party and his church. Thomas Barlow Walker was born February 1, 1840, in Xenia, Greene county, Ohio, and is the son of Piatt Bayliss and Anstis Barlow Walker. Both parents were natives of the state of New York, but moved to Ohio in their early married life. His father was a shoemaker by trade but by na- ture and practice a successful merchant, business man and speculator, and had he lived to even middle life would no doubt have amassed a fortune. As it was, he was in very comfortable cir- cumstances for the times in which he lived, when in 1849 he took the pre- vailing gold fever and embarked nearly all his fortune in a train of merchan- dise and started on the overland route to California. He died before the train had left Missouri. His partner took possession of the outfit, took it suc- cessfully to its destination, sold it at a good profit and was never heard of afterwards. Thus at nine years of age Mr. Walker, the subject of this sketch, was left fatherless, and the widow and four children but scantily provided for. From the time of his father's death until his fifteenth year, Mr. Walker's life was that of the average boy in a country village, save that the loss of his father and his mother's straightened circumstances made a deep impression upon him, and moved him to various efforts toward the betterment of the family purse, such as picking and sel- ling berries, selling papers, setting up ten pins, trying to learn various trades, etc., but it is amusing to those who have known his full life history,^ to see how even in those early days his busi- ness sagacity showed itself. If he picked berries he hired half a dozen boys to pick with him, paying so much per quart for the picking, but always reserved to himself the business end of the transaction, the marketing of the stock, and it was not often that he came out without a margin. At fifteen, his mother (who in the meantime had remarried) moved to Berea, Ohio, a little village near Cleve- land, for the better opportunity to edu- cate her children, as well as for better business chances. Here Thomas began clerking in a dry goods store, and awoke to a realization of the necessity of an education. While thus employed he mastered, outside of business hours, arithmetic and elementary algebra, after which he entered Baldwin Uni- versity, but he had only money enough to remain in college but one term of the year. At this time he purchased a piece of wood land on speculation and hired some of the students of the University, many of whom were like himself, struggling against poverty, to chop cordwood and rails. This ven- ture was a financial success, and gave him an insight into timber which was useful to him in after years. He later took up the life of a traveling sales- man, which he followed for three years or more, acting as agent for the sale of Berea grindstones for the Hon. Fletcher Hulet. During these years he always carried with him two traveling cases, a small one for his wardrobe, and a large one for his books, maps, tools and papers. In this way he kept up with his college class, mastered geometry, analytics, mechanics, and Newton's Principia, together with a thorough knowledge of chemistry. To accomplish all this, he had of course to utilize every waiting hour in a coun- try depot and every moment of the time which was not demanded by his business. He did not learn easily, had no brilliant memory or quick intuitive insight into the mysteries of things, but when he took up a subject he never rested until he knew not only all that the book before him contained, but also all that every other book within his reach contained, and all that he himself could figure out. Once conquered, it was his property for all time. Thus it happened while in school he was always hard at work through term time, never made any remarkable showing in the recitation room, but when the other students began_ to groan over approaching examinations he had time to go fishing, and on ex- amination days he was the whole class. When nineteen years of age Mr. Walker and a friend still younger took a contract in Paris, Illinois, of the Terre Haute and Illinois Railroad, to furnish a large amount of cross-ties and cordwood. This contract involved the purchase of timber, building houses for the men employed, and the general running of a lumber camp for eighteen months; but on the very week which saw the close of the work, the road went into the hands of a receiver and they lost the entire profits of the un- dertaking. Mr. Walker then took up teaching in a winter country school, meeting with success, but after two terms start- ed during the vacation on the road again. Hearing on this trip of the beauties and advantages for business in the then almost unknown city of Minneapolis, he took one of the old "Diamond Joe" line of river steamers at McGregor, Iowa, went to St. Paul and then by rail to St. Anthony Falls, over the only nine miles of railroad in the state, to Minneapolis. Here with- in the first half day, he had engaged to go into the upper and almost un- known parts of the state as a member of the surveying party of Mr. George B. Wright, and had written his prom- ised wife in Ohio, "I have found the city where we will make our horne." It was a case of love at first sight, and his affection for and loyalty to the city of Minneapolis has known no change or variation through all the years since that first day. The first trip resulted disastrously, as the party were driven from the woods by the outbreak of the war with the Indians in 1862, and all were in great peril before reaching Fort Ripley, where their numbers were glad- ly added to the small garrison then holding that point. Returning to Min- neapolis at the earliest opportunity, Mr. Walker rented desk room in the ofifice of Mr. L. M. Stewart, one of the prominent lawyers of the city, and sat down to a winter's work on his books, which in the spring drew from the lawyer, who was not given to wasting words of commendation on anyone, the comment, "You have done the hardest and best winter's work I have ever seen accomplished." Mr. Walker's first survey work in the pineries impressed him with the almost inestimable value of the stand- ing timber of the state. It seems but a natural thing now that almost any one should have so judged, but in that early day, the few Maine lumbermen who were operating in the state were not so impressed, and timber beyond the Rum river, eighteen miles from the city, found no purchasers, even at the government price of one dollar and a quarter per acre, and they laughed at the Ohio boy, who had come out fresh from school to instruct them in the values of timber. But Mr. Walker steadily held to his opinion and at last found capitalists who would put their money against his work in examina- tions and locations, and thereby ob- tained his first start in the lumber busi- ness, which has been his principal oc- cupation ever since. Mr. Walker, since that time, has built, owned, operated, either alone or asso- ciated with others, a large number of mills, and their connected lumber in- terests, yards, etc., the principal ones being the Butler Mills and Walker Mills, the Butler & Walker, the Camp & Walker, the Red River Lumber Company Mills, at Crookston, Minne- sota, and Grand Forks, Dakota, and later still in operation, the very ex- tensive plant at Akeley, Minnesota. At the same time he has carried on ex- tensive deals in the purchase and sale of pine land, as well as cutting and marketing the great quantities of logs from his own lands. Mr. Walker has done much in the way of encouraging manufacturing enter- prises to locate in Minneapolis, and many large and prosperous concerns owe their existence to his efforts in their behalf. The St. Louis Park, a manufacturing suburb of the city, of which he is the principal, if not the entire owner, contains many valuable plants, among which are counted one large agricultural implement factory, and a beet sugar plant, which has the last season manufactured over six mil- lions of pounds of sugar. Connecting this suburb with the city, Mr. Walker has built, owns and operates the Min- neapolis, St. Louis Park and Hopkins Electric Railway line, which is both a great convenience and a profitable in- vestment. Mr. Walker's holdings of real estate in the city are extensive, among which may be mentioned the most extensive commission plant in the United States, and in which are handled more fruits, both fresh and dried, vegetables and meats, than in the markets of any other place, except perhaps two or three of the very largest cities. The concen- trating of the wholesale commission business of the city in uniform build- ings under one ownership and system of rents, with abundant trackage and facilities for handling goods, all cover- ing between two and three large city squares, has made the commission busi- ness a pleasure to all concerned, and has permanently drawn about it the main wholesale district of the city. Within the last five years Mr. Walk- er has been turning his attention to the immense and almost unknown pineries of California, especially the sugar and yellow pines. Sugar pine is the largest, longest and finest pine timber in the world, and California yel- low (really white) pine is nearly as large and long and almost as valuable as the sugar. The demand for both kinds is sharp and unlimited. Mr. Walker has had explorers and land examiners constantly in the field and has spent a large part of his own time on the coast and in the forests study- ing all the minutiae of a new business in a new country. As a result, he has been convinced that the markets of the world are ready for the manufac- tured products of these great forests, and has bought heavily and fearlessly. His holdings cover the largest tract of sugar and yellow pine on the coast, and it is generally regarded as the finest and most valuable on the timber belt. The greater portion of this tract stands on a sloping table, readily ac- cessible for manufacturing and han- dling purposes. Mr. Walker is now most probably the largest individual holder of pine lands in the country. It is his intention to immediately develop this property by the construction of a standard gauge railroad, about one hundred and twenty miles in length, together with the necessary logging railroads, lumber mills, sash, door a.nd box factories, planing mills, dry hous'es, etc. It was largely through Mr. Walker's efforts that the present Public Li- brary of the city of Minneapolis was put in operation, by which, through an appropriation from the city, supple- mented by large gifts from individuals (of whom Mr. Walker was the leader), a magnificent building was erected, in which are housed not only the public library proper, but all the accumulated treasurers of the Athenaeum, and the Academy of Science. Here, also, the city has the nucleus of an art collec- tion, owning a number of pictures, and enjoying from year to year the contin- uous loan of over fifty fine canvases belonging to Mr. Walker. The Acad- emy of Science also owes no incon- siderable amount of its attraction to Mr. Walker's generosity. During his travels he collects fine shells, corals, stuflfed animals, or other valuable ad- ditions for the already large and in- teresting collection. Several exceed- ingly fine cases of minerals are his latest additions to former gifts. Upon the organization of the public library Mr. Walker was unanimously elected president of the board of di- rectors, which ofiice he has continuous- ly held by re-election to the present time, a period of sixteen years. Another outcropping of his eye for perfection, is his love for fine gems. He is a recognized authority in the East on the value of precious stones. He buys them and carries them about with him for pure love of their fire and fineness, and it is a rare moment when he cannot produce from some pocket or corner, a wonderful colored diamond or perfect ruby. It is per- fectly within bounds to say that he loves them for their own sake. Mr. Walker has been making a valu- able collection of oil paintings since 1885. At first he bought slowly, but as the years have passed and his love of art increased, he has come to have confidence in his own judgment and has made an extremely fine collection of the best work of the best artists. He never buys a man's work until he thoroughly knows the man and his works. In this, way he has collected at his home one of the finest art refer- ence libraries in the country, to which he is constantly adding. He has at his home probably one hundred and fifty or two hundred canvases, with fifty more hung in the gallery of the Public Library, which form a collec- tion which for character stands second to no private collection in this country. Among the artists are such names as Rousseau, Corot, Diaz, Jacque, Jazet, Jules Breton, Madame Demont-Breton (his daughter), Sir Thomas Lawrence, Rembrandt, Peele, David, Le Fevre, Bougereau, Turner, Hogarth, Hans Holbein, Rembrandt, and a multitude of others. Besides the pictures, he has a very choice collection of ancient bronzes of the best period of Japanese and Chinese art work, ivories, rare potteries, jades, cameos, fine glass, etc. This collection is held open for the free use of the public during all day- light hours of all week days, and has done much toward educating and de- veloping the art taste of the city. Mr. Walker was married at Berea, Ohio, December, 19, 1863, to Miss Har- riet G. Hulet, the daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, of that place, by their college president and the young lady's brother-in-law, Rev. John vWheeler. After spending the winter at the home of their parents in Berea, they jour- neyed to their home in the west. For five years they resided in Minneapolis East, or St. Anthony Falls as it was then called, removing thence to Min- neapolis proper, where they remained five years on First avenue South and Third street, after which the present home on Hennepin avenue was built, where the family have resided for twenty-seven years. The house as originally built has been added to on both sides and rear to accommodate the library, gallery, etc., etc. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have had eight children, six boys and two girls. To the training of their family both Mr. and Mrs. Walker gave up much of their time for many years, especial ef- forts being made to develop the practi- cal sides of their natures. The good effects of this manual training have been apparent since the boys entered business and had to handle machinery of all kinds. Of these eight children, seven are still living, the second son having died at the age of eighteen. Of the seven, six are married and live near home, one is in college, and one of the daughters is widowed. Four of the sons are in partnership with their father in the lumber business. All of the sons are capable, energetic, sensible business men, who will be well able to manage the large business interests which will some day fall upon them. Of the daughters, one is mar- ried to a wholesale merchant, and is the happy mother of three children. The other was the happy and useful wife of a prominent Methodist minister until he was called away. Among the treasures of this family are six grand- sons, all under five years of age. To only those who have the privilege of knowing Mrs. Walker in her private and social relations, can there come a full knowledge of her innate charm. She is a lady of rare culture and has that graceful tact which wins the es- teem of all who know her. She char- acteristically gives Mr. Walker the credit for many of her fine qualities, claiming that by long association with him she has imbibed some of his in- dustry, enthusiasm and generositv. She has kept pace with her husband and is well fitted to stand by his side. For twenty-five years past she has led a very busy life outside the home in hospital, reformatory, temperance and literary work, as well as in private charities. She has held for years the presidency of two important institu- tions, both of which have been large- ly built up and sustained through her instrumentality. — Prominent Men of the Great West. A BOOK BY T. B. WALKER. The Work is a Compilation Under the Title "The Son of Man." "The Son of Man" is the title of a small manual of Christian faith just published by the University Press, this city. It is a book compiled by T. B. Walker "for the special encourage- ment of members of the Young Men's Christian Association." "Mr. Walker has collated the testi- mony of great historic characters of all ages and all professions as to the divin- ity of Christ and the sublimity of the Christian religion. Napoleon, Wash- ington, Franklin, Addison, Locke, Raleigh. Rousseau, are a few of the celebrities whose opinions are cited. "This little book," says Secretary H. P. Goddard, of the Y. M. C. A., "will be of the utmost value in proving to young men how Christ has been in- terpreted by the greatest intellects in history." — Minneapolis Journal, May 27, 1903. immense shipments of logs, lumber, mill machinery, and camp supplies, as through all these years the pine along the lines of the Great Northern have furnished the material for the principal part of his business. ONE OF THE SELF-MADE MEN OF MINNEAPOLIS. Leslie's Weekly. March 26. 1903. Thomas Barlow Walker, of Minne- apolis. Minn., was born in Xenia. Ohio, February 1st, 1840. His early life was spent in the town of his birth until his sixteenth year, when his mother re- moved to Berea, near Cleveland, for the better educational advantages for her children— his father having died when he was in his ninth year. From his earliest youth it was both neces- sary for him to assist his mother and sisters, and later make his own way through school. He tried various lines of work, such as are available in a small town to a young man without capital, such as clerking, teaching, con- tracting for the cutting of timber and clearing of land, commercial traveling, etc., all the time carrying on his studies whether in school or in the field with his axe and his men. His first business venture away from home, outside of his traveling agency for the sale of grindstones, the princi- pal business of the home village, was an extensive contract with the Terre Haute and St. Louis Railroad for the cutting of cross-ties and cordwood in the then somewhat extensive forests of Illinois. This venture consumed a year and a half and was a business success. In 1862 he went to Minneapolis, Minn., and took up the work for which he had specially studied to fit him- self — civil engineering, and for some years was engaged in railroad and government surveys. Through this work he acquired a familiarity with the pine forests of the State, and their value, and became convinced that in them was an opening for a life work. Lumbering at that time was a different proposition from what it became later, as at that time there were in the State but eight miles of railroad, being the old St. Paul and Pacific, which extend- ed only from St. Paul to St. Anthony, the beginning of the present magnifi- cent Great Northern system, every mile of the growth of which Mr. Walk- er has watched as the years have gone by, and utilized in his own growing and constantly extending but receding business. Over its lines as fast as they were built he has all through these thirty or more years constantly made HISTORY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY, AND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS BY REV. EDWARD D, NEIL. Thomas B. Walker was born in Xenia, Green County, Ohio, February 1st, 1840. His father died in 1849, and in 1856 the family removed to Berea, where he aided in the support of the family, and secured the rudiments of an education. Having a taste for mathematics, he pursued the study of engineering, astronomy, calculus and Newton's Principia. Mr. Walker came to Minnesota, in 1862. during the In- dian outbreak, and followed surveying, railroad engineering, and examining land and exploring until about 1873. In 1868 he combined with Dr. Levi Butler and H. W. Mills, under the firm name of Butler, Mills and Walker, lumber manufacturers and dealers, continuing in the firm until 1876. During these years he was also interested in lands and logs with H. T. Welles. Franklin Steele, Major Camp, Herrick Bros., George Cleveland and others. In 1876, with George A. Camp, he purchased the Pacific mills of J. Dean & Company. This famous mill is described else- where. In 1863 Mr. Walker was mar- ried to Miss Harriet G. Hulet. of Berea, Ohio. They have eight children, two girls and six boys, all of whom are active, enterprising, rough and rugged. They are taught to play, hunt, fish, row boats, etc. It was through Mr. Walker's influence that the Athenaeum was opened for the benefit of the pub- lic. T. B. Walker, of Minneapolis, is best known to the trade as one of the wealthiest lumbermen in the United States. But Mr. Walker is not alone prominent in business circles. He is also noted as a man of letters, a speak- er and thinker of exceptional ability. There has been recently issued from the University Press, of Minneapolis, "The Son of Man," a book compiled by Mr. Walker for the special encour- agement of the members of the Young Men's Christian Association. He has collected the testimony of great his- toric characters of all ages and all pro- fessions as to the divinity of Christ and the sublimity of the Christian re- ligion. Napoleon, Washington, Frank- lin, Addison, Locke, Raleigh and Rousseau, are a few of the celebrities whose opinions are quoted. — Missis- sippi Valley Lumberman, May 29, 1903. History of The Great Northwest Edited by C. W. G. Hyde and Wm. Stoddard, 1901. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. Thomas Barlow Walker. — While Minneapolis has great natural advan- tages in waterpower, situation and sur- roundings, these would have been of little avail had not courageous, far- sighted and public-spirited men of great energy taken hold of the enterprise at an early day with a determination to build a large city. The task was not as easy as it seems in 1901, after the city has become the metropolis of the state. A city at the confluence of two rivers which furnish easy transportation, was well under way only ten miles distant, it was the trade center of the North- west, and it had the additional prestige of being the capital or official center. Many deemed the project of building a city ten miles away chimerical or foolhardy. The men who overcame the numerous obstacles in the path, and wrung success from such adverse con- ditions, are entitled to special commen- dation. Their sagacity to perceive, their courage to undertake, their skill in making use of proper names, and their unflinching perseverance are char- acteristics which cannot be too highly extolled. Among those who were con- spicous in this work, Thomas B. Walk- er, the subject of this sketch, stands prominently in the front rank. He was born in Xenia, Ohio, February 1, 1840. His father was Piatt Bayless Walker, a native of New York, but long a res- ident of Ohio. By trade he was a shoe- maker, but by occupation and business habit he was a contractor and specu- lator. He was in good circumstances, but in 1849, when the California fever was at its height, he invested all his means in a train of merchandise which he started to take overland to Califor- nia. Cholera broke out in the com- pany, and Mr. Walker was one of the first victims. He died on the plains near Warrensburg, Mo. Although the train was carried through and the goods sold, none of the proceeds ever reached his family. Thomas B. Walk- er was thus left fatherless when nine years old. His mother was Anstis Keziah Barlow, of New York and later of Ohio. She was the youngest of a large family. Two of her brothers were judges, one in New York and the other in Ohio. Under these circum- stances, compelled to work from early youth, Mr. Walker had but few oppor- tunities to attend school. He, however, made such good use of what he had that at sixten years of age he entered Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio, where he succeeded in remaining in nominal attendance for several years by being present for perhaps one term a year and keeping up with his class while absent at work, which was that of traveling as a salesman. While on road he carried two valises, the larger containing his school books which he used at every spare moment. The habit thus acquired of studying at all spare times, under all circumstances, has con- tinued with him through life, and has made him the well educated and thor- oughly informed man on a multitude of subjects which he is recognized to be today. At nineteen years of age, after many small ventures, he secured a contract from the railroad at Paris, 111., for getting out cross ties and cord- wood. He continued this work for eighteen months, when the company failed and robbed him of all the profits which had accrued. He had, however, the experience and a good timber edu- cation, which, although not valued at the time, proved subsequently to be worth all it cost. On returning home he taught school for one year. He then resumed the traveling business, engaging with Hon. Fletcher Hulet to make a wholesale market for his Berea grindstones. On his way up tlie Mis- sissippi River, on this business in 1862, he met, at McGregor, Mr. J. M. Robin- son, of Minneapolis, who spoke so eloquently of the attractions and pros- pects of the embryo city that Mr. Walk- er, within an hour afterwards, was on his way to the promising hamlet. Almost as soon as he arrived he en- gaged to go with Mr. George B. Wright on a government land survey. The expedition was ignorant of the fact that the Indians were on the war path until they learned it by the for- cible experience of being driven out of the woods by the Indians. With difficulty and great peril the little band of surveyors traveled three days thru the hostile district, finally reaching Fort Ripley, where they were gladly welcomed as a re-enforcement sixteen strong to the small and poorly equip- ped garrison holding that point. After two or three years spent in government surveys, and one year on the survey of the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad — a service which gave him a thorough knowledge of the timber country — Mr. Walker took up the pine land business. Being practically with- out means, he associated with Dr. Levi Butler and Mr. Howard Mills, under the firm name of Butler, Mills & Walk- er, the junior member putting in his time, knowledge and experience against their money. The firm was very suc- cessful, under Mr. Walker's manage- ment, logging and building and operating mills and lumber yards. The partner- ship continued for several years and was terminated by the death of Dr. Butler, and the removal of Mr. Mills to California, in search of health. Mr. Walker was at the same time interested with Mr. Henry T. Welles, in the pur- chase of pine timber. Subsequently, Mr. Walker became engaged in the lumber industry in all parts of north- ern Minnesota and in Dakota. He owned and operated mills on the "Falls." He purchased and operated the "J- Dean" mill, rebuilding it after it burned, operating it for many years with Major George A. Camp, under the firm name o^f Camp & Walker. Later in company with his son, Gil- bert M. Walker, under the name of Red River Lumber Company, built two mills — one at Crookston, Minn., and one at Grand Forks, N. D. This firm is still active, with the addition of three more sons, but the mills are at Akeley. Mr. Walker is also associ- ated with Mr. H. C. Akeley, under the firm name of Walker & Akeley, in the ownership of large tracts of pine lands, but they operate no mills. While Mr. Walker has been so busy with the lumber business, he has been active in building up Minneapolis and the adjacent country. He built the Central Market and Commission Row, whereby the wholesale commission business — as well as other wholesale business — has been permanently located north of Hennepin avenue and west of Fourth street. This market is one of the largest and most commodious wholesale and retail markets in the West, while the volume of fruit and commission business handled in the row adjoining, which is part of the same enterprise, shows that Minneapo- lis is the great fruit and commission center of the Northwest. St. Louis Park, a suburb of the city, owes its existence to Mr. Walker, who was the owner of the land, and assisted in its development under the firm name of Land & Investment Company. It has large manufacturing concerns, with the noted great Beet Sugar Plant. The St. Louis Park & Hopkins Street Rail- way is part of the plan and it is a profitable investment, as well as a great help to the city and a convenience to residents of these thriving suburbs. Mr. Walker has also and at all times been a supporter of and a worker in and for the Board of Trade as well as the originator and promoter of the "Business Men's Union," which for many years did wonderful work in aid of the development of the city. The Y. M. C. A. has also claimed much of his attention and means. He is a member of the National Committee. Having in his youth made great use of public libraries wherever they were to be found in his travels. Mr. Walker early became a stockholder in the old "Athenaeum," the nearest approach to a public library in operation in this city. Later he became the means and instrument through which the present Public Library was organized and set in operation. He gave largely in aid of its beautiful building and appoint- ments and keeps its Art Gallery well stocked with fine works from his pri- vate collection. He has been Presi- dent of the Board of Directors since its first organization. As would naturally be expected, Mr. Walker has also in his home a fine collection of books in his private li- brary. Science, Theology, Political, Economy and many other lines are prominently represented, and he has gathered together for his own use and aid the finest Art Reference Library perhaps in the country. Politically, Mr. Walker is, as might be expected, a Republican. His first vote was cast for Lincoln. He is a close student of Political Economy and its bearings on good government. During the last two presidential cam- paigns, he spoke frequentlj' and wrote extensively on the issues involved. His writings attracted marked attention and were widely copied and circulated. THE W.\LKER .^RT G.\LLERY. During the last fifteen years or more, Mr. Walker has been engaged in mak- ing a collection of high grade first- class oil paintings and bronzes and other works of art. This collection has become known throughout this country, and largely abroad, as a choice and rare collection of the works of the best masters. Such names as Corot, Rous- seau, Rosa Bonheur, Diaz. Hogarth, Sir Thomas Lawrence, David. Le Fevre, Bougereau, Schreyer, Jacque, Breton, Madame Breton, Turner, Rem- brandt, Pcele and many others, are a guarantee for the character of the col- lection. The owner is often surprised at the high comparative rating given this collection by those who have seen the world's best galleries and who do not hesitate to place this in the first rank. Over fifty of these paintings are hung in the gallery at the Public Li- brary, but the larger part, with the bronzes and ivories, are in his gallery at the family residence at 803 Hennepin avenue. This gallery is held open to the public upon all days except Sunday, during the hours of daylight. That the opportunity and privilege of visiting this collection is thoroughly appreci- ated, is fully attested by the great num- bers who constantly avail themselves of it. One of Mr. Walker's strong char- acteristics has always been his devo- tion to his home and family, to whom he has given his best time and thought. From their earliest infancy he has de- lighted to make his children his com- panions, entering into their interests and taking them into his own. Books and tools, shops and workrooms, have been the "strong points" of the home on Hennepin avenue, through all the years of the growing up of the family, which consisted of eight children, of whom seven are still living. Of these, four sons are in partnership with their father, and one still in school. The two daughters have married, one of whom is widowed. There are also four grandchildren. In character and profession, Mr. Walker is a Christian of the most pro- nounced type, finding his home in the Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church. Having come by this faith through more difficulties than the average young man, he finds no greater pleasure in life than to direct others in the way in which he has come, and will, at any time, turn from his intricate business and with book in hand ex- pound to the chance listener the won- derful truths of the authenticity of the Bible as shown through the prophecies of the marvelous history of the Jews or any one of a dozen of other lines of research. His religion is of the active type also which prompts him to steady and constant benevolences. From his earliest record as a business man he has always been a generous and free giver to all works which commended themselves to his business judgment, whether it be through individual aid or organization. His purse has always been especially open to the enterprises in which his wife has been more par- ticularly engaged. The general summing up of the les- sons conveyed by the life of Mr. Walk- er, seems to be that, given good health carefully preserved by a well-ordered life, energy, perseverance, perfect hon- esty, of that high type which can re- organize and grant the rights of others, good principles, rightly adhered to, and Christian integrity, no young man need fail of success through lack of oppor- tunity. Mr. Walker's eminently use- ful and successful life has owed noth- ing at any period to inherited advan- tages of wealth or position, or the for- tunate strokes of accidental success. He has literally hammered out on his own anvil every bar and nail of advan- tage that has reared the structure of his fortunes. Steady and continuous work, studiously directed toward a def- inite and well-defined object, a will- ingness and ability to work and wait for results, and an enthusiastic inter- est in the work in hand have been the key notes of his life, and are the ele- ments of success which are within the reach of all who deem them worthy of the strife. THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK. In another column will be found an interview with Mr. T. B. Walker, on the general business outlook for the immediate future. The success that has attended Mr. Walker throughout his career, and especially the ability he has shown in weathering the several financial storms since he became prom- inent in the world of business, makes his opinion on matters of this kind particularly valuable. In the past thirty years he has seen two periods of great financial reverses and his fore- sight in preparing to meet them has saved him from the wreck that has come to thousands of others. It is significant that while he took special precautions just previous to the de- pressed times following the year 1873, and that he again anticipated the hard years that commenced with the year 1893, he does not expect a similar con- dition of affairs now, and is not hedg- ing. — Miss. Valley Lumberman. T. B. WALKER. The above article was prepared by Mr. T. B. Walker at the request of the pub- lishers of The Lumberman, because he was recognized as an authority on Cali- fornia sugar and white pine. Mr. Walker is probably the largest indi- vidual timber owner in the world. For many years he has been a large oper- ator in white pine, but for the last fourteen years or more he has been ac- quiring both knowledge and timber in the far west. At the present time he owns about five hundred thousand acres in the country near Alt. Shasta, and a low estimate places the total stand of timber on this area at twenty billion feet. Mr. Walker is a familiar figure in Minneapolis, where he has been prom- inent in business circles for a number of years. He was born in Xenia, O., in 1840. His father was one of the "Forty-niners," whose graves mark the prairie trail to the California gold fields. He and three other children were left with a widowed mother in reduced circumstances. He managed to secure a good education for that day, attending one term each year at Baldwin University, at Berea, O., and working the rest of the year to pay his expenses. At nineteen years of age he became a traveling salesman for a grindstone manufacturer at Berea, and it was with l<('|irn friiiii |iliotou'i-3i|>li (iikoii of Mr. Wiilkcr in l!MI2. I mimI . I.iis AnKt-lcM it«-ril. S«. I>inil \»>>v.s. a consignment of grindstones for St. Paul that he first came to Minnesota. Minnesota promised better things for him than Ohio grindstones and he joined the government surveying party in the pine woods. This put him in the line of his present business. He began putting his earnings into pine timber. Since that time Mr. Walker has rapidly advanced in material wealth, and from the earnings of his Minnesota timber he has become the possessor of his present vast holdings in the far west. He is in no immediate haste to develop his western timber, for as indicated in the article written by him, its value will continually in- crease as the years go by. — Mississippi Valley Lumberman, January 23, 1904. T. B. WALKER IN THE PULPIT. The Well Knovm Capitalist Preaches Forcibly at Fowler Methodist Church. T. B. Walker was heard as an ama- teur preacher yesterday morning at Fowler Methodist church, Franklin avenue and Dupont avenue. By re- quest Mr. Walker filled the pulpit for Rev. P. A. Cool. The result, said Mr. Cool, was a masterful effort. This sermon, which was commended also by members of the congregation, was an attempt to answer the question, "Why does God hide His personality from us. and what has He given us in place of it?" Said Mr. Walker: "Why cannot He, who has given us life and hope of a higher and better one, give us, thru His bountiful Provi- dence, a plain, unmistakable knowledge of His existence? We feel that if He could say to us, 'Your kindred and friend is not dead, but their bodies are laid aside and their spirits go to their home beyond, and if you will lead a right life, living the way that will fit you for a better one, you may meet them there,' it would bring a faith and a confidence in the future that would be absolutely boundless in the enjoy- ment that it would give us. And yet we receive no such token. "Yet if God's presence and His laws were revealed to us directly and He said to us, 'Obey and follow these pre- cepts and examples or be excluded from eternal life,' each one would be constrained to live a restricted life, do- ing the things required, refusing to do the i)rohibited things, as he would re- fuse to put his hands in the fire, and going thru to the end without demon- strating or exhibiting his true charac- ter and fitness for the higher and more perfect life. All must be free to de- velop their true characters without di- rectly or indirectly limiting their free agency. — Journal, May 11, 1903. MR. WALKER AN OPTIMIST. In this week's issue of the Missis- sippi Valley Lumberman, T. B. Walk- er, the millionaire lumberman, declares that he has no apprehensions regard- ing the immediate future in business. In part he says: "The apprehension that some un- favorable turn will come in our affairs is a common characteristic of the great majority of business men. It is natu- ral and very appropriate for each one to consider carefully the signs of the times and estimate the prospects and probabilities of the future. In 1873, and again in 1893, it was this custom of estimating carefully the prospects of the future that enabled me to avoid falling into the sheriff's hands. I hedged against panics a year or so before they arrived in the years men- tioned. I am not hedging against panics now." Mr. Walker is well known as a pru- dent and cautious man with immense interests at stake. If he is not hedg- ing, and is willing to proclaim to the public that such is the fact, it should and will be encouraging to men who have much less at stake and are not so competent as Mr. Walker to act as business barometers. With so many croakers tellinq;' us now that forsooth because we had a panic in 1873 and another in 1893, we shall soon have another, it is timely and decidely encouraging for a man like Mr. Walker to come to the front and assert that it will take at least two years more for the good times to wear themselves out. — Minneapolis Journal, March 20. 1903. Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biographies. Thomas Barlow Walker, manufac- turer, philanthropist, was born Feb. 1, 1840, in Xenia, Ohio. He is manag- ing partner of the firm of Walker and Akeley, of Minneapolis, president of the Red River Lumber Company, with mills at Crookston, Minn., and Grand Forks, N. D., and at the head of the St. Louis Park syndicate, which is building a suburban city on the bound- ary of Minneapolis. With B. F. Nel- son and his son, Gilbert Walker, he is an owner of the Hennepin Paper Com- pany, and is engaged in many other enterprises, devoted to building up Minneapolis. Through his instrumen- tality and many years of work, the old Athenaeum Library Association was developed into the Public Library, which stands now third or fourth in circulation, among those of the cities in this country. 7 Public Art Gallery in a Private House. Rare Collection of Paintings in Thomas Barlow Walker's Resi- dence at Minneapolis are Open Six Days in the Week to All Who Call to See Them.— He Owns One of the Few Raphaels in the United States. The Republic. St. Louis, Mo., March 8. 1903. Many rich men have their hobbies. With some it is the mania for giving away libraries; with others it is a de- sire to acquire a baronial country estate. With T. B. Walker, of Minne- apolis, "the Pine King of the North," it is the collection of fine paintings. Ever since he was a boy, with money enough to buy one painting, his crav- ing for fine art has grown, until now, at the age of 52, he has the finest, the largest and the most select gallery in the United States. And with it all he is not selfish. Al- though the gallery is in a wing of his private residence, at the corner of Hen- nepin avenue and Eighth street, and the only entrance to it is through his front door, the gallery is open to the public six days in the week, and all who ring his bell and ask to see the old masters receive not only permis- sion from the white-aproned maid who answers the ring, but also a catalog as well. This private collection is by far and away better than that furnished by the Public Library gallery of the city, and were it not for the fifty or more paint- ings which belong to Mr. Walker and which hang in this gallery as a loan, the city's display of art would indeed be meager. Thomas Barlow Walker is one of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of Minneapolis. His career is a shining example to all boys of mod- erate circumstances who are trying to make their way in the world. He was born at Xenia, O., in 1840, and worked his way through Baldwin Uni- versity. When he went to Minneapo- lis, in 1862, he was a surveyor on the St. Paul and Duluth railway. While driving the road through the wilds of the West he became interested in the pine lands, and today he owns more pine country than any other man in America, his interest reaching to Cali- fornia — hence his title of the "Pine King." In the room devoted to old masters is one of the few Raphaels in this country. It is the portrait of Pope Julius 11. It was painted by Raphael as a study for the portrait now hang- ing in the Pitti Palace. Before Mr. Walker acquired it, it hung for years in the private gallery of Sir Cecil Miles, at Leigh Court, England. The can- vas had been stretched upon a wooden panel 2 inches thick, but the wood had to be planed down to half an inch on account of the honey-combing of the worms. HIS TWO REMBRANDTS. There are two Rembrandts in this room, "The Burgomaster," from the collection of Jacob Anthony Van Dam, of Dorchert, and "The Burgomaster's Wife." A smaller canvas, probably a portrait of Rembrandt's mother. A Rubens "Madonna and Child," repre- senting the Madonna, Christ and John the Baptist, came to the Walker col- lection from the gallery of Lord Nor- wich. Sebastiano del Piombo's paint- ing of "Vittoria Colonna," "Guido Reni's "Cleopatra's Last Hours," and Cipri- ani's "Assumption of the Virgin," are some of the examples of the other fa- mous old Italian masters which add strength to this private collection, but the Napoleon pictures are the ones which many persons come to Minne- apolis especially to see. I\Ir. Walker's "Portrait of Napoleon" is by Robert Lefevre, painted in 1810. For years it hung in Napoleon's apart- ments at Fontainebleau. When in ex- ile he presented it to Field Marshal Mortier, who, dying, willed it to his nephew. Count de la Grange, from whom Mr. Walker's agents secured it. As companion pieces are the portraits of Josephine, by Lefevre, in 1808, and a portrait of Empress Maria Louisa. "Napoleon in His Coronation Robes," by David, painted in 1805, is one of the most striking pictures of the great war lord in existence. It was given to Field Marshal Davoust by the Emperor, because Davoust and he were school- mates at Brienne. The brilliant landscape painters of France, Corot, Rousseau, Dupre, Diaz, Harpignes. Cazin, Monticelli, and the animal painters Jacquin, Chagnau, Geri- Canet, Veuillefroys, Charles Jacque and Aymar Pezant, are all represented with one or more canvases, but by far the most popular is the "Lion," by Rosa Bonheur, and "Cattle Resting in the 1 Shade," by her talented brother, Aug- uste Bonheur. DEATH OF NELSON. The painting which has done much toward creating a hatred for war, the famous battle picture, Paul Jazet's "Death of Nelson," is another valuable canvas on Mr. Walker's walls. It is one of the most fearfully real pictures known to art. The reeling figure of the dying Nelson supported by the .■solicitous Hardy, the surgeon, himself wounded, and the stalwart negro ending his life beside the little white hoy writhing and shrieking aloud in agony; sailors dying on every side, and the naked gunners, their hard faces covered with sweat and grime, fighting steadily against a wall of smoke and glare (a caldron of man's hate boiling over), a fitting death scene for so great a war- rior. The German painters are also well represented in this collection. Signed to many canvases, big and little, are to be found the names of such men as Adolph Schreyer, August Schenk, Schermer, Emil Rau, Andreas Achen- bach, Werner Schuch, Ludwig Knaus, Franz Unterberger, Heinrich Losson, Lousherberg, Sinkels, Riedel, Hugo Kauflfman, Van der Venne and many other. Of these artists perhaps the work of Wilhelm von Kaulbach remains with you most after you have been through the gallery. His "Fall of Babel'' is an immense canvas. It was the cartoon for the mural painting for Staircase Hall in the new Museum at Berlin, and was owned for a long time by Sir James Duncan of London. Another painting which served as a preliminary canvas for a greater work is Turner's "Crossing the Brook." It was the original of the large canvas which now hangs in the National Gal- lery in London, and it came from the collection of Lord Jersey. Jean Rosier, the chief conductor of the Academy of Malines, received a medal of honor at Antwerp in 1894 for the large picture of "King Charles I., after the Battle of Marston Moor." It is one of the chief treasures of Mr. Walker's heart. And the "human inter- est" in the picture explains why its present owner paid a fabulous price for it and holds it dear. The artist select- ed the time when Charles is informed that his army is defeated and that Cromwell is on the road to London. The King realizes that the worst is to come. He sits like one paralyzed. His dog lays his head on his master's knee and tries to sympathize with him. Prince Rupert, Captain Stanley and Minister Oliver are grouped about the table. An officer who has brought the news stands in the doorway awaiting an order. THE AMERICAN MASTERPIECE. In his search over the entire world for paintings, Mr. Walker has not for- gotten American artists. One is Ben- jamin West's "Lear Discovered in the Hut by Gloucester." It is a painting highly prized in England and America, because West was the first great .\mer- ican artist. The portrait of George Washington, which is in this gallery, is by Rembrandt Peale. Mr. Sutton of the American Art Gallery has made a study of Washington portraits, and he says that it is "similar to but better than the one hanging in the President's room, back of the Senate Chamber, in the Capitol." There are two paintings in the Walk- er collection by George Inness, Sr., who has been called "the American Rous- seau," and four by his equally talented son. The historical works of art by E. Schuselle, "General Jackson Before Judge Hall," upon which the artist spent ten years in carefully reproduc- ing the scene so that the characters in it would be depicted with all the faith- fulness of a perfect portrait, is one of the chief canvases in the American room. Edward Moran is represented by a packet ship rolling on high waves, and Thomas Moran's masterpiece, "Venice and the Palace of the Doges," hangs beside his brother's ofifering. J. C. Brower's "Modern Eve." Weste- beek's "Shepherd and Sheep," George Bogert's "A Windy Day in Finistere," H. P. Smith's "Sunset," Arthur Tait's "Maternal Solicitude," Robert Minor's "After the Storm," Freeman Thorp's "Portrait of General Miles," David Johnson's "A Clearing— Mount Lafay- ette, N. H.," Arthur Parton's "New England Homestead on a Stormy Morning," and Hill's "Painting of the City of Minneapolis Fifty Years Ago," are some of the American moderns to be found in the Walker gallery. T. B. WALKER'S FINE COLLEC- TION. (Minneapolis Times, April 20, 190L ) T. B. Walker has arranged a most handsome exhibition of bronzes and works of vcrtu which he has placed in his art gallery at Eighth street and Hen- nepin avenue. Mr. Walker has spent years making the collection and it is safe to say there is nothing in the west that in any way equals it. He has the advantage of a ripe judgment and his selections are most handsomely dis- played in cabinets and on shelves. The large articles are arranged around the room on shelves and the smaller are most attractively displayed in a hand- some cabinet. There are bronzes, Chinese and Japanese ware, and the prettiest things imaginable in the line of vases of glass and jade. The old Chinese temples have fur- nished their contributions, and silver and gold bronzes, finely wrought, are in evidence. Delicately carved ivory abounds and one pretty piece is a ball within which are a dozen or more smaller balls. Mr. Walker's collection of ivory carvings is said to be about the best in the United States and he takes great pleasure in them. But his carvings are not confined to ivory for there are a number of rock crystal, the handsomest of which is one carved into a bust of Queen Victoria. But the orient alone has not been the only contributor to the collections, for the best work of the artists of the old world is in evidence. Great care has been exercised in the grouping of the articles in the collec- tion and the effect is at once pleasing and instructive. Visitors are frequent and Mr. Walker takes much delight in explaining the different articles in the collection. PROMINENT MEN OF TH E GREAT WEST. By Manhattan Publishing Co., 1894. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. Thomas Barlow Walker, son of Piatt Bayless and Anstis (Barlow) Walker was born at Xenia, Ohio, on the first day of February, 1840. His parents had moved to Ohio from New York State, where they were connected with many highly respected families and some of whose members had attained eminence. Mrs. Walker was a daughter of Hon. Thomas Barlow, and a sister of Judge Thomas Barlow, of Canastota, N. Y., and of Judge Moses Barlow, of Ohio. When young Walker was eight years of age his father invested all of his means in helping to fit out a train bound for the gold fields of California. The expedition started, and while en route Mr. Walker was stricken with cholera and died, and as his partners in the enterprise were not overburdened with conscientious scruples nor over high notions of commercial honor, his widow was left penniless, and never received a dollar of what should have come to her as his share. Left in al- most destitute circumstances with her four children, one of whom was still a babe, she bravely faced the world and commenced the battle against ad- verse circumstances. Though young in years, she made a brave fight, and la- ter reaped the fruits of her labor in seeing her children grown to manhood and womanhood, highly respected and conscientious Christians. Her later years were spent with Thomas, the subject of this sketch, in his home at Minneapolis, and there she peacefully passed away on the 23rd of May, 1883. The youth of Thomas was similar to that of any other boy in like cir- cumstances, but when sixteen years of age, the family moved to Bcrea, Cuy- ahoga county, Ohio, in order to take advantage of the educational facilities of the Baldwin University. Here for the first time he fully realized the im- portance of a good education, and throw- ing aside all boyish habits he became a studious man, bending every energy to the acquiring of an education. His tastes led him to devote much of his time to the study of the higher mathe- matics and the sciences, in which, not- withstanding he could not attend more than one term at the university each year, he made great progress and often outstripped those who were fortunate enough to be able to attend daring the entire school year. He obtained a situation as a traveling salesman for Hon. Fletcher Hulet, the manufactur- er of the Berea grindstones. While traveling, the most important part of his baggage was his heavy case of books, to which he devoted every minute of his spare time. The deter- mination which he stuck to his books has always been one of his leading characteristics. Obstacles only seemed to stimulate him to greater effort, and he would never rest until they were overcome. When he was nineteen years of age his business took him to the small town of Paris, 111., where he conceived the idea of buying timber lands, and cutting ties for the Terre Haute and St. Louis Railroad Co., whose road was then under construc- tion. This was a stupendous under- taking for one who was without capital or experience in the business and who was yet but a boy in years, but by steady application and hard work he got the project under way and was in a fair way to make money out of his contract when the railroad company failed and his profits only amounted to a few hundred dollars. With the small amount of money that he had saved he returned to his mother's home and to his books and during the following winter he taught for one term in a near-by district school. In teaching he was highly successful. At this time he ranked the profession of teaching above all others, owing to the impor- tant trust confided to those who have in their hands the molding and direc- tion of the plastic mind of youth; and thinking to adopt the profession as the vocation of his life, in 1862 he made application to the board of the Wiscon- sin State University for the position of assistant teacher of mathematics. While waiting the result of his applica- tion he continued his commercial travels, and at McGregor, Iowa, he met a citizen of the then small hamlet of Minneapolis, Mr. J. M. Robinson, who so successfully painted the beau- ties and prospects of the then strag- gling village, that Mr. Walker deter- mined to visit the place and see for himself whether this was not the place for which he had been looking in which to establish his home. Accordingly he took the next steamer for St. Paul, taking with him a consignment of grindstones for Mr. D. C. Jones of that city. On the wharf at St. Paul he met an energetic young man, whose duties were those of both clerk and workman for the transportation com- pany, and who sorted over the grind- stones, picking out and putting to one side all that were "nicked or spalted," and which Mr. Jones was permitted to reject. That young man was James J. Hill, who has since become so justly celebrated in railway circles, and that day upon the wharf at St. Paul com- menced a friendship between himself and Mr. Walker that time has never shaken although both have since grown wealthy and celebrated. Finishing his business in St. Paul Mr. Walker traveled over the entire length of the only railroad in Minne- sota, which was nine miles long and operated between St. Paul and Minne- apolis, and two hours after his arrival in the latter place he had engaged to go out on a government survey with Mr. George B. Wright, who was the leading surveyor of that section. As he had no technical knowledge of sur- veying, Mr. Walker engaged to carry the chain, while his employer manipu- lated the instrument, but they had only been out a short time when Mr. Wright carried the chain and committed the instrument to his employee. The ex- pedition, however, was not finished, for the Indian outbreak caused them to abandon it and forced them to take refuge at Fort Ripley. Mr. Walker re- turned to Minneapolis and during that summer his time was devoted to sur- veying for the first trial line of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad. Shortly after he arrived in Minneapolis he was notified that the Board had appointed him assistant teacher of mathematics for the University of Wisconsin, but the decision was delayed too long, as he had already engaged himself to Mr. Wright. In 1868 Mr. Walker began his first deal in pine lands. His knowl- edge, gained on his many surveying tours, of the vast tracts of as yet un- located pine lands, strongly impressed him with the idea of their inmiense value and he determined to open them up. Mr. Walker had but little money at this time, so he took as partners in his enterprise the Hon. L. Butler and Howard W. Mills, the last two gentlemen furnished the necessary cap- ital while Mr. Walker supplied the brains and labor. They first engaged in locating pine lands, and afterwards in logging, the manufacture of lumber, and selling pine stumpage. This part- nership continued for two years, when Mr. Mills was compelled to withdraw on account of ill health, and the firm of Butler & Walker was formed, which continued the business until several years later, when fire destroyed the mills, the machinery in two of which belonged to this firm, and the loss en- tailed was so heavy that they were forced to form a partnership known as L. Butler & Co., the partners being Mr. Walker, Dr. Levi Butler, O. C. Merriman and James W. and Levi Lane. They operated the large shore mill on the east side of the dam and for several years did the largest man- ufacturing business in the city. Thrs firm was succeeded in 1871 by Butler & Walker, which, however, closed up in 1872, because Mr. Walker was un- willing to conduct the business during the depression which followed and which entailed heavy losses upon those who continued in business. In 1877 the firm of Camp & Walker was formed, the partner being Major George A. Camp, who had been for many years surveyor general of logs and lumber in the district and who was an expert at handling logs. The Pacific mill, which had long been operated by Joseph Dean & Company, was purchased and operated until the fall of 1880, when it was destroyed by fire. During the succeeding winter, it was rebuilt on the old site, after completion being the best mill that had ever been erected in Minneapolis. It was continued in oper- ation until the ground on which it stood was required for railroad purposes, when it was torn down in 1887. Owning their own pine lands the firm of Camp & Walker did a large business, by far the largest in the city. Mr. Walker had located valuable pine land up about the sources of the Red Lake river, and in 1882 he, with his eldest son, Gilbert M., organized the Red River Lumber Com- pany, and built a large saw mill at Crookston and another at Grand Forks on this river. These mills have been in operation each year since their con- struction up to the present time, the management being conducted by Gil- bert I\I. Walker. These various mills have given employment each year to thousands of men, and besides this the Red River valley mills have so cheap- ened the cost of material that it has greatly helped many a poor man in the erection of his home. Besides his lum- ber business Mr. Walker is largely in- terested in many other enterprises both public and private, chief of which is probably the "Flour City National Bank," of Minneapolis, of which he is president. Throughout his entire life Mr. Walk- er has valued books and the knowledge to be acquired from them as among the most important things of this life. _ We have seen how he devoted every minute of spare time to study in his younger days, and the affection for books has never wavered, in fact his old text books, worn by constant use, and soiled by oil that dripped from many different lights, now find a place in his handsome library, occupying the post of honor. It is not therefore strange that when the Minneapolis Athenaeum was founded he was a liberal contributor and a large stockholder. But this did not nearly meet his idea of what was needed, for the Athenaeum was a close corporation and its reading rooms and library were open only to stockholders. Mr. Walker desired to give its benefits a much wider range, and to accomplish this he gave years of labor and freely of his money, though opposed by many of the stockholders. He commenced by buy- ing shares which he distributed among many young people, and later he suc- ceeded in lowering the prices of shares and in having the doors of the reading room thrown open to the public, and the books of the library available to those who paid a nominal fee. Yet these concessions did not meet with his views of what the public really needed, and through the agitation caused by the changes already made and by his per- sistent labors for a really free library, giyen in many cases to the detriment of his private business and against the determined opposition of many, he finally saw success crown the efforts to give Minneapolis her magnificent public library. In this work Mr. Walk- er was for a tinVe much misunderstood and the opposition to him was for a time bitter in the extreme. The plan adopted was both unique and compre- hensive. The books and the property of the Athenaeum were transfered to the city library together with the fund that Dr. Kirby Spencer had bequeathed to it, a large subscription by Mr. Walk- er and several other liberal citizens and an appropriation by the city, were used for the erection of the building, and a tax of one half mill upon the dol- lar of valuation of the city property was authorized for its support. After the present magnificent building was finished, quarters were provided in the building for the Academy of National Science and for the Society of Fine Arts, in both of which Mr. Walker has taken an especial interest. The Art Gallery is liberally filled with many specimens of rare and costly paintings, many of which came from M. Walker's private collection or from that of his life-long friend Jas. J. Hill. The library board elected Mr. Walker as its presi- dent, which position he still holds as a well-deserved and graceful compli- ment to his devotion to this great work. The Minneapolis Land and Investment Co., of which Mr. Walker is also presi- dent, is another gigantic undertaking, which owes its being to his inspiration. Its leading idea was to benefit Minne- apolis by furnishing suitable sites for manufacturing. Accordingly 1,700 acres of land were purchased just west of the city limits and already a new city is springing up there. On December 19, 1863, Mr. Walker was married to Miss Harriet G Hulet, daughter of Hon. Fletcher Hulet, of Berea, O. She has ever since shared his struggles and in later years his prosperity, having ever been a loving wife and mother and a valuable help- mate. Eight children have been born to this union, all of whom are still living excepting Leon, the second son, who was taken away just as he was entering upon manhood's estate. Mr. Walker erected his present resi- dence on the corner of Eighth street and Hennepin avenue in 1874. One of its chief attractions is the art gallery, which contains the finest private col- lection of paintings in the West, all collected by Mr. Walker, who is an enthusiastic admirer and an excellent judge of art. Besides his great public acts of charity Mr. Walker has for years been quietly disbursing immense sums among the needy, following strict- ly the admonition which says, "let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth." When the grasshopper visitation came upon the farmers of the western part of the state, causing them to lose all their crops, Mr. Walk- er bought up all the buckwheat and turnip seed on sale in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Chicago and personally su- perintended its distribution throughout the afflicted district, these being two crops that could be raised even at that late season, and through this distri- bution much suffering was allayed and rnany cattle were saved from starva- tion. This brief sketch gives a partial idea of what manner of man is Mr. Thomas B. Walker. His struggle com- menced at a very early age and what he has done has been done unaided. No enterprise once undertaken by him has been allowed to fail, and though he has several times been seriously set back by both fire and flood he has kept resolutely at work and in the end has conquered. He is still actively en- gaged in business and enjoys the hearty good wishes and esteem of the com- munity. THE BRONZE ROOM. Wonderful Collection in the T. B. Walker Gallery. Many Articles of Vertu Shown. Fine Oriental Work, With Pieces of Tiffany Glass Jade, Cameos, Enamel, Etc. (Minneapolis Times Aug. 18, 1903.) It is safe to say that the art center of Minneapolis is the Walker gallery at Eighth street and Hennepin. Although it may not compare in size with great collections in other cities, nowhere can there be found a better selected aggre- gation of art works when the compara- tively short time since Mr. Walker formed the nucleus of his present col- lection is considered. An assembling of articles of vertu such as Mr. Walker has laid the foun- dation for in his art building is the work of a life time and is obtained only through the medium of a ripe judg- ment, a fine discrimination and the lav- ish expenditure of money. In the line of gradual progress and expansion Mr. Walker has rearranged the articles which the bronze room already con- tained and has added new ones. One of the pictures shown on this page il- lustrates the manner of the disposition of the bronzes. The larger pieces have been placed on glass shelves erected along parts of three sides of the room. The small articles which might easily be lost are in a large new glass case placed in the center of the room. This collection of cabinet pieces consists of the finest bronzes, Japanese and Chinese earthenware vases, of Tiffany glass and jade, purple and silver enamel pieces, of cameos and facsimiles of the great diamonds of the world. The diamond representations in a case by themselves, are cut from pure Jap crystals and are as near like diamonds in appearance as the gems themselves. The collection in the cabinet has been years in gath- ering. It has been brought together piece by piece. SOME OF THE BRONZES. Among the bronzes are several fine "gold" pieces and incense burners from the old Chinese temples, and vases of silver and gold bronze finely wrought. On the upper shelf of the compartment is perhaps the finest lot of snuflf bot- tles ever gotten together. They are made from oriental jade, oriental am- ber and cut crystal of all colors and shades and forms. The covers are chiefly of beautifully colored jade cov- ers. _ Not content with adorning the exterior of these bottles the makers have carved and painted some of them on the inside with exquisite figures and designs. All of these are of very hard stones cut out so as to be used to carry the snuflf. Amongst the bottles is a camphor glass with a fine crystal cover. Also a fatty jade bottle, one from gold stone which is very beautiful, others from chalcedony, catchelong, and some of variegated colored glass made in early times in China. AN IVORY ODDITY. One of the oddities in the case is an ivory ball containing thirteen other balls cut one inside of the other, be- ginning with an exceedingly small one, scarcely larger than a pea. This in- terior ball is surrounded by another larger one which in turn is contained in a still larger one, and these in other balls gradually larger through to the surface. Each and all of these balls are perforated in diflferent lines from the center to circumference so that the whole number may be seen and counted from the exterior. The articles which might be termed "cutest," as well as showing the great- est ingenuity and skill, are perhaps the finest assortment of ivory carvings ever put together in the United States or Europe. Each of them represents a complicated scene of people, animals of different kinds, together with trees, dragons, boats and horses and other things. None of them is over four inches across the base. Each is carved in the most minute and elaborate man- ner. Every group has a piece inlaid on the bottom, giving the name of the artist and the date of the carving. One scene represents a lot of harpies who have found a woman, a creature which they have never before laid eyes on. They are subjecting her to a various tests, one of which is flying, an art of which they themselves are masters. In another several imps have found a large drum which they are testing in various manners. The most interesting per- haps, represents a lot of blind men who are examining an elephant, in a vain endeavor to discover what it is. CURIOUS WORKS OF ART. A recent addition is a carving made from a quartz crystal, which is without a flaw. It is carved into a bust of the late Queen Victoria. Some magnificent old china vases dating back 500 years and one old giant crackle vase are put into this case for sake keeping. Next to the giant crackle, is a beautiful brown one of fine color and tone, fashioned of petty crackle, and three iron rust vases of very fine crackle with dark brown bases and some brown iron bronze ones inlaid with silver and gold. Each of these old pieces contains the engraved name of the artist who made it. Numerous fine, large ivory carv- ings are in the collection, one repre- senting a saint drifting through the clouds, another dragons in combat. On the same shelf is a carved and colored ivory vase, a beautiful rhodonite vase and a solid affair carved from Spanish topaz. Another magnificent one of cut and polished sunstone from Swede- strand, Norway, deserves especial men- tion. Other small ones are of beauti- ful red Tififany glass, silver enamel and ox blood earthenware. Of the latter, two are from China, and two very beau- tiful blue ones were made by one of the finest workmen in Japan. The same artist has also contributed an ox blood vase. Other vases are of colored fluor- spar and some finely colored and formed pieces are not herein particular- ly described. Many of the articles in this case are the best out of 500 pieces that English government representatives collected. WOULD AROUSE A COLLECTOR'S ENVY. If the case whose contents have just been described were not taken into consideration at all, but were thrown out of the room entirely, the glass shelves shown in the accompanying picture are covered with bronzes fit to set an old collector wild. Travelers may visit the large cities of this coun- try and of Great Britain and the con- tinent and yet not find in so small a compass a collection equal to the one which has just been arranged on these shelves in Mr. Walker's bronze room. The Chinese and Japanese work is said by connoisseurs to be as fine speci- mens as can be found in any museum. Mr. Walker's accumulation comes largely from the collections of promi- nent people as they are broken up through the death of the owner or otherwise. Among them are pieces formerly owned by Lord Jersey, Earl of Chichester and Prince Matsu. Whenever professional collectors have access to a magnificent piece, or sev- eral of them, they are boxed up and expressed to Mr. Walker, who retains them or not, as he may wish. CINNABAR LACQUER VASE. One of the finest vases in the collec- tion is of cinnabar lacquer. It was made by hand and is not equaled in the United States. Layer after layer of cinnabar was put in the form wanted and then most magnificently carved on all sides, producing an incomparably artistic design. One of the pieces on these shelves is an example of inlaid engraving. It is a vase of black iron bronze, and where the lines and points are engraved fine strips of gold are inserted, so completely cover- ing the surface that it shows only the precious metal. This vase was the re- sult of ten years' work by an excep- tional artist. Only one piece of this size is in existence. It was the last work of this man, for he ruined his eyesight in its production. Sun spot bronzes are numerous in the collection which Mr. Walker has assembled. One of the particular stars is a temple vase for incense burning. It was made during the Chinese dynas- ty beginning 1414 and ending in 1436. The cover is of inlaid jade. Jade is a mineral much used in China for art work. It is very tough and hard to cut. Instruments pointed with dia- mond and the best emery are neces- sary to make any impression on it at all. In addition to this it comes in small pieces and is not found in large quantities. Consequently jade articles are of high value. Tififany in New York has a case of jades containing $100,000 worth of pieces. SUN SPOT VASES, Mr. Walker has six other sun spot vases, gathered from various ancient temples in China, coming through dif- ferent collectors. One of the pieces around which mystery clings is a light green and red bronze vase, in which the red and green are put together in some manner not yet discovered by modern artists. The red runs through from the center to the surface. The material is too hard to have been hammered to- gether and it could not have been made as a casting. It is said by experts that no vase of its kind is to be found in the world. Some of these Chinese and Jap- anese pieces have finer color and tones than any painting. In this room stands an earthenware hand-made dish covered with lace work of gold wire placed by hand diagonally around it in the most perfect and uniform manner. Owing to the variations of the surface the hand work is much more perfect than if done by a dividing engine. No flaw can be found in the delicate tracery. All of these bronzes are intended to represent the finest colors and form that the artists can produce. Color and form are the highest ideals that the Japanese and Chinese have, and partic- ularly is this true of the Japanese, who get the finest colors that have ever been composed. THREE FINE BRONZES. Mr. Walker has three large valuable bronzes in this room; one of them a large life-like lion by Delabrierre, and the other two are Barye bronzes of smaller size, representing a lion and lioness. Air. Walker also owns Lord Jersey's "Old Man of the Sea." He was formed from the foam of the ocean, and the great dragon set him in charge to watch the sea. He is represented by the artist as standing with wind-blown garments holding the ocean in his hand, with the dragon over his head keeping watch. The colors and tones are un- equaled. A COSTLY ACCIDENT. The second photograph on this page shows two hand carved alabaster col- umns on either side of a painting which Mr. Walker acquired about a year ago. It is Jean Guillaume Rosier's "King Charles I.. After the Battle of Marston Moor." This work has been described at length in the press. The two fluted pillars, however, are new and have ad- ditional interest because of an accident which happened to one of them on Easter Sunday at the Hennepin .Avenue Methodist church. The pillars and the vases which properly surmount them were made by an Italian artist living :n New York City. Mr. Walker orig- mally made the purchase with the view of presenting them to some church m the city. A member of the commit- tee having in preparation the decora- tion of the church for Easter was per- mitted to place the columns about the altar of the church as one of the cen- tral features of its adornment. The vases which belong to them stood high above the columns. Unfortunately the alabaster rims were cut off the pillars before they were taken from the gal- lery, so the only support to the vases was the socket sunk in the top of each pillar. During the services one vase toppled, fell and was crashed into pieces. It is said by those present that the face that betrayed the least emo- tion at the destruction of this valuable piece was that of its owner. If it is possible to have the vase re- paired, the two columns will be given complete to the Hennepin Avenue Church, of which Mr. Walker and fami- ly are attendants. ;the father o f our p ublic library. T. B. Walker has Taken Time from His Immense Interests to Look After This Important Institution. (Minneapolis Journal, April 19, 1901.) T. B. Walker, president of our library board, is one of the most prominent and successful business men in the Northwest. He has been for many years prominently identified with the larger business interests of the city, and of points in the northern portion of the state. He came here soon after his school days and has grown up with Minneapolis and the state. He is largely interested in the pineries of Minnesota and his interests are larger than those of any other citizen, and it is stated, without contradiction, that he is more familiar with the forests of the state than any other person. Mr. Walk- er owns lumber mills at Crookston and Grand Forks. He is also extensively engaged in logging on the streams trib- utary to this city. He, with Maj. Camp, built and run the Pacific mills for many years, when Minneapolis was much smaller than it is now, and later he laid out the enterprising and successful suburb of St. Louis Park, the most valuable manufacturing addition to Min- neapolis. In other manufacturing direc- tions, Mr. Walker, with B. F. Nelson, owns the Hennepin Paper Company plant. He is the principal owner and has been the builder of the large Cen- tral Market, the finest in this country, The ramifications of his business in- terests extend to many other enter- prises which furnish employment to the citizens of Minneapolis. He has been foremost in establishing many manufacturing plants in the city and jobbing houses that otherwise would not have located in the Flour City, and he is always e.xpected to take a large interest in anything that is intended to build up the business interests of the city. lie has been the principal organ- izer and builder of our public library and has devoted many years of time to this beneficent municipal institu- tion. It was from the small beginnings in the old Athencum Library that he developed after 15 years of hard work the public library scheme. He has been at the head of the library board since its organization and during the late election was honored with a re-election, the vote in his favor being the largest received by any candidate on the Re- publican ticket for a position on the public boards. The art gallery of the library is prin- cipally filled with many of his fine pic- tures taken from his private collection. A GIANT MAN OF AFFAIRS. (Chicago Journal, May 16, 1907.) The life work of Thomas B. Walker stands out in bold relief in the annals of the men who have made Minne- apolis, the Northwest, and even the nation great. Possessed of wonderful business ability and keen foresight, he early ap- preciated the latent possibilities of de- veloping the varied resources of Min- nesota. With characteristic enterprise he plunged into the work, and his state and his city have reaped the benefi- cent result. Mr. Walker has engaged in many en- terprises and thousands of men are em- ployed by manufactories and industries he established and, through the appli- cation of his ingenious brain, devel- oped into vast institutions. But he has not used his talents to amass wealth from purely selfish mo- tives. Few cities have received as much from their richest citizens as Minne- apolis enjoys at the hands of Thomas B. Walker. Public and charitable insti- tutions alike have been the recipients of his generosity. To him as much as any other can be credited the fine pub- lic library the city boasts. However, in opening his private art gallery to the public Mr. Walker has given the city a treasure almost impos- sible to acquire otherwise, even with an immense sum of money. Meritori- ous art collections are not made in a day. Only years of search and the trained eye of a connoisseur, who cal- culates not cost, but loves art for art's sake alone, can assemble an array of rare masterpieces covering the best schools of five centuries. Minneapolis enjoys such an art exhibit and grate- fully acknowledges her gratitude. Air. Walker is also a man of letters and has written quite extensively. A deep student, he revels in the best thoughts of the great minds of the ages and, next to art, literature is his chief recreation. Approaching age does not deter Mr. Walker from active work, and his ex- tensive interests still have the benefit of his sagacious management. THE FAVORITE SONS The Votes are Counted and the Results Declared. During the fall of 1898, The Minne- The counting of the ballots has been apolis Times instituted a voting con- considerable labor, but the result at- test for the purpose of determining who tained shows that the favorite son con- were the most popular citizens of Min- test was a success. The list of favor- neapolis. Substantial prizes were of- ites shows that the balloting was ac- fered to those able to come the nearest cepted in earnest, and it would be a in selecting nine men who received man hard to please who should say the the largest number of votes. Very totals do not satisfactorily indicate the general interest was taken in the re- leaders of the community. The main suit and the verdict very fully repre- trouble seems to have been that Minne- sented public sentiment. From the is- apolis had a great many more than 10 sue of The Minneapolis Times, of Sun- leaders. Upwards of 300 persons were day, October 1, is herewith given the voted for. A great many of these final summary: were joke ballots, containing the names T. B. Walker 8,967 of men who are simply notorious. Thomas Lowry 7,890 Others were quiet guys by friends of W. H. Eustis 5.360 the gentlemen voted for. A number of George A. Brackett 5,030 men received a substantial backing and, C. A. Pillsbury 4,991 though they did not play themselves S. C. Gale 4,867 for place, got a flattering endorsement J. S. Pillsbury 4,384 at the polls. It would be perhaps in- P. B.Winston 4,176 vidious to mention particularly those W. S. King 4,031 who did not get there, but such men Cyrus Northrop 3,045 as Senator Washburn and Loren The above are the chosen ones in the Fletcher were among the non-elect, favorite son balloting. The winner of though running mightily for place, the prize is T. H. Parsons, of 1908 The balloting for T. B. Walker was Franklin Avenue East, who sent in one especially heavy and would have been of the first ballots received and which heavier still had not some of the bal- contained the names of nine of the lots cast for him failed to comply with winners. the conditions. I TOt ^^Uu pi0nttt ^fc^^ ST. PAUL. MINN., NOV. 1. 1900. THOMAS BARLOW WALKER. "If this nation should enter upon the policy of free silver, low tariffs and the other elements of the Chicago-Kansas City platform, it would be the most serious and unfortunate step ever taken by any nation." This, in brief, is the view taken by Thomas Marlow Walker, of Minneapolis, of the attempt of the Dem- ocratic party to foist its heresies and seditious doctrines upon the people of this country. Just at this time, when the country is awaiting with impatience the result of one of the most significant presidential elections of the century, Mr. Walker is one of the Minnesota men who stand out as a conspicuous illustration of the best products of the Republican party. His career is such that it might well be studied by the young men who are to be the future standing army of the republic in poli- tics and business. Mr. Walker's name is familiar wherever the name and fame of Minneapolis are known, and no man has more honored his state and his city than has he. He is one of the band of strong men through whose efforts this section of the Northwest has been de- veloped and built up; and though he is not now an "active business man" in the sense in which the expression is generally used, his hand is felt in sev- erel successful business enterprises, and he is one of the most enthusiastic and enterprising Republicans of the North- west. Such men as Mr. Walker lend dignity and influence to the Republican party. The strength of his character and his business experience and obser- vation of necessity make him an ad- vocate of sound money and an oppo- nent of the destructive doctrines which are contained in the platform of the Democratic party. Mr. Walker believes that if the country should indorse the Democratic party it would mean that the Constitution, which is the bulwark of the republic, the educational system, which has placed the United States far in advance of other countries, and the church and press, both civilizing factors of great importance, that all these great influences for good had failed to raise the people above the point where they can be deceived by the catch phrases of the demagogue and the bla- tance utterances of the professional ora- tor and the political walking delegate. Mr. Walker's experience and observa- tions abroad have taught him that there is no thread of the free silver policy which can be of benefit to the country; that the Democratic party has advanced no sufficient reason why the people should give their support to the free silver or to other planks of its platform which are equally as bad. He sees, as do thousands of others, that the election of Bryan could come only through class hatred and through fanning the preju- dices of the masses against the busi- ness interests; prejudices engendered and worked up by such enemies of so- ciety as Altgeld, Tillman, Pettigrew and other political hybrids of that ilk. Such men as Mr. Walker are the mainstays of the country, and it is for the peurpose of setting forth this ex- ample to the younger man of the coun- try that the Pioneer Press here pro- duces in brief detail the story of his career. He started in life with little more in the way of capital than an ed- ucation he had received at Baldwin university, Berea, Ohio, and his native push and determination. It was at Xenia, Ohio, and on Feb. 1, 1840, that he was born, his parents being Piatt Bayless Walker and Anstis Barlow Walker, his mother's maiden name be- ing Barlow, which was conferred upon him as part of his given name. Both his mother's brothers were judges, one in Ohio and one in New York. While the subject of this sketch was still a boy, his father invested everything he had in an expedition to California. He had proceeded only a comparatively short distance on the overland route when he was stricken with cholera and died, leaving a widow and four young Children. The expedition continued on its way to California, but the widow and children, who were left practically penniless, never realized a cent as the result of the journey. It was a struggle for existence th|it young Walker faced as he grew toward manhood. Up to the time that he was sixteen years of age he experienced all the trials which beset a penniless orphan boy in a community where life was at best a struggle against adverse conditions. At sixteen he entered the university at Berea, where he remained until his education was completed, maintaining himself by hard work. He was determined to go through the en- tire course, and when he had finished it he had not only acquired the knowl- edge the university was competent to give him, but had obtained many les- sons of experience which were valuable to him in future years. When only nineteen years of age Mr. Walker began his business life as a traveling salesman, handling grind- stones for Fletcher Hulet, a manufac- turer at Berea. He also about this time went into business for himself, taking a contract to furnish cross-ties for a railroad being built into Paris, 111. He sequestered himself in a camp in the woods, living for eighteen months with the gang of men employed in getting out the ties. He filled the contract, but before he could collect his dues the railroad went into bankruptcy, and he lost several hundred dollars. He was nothing daunted, however, and im- mediately began looking around for another opening. After his experience in getting out cross-ties he made application for a position in the University of Wiscon- sin, but while waiting for a reply to his application he went to McGregor, Iowa, whence he was induced by J. M. Robinson to come to Minneapolis. He brought with him a quantity of grind- stones, consigned to D. C. Jones, of St. Paul. Leaving St. Paul, young Walker went up the river, stopping at what is now Minneapolis. He at once entered the employ of George B. Wright, and engaged to go into the woods ^ as a surveyor of government lands. This was a fortunate enterprise for Mr. Walker, as it brought him in touch with a vast territory of valuable and productive land, and gave him an opportunity of becoming the possessor of a consider- able portion of it, which later on he used to good acount. Within five years he had laid the foundation of his for- tune. He quickly saw the wonderful possibilities offered by the great forests of the Northwest, and as quickly as possible he became the owner of a large tract of pine land. After having ac- quired property in this section he con- sidered himself financially fitted to as- sume the responsibilities of married life, and returned to Berea, Ohio, where he married Miss Harriet G. Hulet, the daughter of his former employer. After his marriage he settled down in Min- neapolis, and since that time he has been so closely connected with the growth of the city, the histories of man and town are so intertwined with one another, they are in many respects identical. It would hardly be possible here to follow out in detail the sev- eral great undertakings he has been identified with, but it is sufficient to say that they have been of such a character as to have a lasting influence upon the Twin Cities, the State and the North- west. It must not be forgotten that it is due to him, perhaps more than to any other one individual, that the vast tim- ber resources of the Northwest became known to the world at large and that they were so early utilized, through transportation enterprises which made them available, with comparative ease, to large and small communities of men. As a result of his interest in timber Mr. Walker today is the largest owner of pine lands in the Upper Mississippi valley. Mr. Walker has never in late years permitted himself to give his time ex- clusively to business. He has always taken a great interest in public afifairs that were for the welfare of the com- munity. He was the first president of the library board, which position he has held continuously, and has acted in a similar capacity for the Society of Fine Arts. He has served for many years as a member of the board of managers of the state reform school; at the same time he has acted as president of one of the leading banks. Mr. Walker's literary and artistic tastes have found the most liberal and public-spirited ex- pression. Apart from his endeavors to bring the opportunities for cultivation and mental improvement within the reach of all, he exhibits his devotion to the higher pursuits in the possession of unrivaled literary and art works. His art gallery, which is regarded as one of the best of modern times, contains some of the most valuable oaintings extant. His collection includes "Napoleon in His Coronation Robes," J. Jules Bret- on's "Evening Call," Bouguereau's "Passing Shower," Rosa Bonheur's "Muleteers Crossing the Pyrenees," Corot's "Nymphs" and "Scenes in Old Rome," Boulanger's "Barber Shop of Lycinus," and many other of the works of the most famous masters to the num- ber of more than a hundred. Mr. T. B. Walker was found in the congregation of Bloomington Avenue church on Sunday morning. The pas- tor. Rev. C. F. Davis, invited Mr. Walker to speak to the congregation, to which he responded, delivering a most interesting address on "Messianic Prophecy." The pastor and people were very greatly pleased and profited by the address. — Midland Christian Advocate, May 22, 1901. . Between preaching and settling strikes Mr. T.B.Walker's leisure hours are pretty well taken up. NEW YORK COMMERCIAL. lEW YORK. ]/ MOSTLY PERSONAL. Mention Minneapolis to a business man almost anywhere the country over, and he will think at once of flour and lumber. With the man whose interests lie so that the first thought of Minne- apolis is of its fame as a milling center, there come to mind at once the names of Pillsbury, Crocker and Washburn. But to the lumberman or to the man in any way familiar with the lumber trade, Minneapolis suggests the name of T. B. Walker. The head of a lumbering industry of mammoth proportion, he is known in the trade the world over. There are so many different walks of life in which Mr. Walker stands prominent, and he has invaded so many widely varying spheres of efifort, that at his present age he represents a per- sonality so versatile that one hesitates as to the proper aspect in which to pre- sent him to public view. As a million- aire and a leading figure in the indus- trial life of the Northwest he is entitled to consideration, but even were he less active in business life, his service to his adopted city would make him worthy of distinction. Were he neither a busi- ness man nor a man distinguished for public-spiritedness, he would still hold a position of prominence from the fact that he is the owner of one of the finest collections of paintings in the country and of the finest private collection in the West. And aside from all these, Mr. Walker has the rather unique dis- tinction of being the largest owner of pine limber lands in the world. His father was Piatt B. Walker, pro- prietor of a small but profitable business at Xenia, Ohio, in early days. But young Tom Walker found himself thrown upon his own resources at the age of sixteen. He entered Baldwin University of Berea, Ohio, and attend- ed several terms, meanwhile acting as a salesman on the road during vacations. Eventually, with the coming of maturi- ty and a better knowledge of the road, he gave his entire time to the selling of goods. He traveled principally iji Indiana and Illinois. There was a rail- road then building through Paris, Illi- nois, and Mr. Walker, not yet twenty- one years of age, secured a contract to get out cross ties for it. He did well and after a year and a half had the foundation laid for a profitable business, when the company failed and he lost everything. Nothing was left but some bitter experience. Back to Ohio he went, and one day he walked in upon Fletcher Hulet, a manufacturer, and told him he wanted work. Hulet liked his looks and his courage and without delay put him on the road selling ma- chinery and tools. He covered the old territory so well that Hulet called him of? and put him out to make new terri- tory. He was successful and before long had extended his employer's busi- ness widely. One day while on his way up the Mississippi river he passed through Minneapolis, then a mere ham- let in the woods. The possibilities of the site struck him forcibly, and he de- cided that here was the place to locate permanently. For two years he was a Government surveyor and then he entered the rail- road field and was one of the party that ran the lines for the St. Paul and Du- luth Railroad, now a part of the great Northern Pacific system. Having be- come familiar with the timber resources of the state he resolved to embark in the lumber business. Dr. Levi Butler and Howard Mills were men who had some capital. Mr. Walker had youth, health, experience and the confidence of everyone w'ho knew him. The firm of Butler, Mills & Walker thus came into existence, Walk- er's experience and ability going in against money of the others. The firm prospered. In time Walker branched out and became associated with Henry T. Wells in pine land deals. He built mills at Grand Forks, North Dakota, and at Crookston, IMinnesota. In com- pany with H. C. Akeley he invaded the unbroken forests of the wilder parts of the State, building mills and founding towns. Eventually, his influence ex- tended to the lumber industry in all parts of Minnesota and the Dakot.is, and he built up one of tlie largest for- tunes in the Nortliwcst. Having conquered this great field, he turned his attention to the Pacific coast and in 1894 began those i)urchases of pine lands in the Mt. Shasta district which, continued to this day, have made him the largest owner of timber lands in the world. Even now Mr. Walker is engaged in perfecting plans for a rail- road that is to penetrate that region and bring the timber down to the mar- ket. With all the attention required to manage the afTairs of these timber and land companies, Mr. Walker has yet found time to attend to loc'l business alTairs. He built the manufacturing sub- urb of St. Louis Park, where the plant of the Minnesota Beet Sugar Company is located. Later he constructed a line of street railway connecting that sub- urb with Minneapolis, In Minneapolis he built many business structures, chief among which are the Central Market and Commission Row, where the pro- duce trade of the city is now concen- trated. Mr. Walker is the father of the pub- lic library of Minneapolis. He helped organize it and gave liberally of his means to beautify it. More than fifty pictures went from the Walker collec- tion for its adornment. The Walker residence stands well down town, at Hennepin avenue and Eighth street, and business has grown up to it and beyond it. It is the only large residence still remaining so far down town and must give way before many more years to the march of im- provement. In this house there is a collection of paintings whose excellence has helped spread the fame of Minne- apolis over the land. Through the gen- erosity of the owner the house is open to the public every afternoon except Sunday. Here may be found pictures from the world's greatest masters, both ancient and modern. In another part of the large house is Mr. Walker's library, one of the finest private collections of rare books in the country. Mr. Walker is a member of the National Art Society, President of the Minneapolis Fine Arts Society, a member and one of the principal sup- porters of the Academy of Science. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have seven children. There are five sons, of whom four are associated in business with their father. PROSPERITY WAVE REACHING HEIGHT. Millionaire Lumberman Talks to the Daily News on Financial Matters.— He Gives a Warning. During the latter part of March, 1909, average man is led to believe — at least The Minneapolis Daily News published not in the northwest. a series of interviews with prominent men on some of the problems of the day. Among those quoted and whose picture appeared in these articles were John D. Rockefeller, James J. Hill, Leslie M. Shaw and T. B. Walker. The following is the introduction and substance of interview with Mr. Walk- er in The Daily Legal News on March 29, 1907: T. B. Walker, the lumber king, re- puted worth more than $100,000,000, and perhaps the man who is in closest touch with the financial and business life of the Northwest, this morning granted The Daily News an exclusive interview in which he freely expressed his mind on a number of subjects now uppermost in the minds of the busi- ness world. "There is no actual reason why pros- perity might not continue indefinitely. That it will not so continue is evidenced by the erratic, prejudiced views that the public are led to adopt — views that are resulting in such a hostile attitude of the public toward useful and valuable personal factors in our industrial life, that it comes to be a question of how long it will take to destroy confidence in the future and break down the ability of the most useful and strenuous work- ers to maintain that large fractional part of the machinery of our industrial system on which our prosperity to a very essential degree depends. "All this talk about rebates is large- ly rot. The railroads have never granted rebates to the e.xtent that the Never Got a Rebate. "For 35 years I have been one of the heaviest shippers in the country, ship- ping millions of tons a year, and have never received a single dollar from the roads that way. "The railroads are not now earning any too much, and it is dangerous for the country to force them to lower rates now, when all materials are up in price and labor is clamoring for more pay." About Proposed Strike. In connection with the railroad strike possibilities this spring, Mr. Walker would have the railroads propose, thru the interstate commerce commission, that the men be paid higher wages if it is found that they, as a class, are earning less than men in other walks of life — but with the understanding that the roads be permitted to raise rates to cover the additional expense. In conclusion Mr. Walker gave a word of warning against evil days to come. Prosperity's Wave. "The prosperity wave of our coun- try is fast reaching its extreme height, and the country must be prepared for the day when it will begin to recede. When prices begin to drop, when the farmers hide their dollars in the barn instead of banking them, when labor begins to be plentiful and the factories begin to close, then the country will be sorry if it hastened the evil day by foolish legislation." A HALF CENTURY OF MINNEAPOLIS. A Concise Historical Sketch of the Period of Early Settlement; The Wonderful Work of City Building in Fifty Years. The Makers of Minneapolis History. By Horace B. Hudson. Published at Minneapolis, 1907. WALKER, Thomas Barlow. — The career of a man who makes money may or may not be interesting. There is a glamor about money-making which lasts while the man lives and while his oper- ations are being carried on. But if he has done nothing else his fame is dis- sipated even before his fortune is scat- tered. The Northwest has been for- tunate in the number of men who made money with a purpose and who left behind not merely the tangible evi- dences of their business genius, but ideas unconnected with money-making as well. If Thomas B. Walker, the subject of this sketch, had never done anything but make money, perhaps it would be unnecessary to go further than to record the fact. But when one looks at the busy life of Mr. Walker, his most distinct impression is not that of a money-making machine, but of a life with a purpose, a purpose to hold to a certain conception of character and not to allow anything to detract from that viewpoint of existence. Mr. Walk- er has not only become a local authori- ty upon the material growth of Minne- apolis, and one of the largest contribu- tors to it, but stands today as one of the strongest bulwarks of moral Minneapo- lis, while in the realm of the fine arts he is the city's best example of the man who has the genius to do things without parade and inspire others without coer- cion. One of the first things a town growing into the metropolitan class de- sires is a public library. Mr. Walker was one of the first who insisted that Minneapolis should have a library and have an adequate one, and that it should be entirely one. The library was erect- ed, equipped, and Mr. Walker appoint- ed one of the first directors, and he has been re-elected term after term by a vote which testifies that whatever of detraction there may be near a man the general public sees and appreciates his work. In working for a public library, Mr. Walker had in mind that Minneapolis when she emerged from the frontier stage must develop taste in the fine arts. He has labored for the society of fine arts which is today in a position to render valuable service to the boys and girls of Minneapolis who are conscious of artistic taste and the desire to express it. Not only that, but he has gathered from the far corners of the earth a most complete collection of the masterpieces of art to which the public has free access. The trend of Mr. Walker's mind is not distinctively commercial. His first success in life was gained in a position which brought out the mathematical genius. This mathematical trend, to- gether with his idealism, no doubt ac- counts for the man of today. Given a problem in business, his deductions are swift and sure, but they go beyond the mere present, the mathematical and logical side being reinforced by the ideal. The turning point in Mr. Walk- er's career was undoubtedly reached when he was obliged to decline an elec- tion to the chair of mathematics in Wis- consin University, because of arrange- ments already made to enter the gov- ernment survey. The latter employ- ment brought him into connection with the great lumber industry of the coun- try and it is on lumber that his fortune rests. When Mr. Walker first came to Minnesota he studied the timber prob- lem from both the practical and the ideal standpoint. Practically and math- ematically he was convinced that the future of the section was more intimate- ly related to the wood crop than the wheat crop. States might change their staple. California has changed hers three times, being successively first in the production of gold, wheat and fruit. She might change it again. Minnesota might change hers from wheat to dairy- ing, and probably will, but there was no possibility of a change in the shelter problem. Trees grew too slowly for that. Thus far the problem was capable of a mathematical solution. Many lum- bermen solved it in that way, shinned the land, took their profits and in- vested them in other lines. But Mr. Walker could not view the matter en- tirely from the practical standpoint. He wrought, wrote and pleaded for a broader conception of the future of the state than was involved in marketing the pine at the earliest possible mo- ment: and, while the pressure of com- petition compelled him in a measure to join the procession of manufacturers, he did not yield his ideals, and today when many of his contemporaries have aban- doned the field, he has merely enlarged his operations and holds now the larg- est reserve of forest in California ever bought by private capital. It is organ- ized not merely to secure legitimate profits but to perpetuate the value of the land by the practical application of the principles of commercial forestry. In this connection it is curious what a unanimity has marked the family in the matter of business. All of Mr. Walker's five sons are interested with him in lumber. Each has a department and each has won his spurs in his de- partment. Of Mr. Walker's work for commercial Minneapolis it is unneces- sary to speak at length. It speaks for itself in the establishment of a public market second to scarcely any other in the country, and in his bringing forth the capital with which to secure the Butler Brothers for the city. No other man in the city could command the capital with which to make this vital improvement in the wholesale facilities of Minneapolis, and Mr. Walker in com- ing forward knew that he was drawing down money that was capable of earn- ing greater returns elsewhere. Again he took money out of his own field of endeavor and going out to St. Louis Park built a manufacturing suburb at a time when Minneapolis was face to face with the fact that she could not always endure as a great city based on only two industries, one of which ap- parently had reached its zenith and the other its decline. In dealing with so active a life as that of Mr. Walker, in sketch, one must necessarily leave out many interesting details, but it is the big things which indicate the trend, as the peaks show the direction of the mountain range. The achieve- ments of Mr. Walker have not been entirely unmixed with disappointments and mistakes, but the sum of it is that he has kept his ideals and succeeded with them. He has never compromised his convictions upon any question, po- litical, social or religious. The life of such a man is worth more to a com- munity than his material successes. It is inspiration to those who, witnessing the failures of high principles and sad- dened by the apparent incapacity of moral ideals to cope with practical con- ditions, are cheered by the thought that it is not impossible. — J. G. A LUCKY ACCIDENT. T. B. Walker Didn't Know of Minneapolis, He Happened Here. (Minneapolis Tribune.) Thomas B. Walker came to the city by chance, a lucky accident for himself as well as for the city. The story of how he happened to is a long one. Sev- eral years ago, some forty-odd, he was walking along the road near Berea, O., his former home, impressed with the belief that he ought to emigrate to the West and grow up with a new country, if he were to make the most of the opportunities of life. This was in the latter part of the forties, and after completing his education, which was gained by dint of much hard work and self-sacrifice, the Minneapolis lumber king started out for the Northwest, his future course in life had not been fully determined upon. In Madison he made application for a professorship in the state university. Young and rather insignificant looking, the president of the college sized up Mr. Walker as a person who would scarce- ly make a suitable instructor. He, how- ever, decided to give to him the op- portunity to prove what he could do, and turning to one of the geometries then in use he pointed out an intricate problem and asked young Walker if he could solve it. The student did so, and as it was one that had previously been attempted by the student body of the college without a successful solution be- ing reached, Mr. Walker rose several thousand per cent in the mind of the president. He was recommended for a position; but a life as a pedagogue did not offer the advantages that other branches might, and he decided to push on farther west. At Dubuque, Iowa, he arrived a few days later and was registered at one of the leading hotels when he chanced to sit down be- side one of the other guests on the veranda. Conversation was engaged in between the two, and finding out that "Tom" Walker was a surveyor, the gentleman recommended to him that he come to Minneapolis and told him that he knew where he could secure a posi- tion in this town. "Where is Minneapolis?" was asked, Mr. Walker never having heard of the place. "Oh, it's up the river a few miles above St. Paul," was the reply. Twenty minutes later T. B. Walker was on board a river boat northward bound, and within a day or two he had reached this city, secured the posi- tion of survej'or for a lumberman oper- ating here at the time, and was on his way northward to the pine region of Minnesota. This city was his future basis of operations, and from that time Mr. Walker began to climb the ladder of business and success until he has reached the high plane he occupies to- day. Kt'ltnxliK-lioii li- |>li;ir:i|>li l:iU«ii nl >l r. \\:ilk<-r in I!HI|. I Nt'il to illiiNlriilt- :irtiii<:i(ion^ Diiliitii 'rrihiiiic. SI. I'iiiil ri«>in-«T rrt'.N.s. 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