An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893

EDWARD F. WITTLER, one of the active, enterprising business men of Seattle, was
born in Bielefeld, Prussia, Germany, March 19, 1851. His ancestry had been
resident of the locality for many generations, engaged in the manufacture of
damask. His father was a manufacturer of damask linen, for which the town of
Bielefeld was world-famed.
	At the age of fourteen years Edward F. came to the United Stated with his uncle,
Gottlieb Wittier, who was a prominent contractor in St. Louis, Missouri. Edward
remained with his uncle for three years attending the public schools of St.
Louis, and learning the language and habits of the American people. He also took
a course at Jones' Commercial College, where he graduated. He then secured a
position as errand boy and collector in the commission house of Harris, Franklin
& Co., and remained eighteen months. Then, as  sewing machine solicitor, he
passed one year, and in 1870 he secured a clerkship in the office of August Gast
& Co., who were conducting a small lithographic business and employing about
thirty hands. In 1871, young Wittler became traveling salesman throughout the
Southwest, and in 1873 purchased an interest in the business. In 1875 Mr. Gast
retired from active management owing to advancing age, and our subject became
business manager. Under his able management the business of the firm extended
and increased, and by importing color artists from Germany and thus raising the
standard of their work, they rapidly grew in prominence. In 1879 they bought out
the firm of John McKitrick & Co. and other smaller establishments, and, adding
facilities for steel engraving and bank-note work, organized the August Gast
Bank Note & Lithographic Company, of which Mr. Wittler was elected president. To
meet the requirements of their increasing trade, they subsequently added
departments of printing, stationery and blank-book manufacturing. In 1883 the
increasing business in New York city demanded a local establishment, and the
Gast Lithographic & Engraving Company was instituted at 20 Warren street, New
York, with Mr. Wittler as president. These institutions were then conducted with
great wisdom and success, until they became. The leading concern of the sort in
the United States, employing a working force of from 450 to 470 hands. In 1887
Mr. Wittler decided to retire from business, giving his attention to the loaning
of money and living a less laborious life. He had formed many close ties in the
line of his profession, and his retirement was accompanied with resolutions of
regret from the St. Louis Typothetae, which embraced the master printers of the
city. Mr. Wittler and family then made an extended trip to Europe, and upon
their return, in the fall of 1888, they came direct to Washington, arriving at
Tacoma on the 15th of December. After spending ten days in looking over the
town, Mr. Wittler visited Seattle, to present a letter of introduction to J.T.
Ronald, from mutual friends in St. Louis. The enthusiasm of Mr. Ronald aroused
the interest of Mr. Wittler, and after looking over the city, he, too, saw the
greater opportunities, offered for investment, and he decided to locate in
Seattle. He immediately began to purchase and improve real estate, and on the 2d
day of January, 1889, began the erection of four houses for rent or sale. This
line of investment was continued until twenty-three houses were completed. Upon
June 1, following, in connection with Fred Sander, he purchased a controlling
interest in the Yesler avenue cable car line, of which he became general
manager. Owing to the fire of June 6, the road sustained a heavy loss, but was
speedily reconstructed and put in running order. Mr. Wittler then sold his
interest to Mr. Sander and retired. He then built the St. Louis block, 90 x 100
feet, three stories, on the corner of Eleventh and Jackson streets. On the 1st
of March, 1890, he applied to the city council for a franchise to build the
several roads now known as the Union Trunk Line System, which organization was
duly incorporated with a capital stock of $1,000,000, Mr. Wittler becoming
president. The road was constructed as soon as practicable and now embraces the
double track cable line on James street, from Pioneer place to the power house,
at James street and Broadway, three-quarters of a mile in extent. Electric lines
were then extended from the power house, and are individually known as the
Beacon hill line, two and a quarter miles; the Lake Washington branch, two and
three-quarters miles, terminating at Madrona park, on Lake Washington, which is
beautifully laid out and adorned; the Broadway branch of two and a half miles
and the Rainier hill line, of two and a quarter miles, making one of the most
complete street railroad systems of the city. Mr. Wittler is also president of
the King County Abstract & Title Guarantee Company, and of the Cascade Steam
Laundry. He is a trustee of Green Lake Home Building Company, and owns the Tower
Grove Nursery with a tract of forty-five acres, near York, the same being
utilized for gardening purposes. Mr. Wittler was married in St. Louis, in 1874,
to Miss Rosa L. Taylor, a native of New Jersey. To this union have been given
five children: Edna F., Milton F., Lester, Lela and Horner.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.