Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company facts for kids

Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company was a business that mined a mineral called borax. It was started in 1898 by two men named Stephen Mather and Thomas Thorkildsen.

These two men used to work for a much bigger company called the Pacific Coast Borax Company. This company was owned by a famous businessman known as Francis Marion "Borax" Smith. But Stephen Mather and Thomas Thorkildsen decided to leave Smith's company. They wanted to start their own business and compete directly with their former boss!

What Was the Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company?

The Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company was set up to find and dig up borax. Borax is a natural mineral that is used in many products, like cleaning supplies, glass, and even some types of ceramics. It was a very important mineral in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Who Started This Company?

The company was founded by Stephen Mather and Thomas Thorkildsen. Both men had a lot of experience in the borax industry because they had worked for Francis Marion "Borax" Smith. Smith was often called the "Borax King" because he controlled most of the borax mining in the United States.

Stephen Mather later became very famous for his work in creating and managing the National Park Service in the United States. But before that, he was involved in the borax business.

Why Did They Compete with "Borax" Smith?

It's not unusual for people to leave a company and start their own, even if it means competing with their old employer. Stephen Mather and Thomas Thorkildsen likely saw an opportunity to mine borax themselves and believed they could be successful. This kind of competition is a normal part of business. It can sometimes lead to new ideas and better products.

The Company's New Name

After a while, the Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company changed its name. It became known as the Sterling Borax Company. This new name still represented their work in the borax industry.

The End of the Company

The competition between the Sterling Borax Company and Francis Marion Smith's Pacific Coast Borax Company continued for some years. However, in 1911, Francis Marion Smith made a big move. He bought out the Sterling Borax Company. This meant that Smith's larger company took over the smaller one, and the Sterling Borax Company stopped existing as a separate business.

This purchase helped "Borax" Smith to strengthen his control over the borax market even more.