{"product_id":"2940015525205","title":"Claus Spreckels","description":"Kindle version of vintage magazine article originally published in 1901. Contains lots of great info and illustrations seldom seen in over 100 years.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRead excerpt -\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a while Mr. Spreckels was at a decided disadvantage, because of the enormous profits made by the trust on its business in the East and the consequent possibility of sending in California at a loss. But the disadvantage was quickly met. With his usual resourcefulness, Mr. Spreckels conceived the idea of carrying the war into the enemy's own territory. Against the strenuous advice and objections of his friends who predicted disaster if he attempted to fight the trust single-handed, he erected an enormous refinery at Philadelphia, which is the largest and most complete in the world, at a cost of five million dollars. Mr. Spreckels then fixed prices in all the Eastern markets of the trust, and so soon became such a thorn in its side that the trust made overtures for peace, and the terms finally agreed upon involved the purchase of the Philadelphia refinery by the trust.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was no doubt after this incident of Mr. Spreckels' sound and far-reaching power. Nor was there any doubt as to the extent and solvency of his wealth. To fix himself finally in the control of the great sugar business of the West he had only to take hold and organize the beet sugar growing and refining industry. His entry into the industry has been described as its renaissance in California. In fact, from the erection of his first big factory dates the history of successful beet sugar making in the United States on a large scale. Mr. Spreckels now owns the largest single factory in the world. With a business of great magnitude se¬cured beyond possibility of assault from without, and with a fortune at command for such further works as a restless and determined nature might demand, Mr. Spreckels began to appear as a direct participator in undertakings for the palpable benefit of the state in which he lived. He had always been a state patriot of the strongest kind, and his motive in refusing to yield to the trust had undoubtedly been partly for the interest of the state. Yet it was not until well on into the nineties that the general public commenced to know of him as a promoter of enterprises immediately concerning its interests.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a number of years California had been complaining of arbitrary practices on the part of the one railroad penetrating its territory, and frequent cries for a competing line had been raised. In 1895 the cries threatened to assume practical form. San Francisco merchants joined with those of the interior in an effort to build an independent road into the rich San Joaquin Valley. The proposal was costly, and the necessary money was slow in forthcoming until Mr. Spreckels got at the thing. With characteristic decisiveness, Mr. Spreckels requested the promoters of the road to meet at his offices. There after a brief session of discussion he rose and said:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Gentlemen, you talk a good deal. We will now see what you will do.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eForthwith he signed his name for a subscription of five hundred thousand dollars, and called upon two of his sons to follow his example. Each of the sons signed for one hundred thousand dollars. In ten minutes one million dollars had been subscribed, and in the words of Mr. Spreckels, \"the road was now bound to go, and nothing could stop it.\" Afterward Mr. Spreckels loaned the company a mil¬lion dollars.","brand":"history-bytes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47161920422128,"sku":"2940015525205","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940015525205_p0.jpg?v=1763621238","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940015525205","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}