Alexander De Soto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander De Soto
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | July 28, 1840 |
| Died | November 11, 1936 (aged 96) New York City, U.S.
|
| Burial place | Mount Olivet Cemetery, Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1890–1936 |
| Organization |
|
| Known for | Established the first Seattle's public hospital; co-founded and managed the De Soto Placer Mining Company, the biggest mining company of its time; first businessman to introduce dredge mining to Alaska. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Relatives | Hernando De Soto |
Alexander De Soto (July 28, 1840 – November 11, 1936) was a Spanish-American doctor, helper of the poor, and businessman. He is famous for starting Seattle's first hospital, the Wayside Mission Hospital. He ran this hospital from 1898 to 1904.
De Soto was a born again Protestant. He wanted to help many poor, homeless, and sick people. He also aimed to create businesses that would pay for his charity plans. At the peak of his career, De Soto was involved in mining in many countries. These included Chile, Peru, Spain, South Africa, and Mexico. He also worked in North and South America.
He helped start the De Soto Placer Mining company. This company did more mining than any other in Snohomish County, Washington at that time. He was also the first to bring dredge mining to Alaska. In 1903, his company's lands in Alaska were thought to be the richest. They had the largest dredges and steam shovels available.
De Soto was born in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean. He went to school in Spain. He came to America in 1862. He worked as a navy surgeon during the American Civil War. In 1867, he was a surgeon in Alaska. From 1870 to 1872, De Soto lived in Sweden. He was a doctor for King Charles XV. Later, he moved his medical work to Chile and Peru. In 1879 and 1880, he was an army surgeon for Chile in the War of the Pacific.
De Soto's life changed when he became interested in helping others. He joined the New York Crittenton and Bleecker Street Missions. Later, he joined the Bowery Mission. In 1897, De Soto led a gospel trip to Alaska. This trip did not reach Klondike. Instead, it ended in Seattle, Washington. There, De Soto started the city's first hospital. He continued his missionary and charity work.
De Soto started other businesses to pay for his charity projects. He planned a railroad to Alaska and had mining businesses. His mining business in Granite Falls, Washington was successful at first. De Soto decided to put the money into a huge project in Alaska. This seemed promising but did not work out. He got a lot of money and sent modern digging equipment to Alaska. But his mining company's land did not have enough gold. De Soto was accused of poor management. After more tries, he left the mining business and went back to medicine.
In 1910, he tried to become the King County Coroner but did not win. Then he went to Sweden. He worked as a doctor and dietician for the King of Norway from 1910 to 1915. Later, he returned to New York. In 1936, at 95 years old, he was working on a private yacht. He died after falling into the Gowanus Bay in Brooklyn.
In the 1920s, a special marker was placed in Seattle. It honored De Soto and the Wayside Mission and Hospital.
Early Life and Family History
Alexander De Soto was born on July 28, 1840. His birthplace was the Caroline Islands. At that time, these islands were a Spanish colony. His father was Fernando De Soto, born in 1791 near Barcelona, Spain. His mother was Hedwig Leonora De Soto from Austria. She passed away in 1862.
Alexander's father was a general in the Spanish military. He was also governor of the Caroline Islands. Later, he was a diplomat. Fernando De Soto lived to be 111 years old.
The family story says that Alexander De Soto was a great-great-grandson of Hernando de Soto. Hernando was a famous Spanish explorer. He is known for discovering the Mississippi River. In 1906, Alexander was one of only five living relatives of Hernando.
Education and Medical Training
De Soto spent his early school years at a Jesuit college. This college was in Sant Quintí de Mediona, near Barcelona.
He then became a surgeon and doctor. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Spain in Madrid. He also studied in Heidelberg, Germany. There, he received a Legum Doctor degree. In 1870, he continued his studies in Uppsala, Sweden.
Career Highlights
Early Medical and Travel Years (1862–1880)
In 1862, De Soto was 22 years old. He came to America to learn about American naval tactics. He served as a navy surgeon in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. In 1867, De Soto worked as a surgeon in Alaska.
From 1870 to 1872, De Soto worked in Uppsala, Sweden. He was a surgeon and professor. He also served as a doctor for King Charles XV. Between 1872 and 1875, De Soto moved his medical work to Chile and Peru. In 1879 and 1880, he was a Chilean army surgeon. This was during the War of the Pacific. This war was a fight between Chile and a Bolivian-Peruvian alliance.
In the late 1870s, De Soto worked briefly in Berlin, Germany. In 1880, he went to London. From there, he returned to America and settled in New York.
Missionary and Medical Work (1890–1936)
In 1890, De Soto had a religious experience. He became a Protestant. This led him to start active missionary work. He returned to New York State.
In New York, he joined the Crittenton and Bleecker Street Missions. In 1897, he joined the New York Bowery Mission. After several years, he decided to lead a gospel trip to Alaska.
Alaska Gospel Mission (1897–1898)
In November 1897, De Soto led seven people from the New York Bowery Mission. They traveled to the Klondike region in Alaska. Their goal was to bring worship and gospel sessions to gold miners and native people. They wanted to set up a mission like those in New York.
The group also planned to look for gold in Klondike. They hoped any gold found would pay for their missionary work. De Soto also wanted to build a free hospital in the area.
However, the group never reached Klondike. In November 1898, they arrived in Seattle. Bad weather and De Soto's broken leg stopped them. De Soto learned Seattle had no public hospital. So, he decided to build one there.
Wayside Mission and Hospital (1898–1909)
In 1898, De Soto started a small medical practice in Seattle. He used much of his own money to start the Seattle Wayside Mission. He became its president. The first meeting was on November 8, 1898. It was held in a building on Railroad Avenue.
The mission held daily meetings, indoors and outdoors. These included songs, prayers, and talks. Each meeting offered free mental and medical help to people in need. Homeless people also got temporary housing.
Many people returned to Seattle poor and sick after the Klondike Gold Rush. De Soto saw this and decided to build the Wayside Mission Hospital. Until 1909, when Seattle opened its own public hospital, there was no other place for free medical care.
De Soto met Captain Amos C. Benjamin and Judge Roger S. Greene. They were fellow members of the Tabernacle Baptist Church. In 1899, they started the Seattle Benevolent Society. This group worked to get support and money for the Wayside Hospital. De Soto was respected by the police and other important people. They helped convince the city to support his hospital.
The Wayside Mission Hospital opened on April 1, 1899. It was the city's first free hospital. De Soto put in his own money. He also got money from businesses and citizens. His friend John J. Habecker became a big supporter. He also helped manage the hospital.
Churches in Seattle helped the mission and hospital. The North Baptist Church gave bread for over a year. The Seattle Seminary helped with meetings. Many businesses and people gave medicines and food. In 1903, actress Rose Coghlan gave her earnings from three shows to the hospital. Also in 1903, profits from De Soto's mines in Granite Falls, Washington went to charities, including the Wayside Hospital.
The hospital mainly treated illnesses from poverty and work accidents. It helped lumberjacks, sailors, and miners. De Soto wanted to help all sick and lonely people. He often went into the city to find those who needed help. The hospital became well-known across the Pacific Coast. It helped poor and sick people from all over the Puget Sound area.
Floating Hospital (1900)
In 1900, the Wayside Mission Hospital decided to grow. The Seattle Benevolent Society bought the steamer Idaho. They changed it into a hospital ship. The city gave them a place to dock the ship. De Soto leased the boat to build his hospital there.
The Society started raising money. The ship's machinery was removed to make space for patient rooms. At first, only a small part of the ship was used. Volunteers cared for patients there. The plan was to create two hospital decks. These would have separate areas for men and women.
De Soto started with eight staff members. The number of staff grew quickly in 1900. By September, there were doctors, nurses, a matron, and other helpers. None of the staff received a salary.
By the end of 1900, the hospital boat was full. It gave free meals and could treat up to 50 patients. Doctors treated everyone for free. If patients could pay, De Soto sometimes charged them. Worship and prayer sessions were also held on the ship.
In 1901, the hospital served 7,400 patients. Over 40,000 free meals were given out. In 1901, this number reached 50,000. De Soto said he gave $23,480 of his own money in the first three years. This is like $630,000 today.
By November 1901, the steamer Idaho was in bad shape. It needed repairs. The City Council let the Wayside Mission build a support structure for the ship. But in January 1902, a big storm hit. The Idaho broke free with patients and staff on board. It was damaged by logs. People were saved by the fire department. Other boats helped keep it from sinking. The ship survived and was moved back to its spot.
Later, a strong support structure was built. The ship was taken apart and put onto this new base.
Plans for a New Hospital (1903)
.jpg)
Seattle did not have a public hospital for emergencies. So, the Wayside Mission Hospital on the Idaho ship served as the city's main hospital. By 1903, De Soto felt the Idaho was too small.
In May 1903, De Soto announced plans for a new, modern hospital. It would be a four-story brick and stone building. It would replace the Idaho. Plans included rooms for 100 patients, an ambulance bay, and dining rooms. It would also have X-ray rooms and nurse dorms. The new building would cost about $80,000 to $100,000. This is like $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 today. De Soto used some of his mining money. He also convinced others to donate.
The City Council considered leasing land to De Soto for 35 years. The rent would be only $1 per year. The hospital would run like the floating hospital. After the lease, the city could take over or renew it.
However, the land De Soto wanted was already leased to a railroad company. Also, there was a question if the city could legally lease public streets. The City Council eventually said no to De Soto's plan. De Soto wanted the hospital by the ocean for its healing properties.
The public was upset by the City Council's decision. De Soto believed city officials were trying to remove him. The railroad company also wanted the Idaho site. De Soto offered to move the hospital further into the bay. The boat stayed at its spot until 1907.
Hospital Changes (1904–1913)
.jpg)
In 1904, De Soto was in Alaska for his mining. His second-in-charge, J. J. Habecker, left for Philadelphia. E. G. Johnson was left in charge of the hospital. The Seattle Benevolent Society, who owned the hospital, made Johnson resign. They appointed another doctor. They also cut payments for city emergency cases. De Soto's management was seen as not good enough. His lease of the boat was taken away.
New management took over. They held events to raise money for the hospital. In 1905, Marion Baxter took charge. She helped raise money to pay debts. In 1906, the hospital was run by Seattle and King County.
In 1907, the Idaho ship's roof leaked. A railroad company wanted to build on the hospital site. The hospital moved to the Sarah B. Yesler building. It was called Wayside Emergency Hospital. It ran until 1909, when Seattle opened its first public hospital. From 1910 to 1913, Katherine Major managed it. The old hull of the Idaho eventually sank into Elliott Bay.
Other Wayside Mission Locations
In August 1901, De Soto opened a new Wayside Mission on Washington Street in Seattle. It had more space for mental health care. From August 1900 to November 1901, about 8,000 people got free shelter there.
In 1901, a Wayside Mission farm opened in Granite Falls, Washington. De Soto and J.J. Habecker managed it. This farm was a place for sick people to recover. They had been treated at the Seattle hospital.
By 1903, De Soto had mining camps in Council City, Alaska. He planned a 20-bed hospital there. It would have doctors and nurses. They would help miners for free. On June 1, equipment for the new hospital was sent from Seattle. By August 28, 1903, the Council City hospital was built. It was a modern building. De Soto managed the hospital and its doctors. He also started a mission in Council City.
Later Medical Work
After leaving the Wayside Mission Hospital in 1904, De Soto continued medical work. In 1910, he ran for King County Coroner but lost. He then went to Sweden. He worked as a doctor and dietician for the King of Norway from 1910 to 1915. In 1936, De Soto was a dietician on a private yacht.
Historical Honors
In the 1920s, a plaque honored the SS Idaho. It was placed at the Washington Street Boat Landing. In the 1960s, another plaque and an anchor honored the Wayside Mission and Hospital, De Soto, and the Idaho. In 2014, the landing and plaque were moved for restoration work.
In 1974, the SS Idaho was in Ripley's Believe It or Not! magazine.
In 1982, a children's book about a mouse dentist, Doctor De Soto, was published.
The Wayside Mission Hospital was Seattle's first public hospital. It showed the need for public health care. It helped improve medical care for poor people in the city.
Mining Business (1872–1906)
Between 1872 and 1875, De Soto worked in mining in Chile and Peru. Over the years, he was involved in mining in many places. These included Spain, North and South America, South Africa, and Mexico. He was well-known in the mining world.
The De Soto Placer Mining Company started in late 1902 or early 1903. De Soto became its vice-president and general manager. J. J. Habecker, a friend and helper, became the company's president.
De Soto found investors for the company. He also sold a lot of company stock. He raised up to $200,000 from it. The company quickly became known as one of the largest mining companies.
Mining in Washington State
Sultan River Area
De Soto heard stories about gold in the Sultan River area. In August 1899, he went there with a group. They found large, old mining camps. The Sultan River area had been explored for gold before. But it was left empty when the Alaskan gold rush started in 1896.
After some searching, the team found placer gold in the soil. The next year, De Soto found more mining claims along the river. He also got investors from the East Coast.
In 1901, De Soto and J. J. Habecker got 1,200 acres of land along the Sultan River. De Soto's company got about 176 acres of placer land. They installed a hydraulic plant there for about $15,000. This is like $403,000 today. De Soto's work there ended in 1902.
De Soto's mining work near the Sultan River was the biggest mining project at the time. By 1902, De Soto was well-known in Washington state mining.
In 1902 and 1903, De Soto and Habecker owned over 5,000 acres in Snohomish County. They developed several mining sites in the Cascades. About 50 men worked there. They also owned water rights for over 18 miles of the Sultan River. This included nine waterfalls.
In September 1903, De Soto and his team changed the Sultan River's course. They sent its waters through a tunnel. Then they dried the riverbed to find gold. They found a lot of gold. But later, melting snow destroyed their machines.
De Soto kept working on the Sultan River property. In 1909, he was still looking for new lands. He was badly hurt in a rock slide once.
Granite Falls
In 1902, De Soto bought the Wayside mine in Granite Falls, Washington. This mine had quartz, copper, silver, and gold. He shared the mine with J. J. Habecker and other businessmen. They made a profit of $40,000 in the first few months. This is like $1,000,000 today. In 1903, profits from these mines went to charity and the Wayside Mission Hospital. By 1906, a company managed by Habecker owned the mine.
In 1903, De Soto expanded his work in Granite Falls. He planned a new town called Wayside. He spent $17,000 on other mines there. He thought these mines were very promising. Many miners were hired to work there. Modern machines were brought in.
Mining in Alaska
Starting in 1900, De Soto explored lands in Alaska. In 1902, he traveled to Council City. He bought 2,120 acres of land there for his company. These lands were known for rich deposits of pay gravel (gold-rich gravel). They were considered the best in the world for mining. Many businessmen did not invest because it was a huge project. But De Soto was confident it would succeed.
After getting land near Council City, the De Soto Placer and Mining Company bought more property. By 1903, they owned about 4,000 acres. They invested over $100,000 in mining machines. This is like $3,000,000 today. This included electric dredgers and steam shovels. They also had ten river barges. One famous machine was a dredger from Portland, Oregon, costing $83,000. This is like $2,200,000 today. At the time, these were the largest in the world. The company also owned steamships called Aurum and Nugget.
In April 1903, De Soto chartered the steamer Jeanie. It carried all the company's machines, equipment, and workers from Seattle to Golovnin Bay. From there, they went to Council City. The ship's cargo weighed 1,300 tons. It also included everything for a 20-bed hospital. This was the largest cargo ever shipped to Alaska. The mining equipment was praised as the most complete. De Soto led about 80 workers on the Jeanie. Two other ships carried 500 tons of freight. The Jeanie left Seattle on June 1. By July 28, the cargo reached Council City.
In Council, De Soto bought more land for hydraulicking (using water pressure to get minerals). By late August, most of the company's equipment was working. In 1904, De Soto's dredger worked 18 hours a day. It made $1,500 in gold daily. This is like $40,000 today.
De Soto was the first to bring dredge mining to the Council City area.
De Soto Mining Company Problems
In 1904, the company started having problems. Earlier surveys showed rich deposits. But later, only small areas of gold were found. The company faced a lawsuit, but it was dismissed.
De Soto and other managers in Alaska needed more money in 1904. They asked Habecker, the company president, for more investments. Habecker expected the Alaskan property to make a lot of money. He did not send the money. Instead, he went to Alaska to manage the business himself. Meanwhile, the Alaskan managers borrowed $21,000 from the Bank of Nome. This is like $600,000 today. They used the dredger and steam shovel as a promise to pay. They tried to get more money but failed. The Bank of Nome took the company's dredger. They later sold it for about $31,000. This is like $800,000 today.
Habecker saw that De Soto and others had managed things poorly. He asked the court to appoint a receiver for the company. A receiver was appointed. At this point, the company owed about $125,000. This is like $3,000,000 today. Most of this was owed to workers.
Later Mining Work
Even after his company's problems, De Soto was still involved in mining. In 1906, he worked in Alaska and California. With help from Eskimos, De Soto found Itak Mountain. It was rich in cinnabar. He was the first to find cinnabar in the Council City area. He and a friend, Axel Young, claimed 22 sites. De Soto also found hot springs with healing properties.
In 1906, De Soto was still highly respected in mining. He was said to be very wealthy.
Other Mining Ventures
De Soto was a major owner of the Philadelphia Crude Ore Company. It was on Unalaska Island. It had the biggest sulfur deposit at the time. He was also the main owner and president of the Alaska Iron Company. This company owned land near Haynes Mission. It sold 50 million tons of iron for a large profit.
Transportation Business (1902–1903)
Snohomish County Railway
De Soto was also successful in the railroad business. In 1902, he received permission to build and run electric railways in Snohomish County. De Soto and his partners, including J. J. Habecker, also got permission for an electric road between Everett and Snohomish. They were ready to invest $5,000,000. This is like $130,000,000 today. They had to provide a bond of $10,000 as a sign of good faith. Work on the 20-mile electric road was to start within six months.
For this project, De Soto started the Everett & Snohomish Rapid Transit Company. In 1902, De Soto and Habecker owned water rights for over 18 miles of the Sultan River. This included nine waterfalls. They planned to use this water power for the railroad. Construction for dams on the Sultan River had already begun.
The new railroad system had big plans. It included an eight-mile line between Everett and Snohomish. It would stretch to Seattle and then east to Sultan. In June 1902, surveying for the new line began. Construction was to start in Lowell, connecting to Everett.
In April 1903, it was said that construction was blocking traffic. Also, the promised bond had not been given. County officials prepared to stop the construction.
Transportation in Alaska
In 1902, the Bering Sea & Council City Mining Company was formed. De Soto became one of its officers. That same year, the company planned the Bering Sea & Council City Railway. De Soto was its president. He personally managed the surveys.
The company got permission to build 80 miles of railroad. It would start in Nome and end near Council City. This road would go through rich mining land. Later, the route changed to extend to Chinick (now Golovin, Alaska). De Soto believed the railroad would help Alaska's economy grow. This new road was considered the first railroad in Northwestern Alaska. The railroad was estimated to cost $7,000,000. This is like $200,000,000 today.
In 1903, De Soto owned the De Soto Transportation Company. It ran the river steamer Aurum and several barges. They worked the 60-mile route between Golovnin Bay and Council City.
Other Businesses
In 1907, the Bering Sea Commercial Company was started. It was for whaling in the Bering Sea. It had $5,000,000 from investors. This is like $130,000,000 today. De Soto sold land to the company. He became its promoter and general manager.
Personal Life
In his younger years, De Soto traveled a lot. He visited Germany, Sweden, France, Chile, Peru, and England. He finally settled in New York and then Seattle. He had briefly visited Seattle in 1867. De Soto also owned a house in Boston.
For a time, people thought De Soto was the oldest Alaskan pioneer in Seattle. But in 1904, another pioneer, Fred M. Smith, claimed that title.
One article said De Soto married a daughter of former Senator Jesse Crane. They had two children, a daughter and a son. Both died young from a sickness. De Soto's wife became mentally ill and was placed in a special hospital. However, later articles said De Soto married Irene De Soto. They had a daughter, Ruth De Soto Herold. She lived longer than her father and lived in Honolulu in 1960.
In his early life, De Soto knew Giuseppe Garibaldi.
In 1898, De Soto joined the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Seattle. In 1900, he helped start the Seattle Benevolent Society.
In 1906, De Soto brought the largest polar bear skin from Alaska. It was 11.7 feet long. People offered up to $1,000 for it. This is like $30,000 today. But he kept it.
Death
De Soto died on November 11, 1936. He fell into Brooklyn's Gowanus Bay in New York. He was working as a dietician on a private yacht called Centaur. He left the yacht and fell into the water while returning. He died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. He was buried in Seattle.
See Also
- Idaho (sidewheeler)
- Doctor De Soto
- Marion Babcock Baxter
- Anita Newcomb McGee
- Roger Sherman Greene
Images for kids
-
Alexander De Soto
-
Artistic representation of De Soto's Klondike expedition, The Philadelphia Times, 1897
-
Wayside Mission Hospital, The Christian Herald, 1903
-
Wayside Mission Hospital, circa 1904
-
Decayed hull of the Wayside Mission Hospital at the foot of Jackson St, Seattle, Washington, between 1907 and 1910
-
Wayside Hospital in Council City, Alaska, The Christian Herald, 1904
-
De Soto's Mining Company advertisement, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1903
-
De Soto's Mining Company dredging machine, The Pacific Monthly, 1903
