Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 6 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 13

A resident of Fresno for more than a quarter of a century, during which time he has become well-known, is Alexander Borger, proprietor of the Alex Cafe, who was born in Priwalnaja, Samara, Russia, on June 10, 1870. His father was William Borger, a grain buyer, who traveled the length of the Volga River and died in 1887. His wife, who was Mary Bier before her marriage, also died there, the mother of three sons and a daughter, of whom Alexander is the only one who came to America.

He was brought up in the city of Priwalnaja, and sent to the public schools, where he received a good education; and when fifteen was apprenticed to learn the grocery trade at Saratov. For three years he "pegged" away in return for instruction, experience and twenty dollars a year, and then he continued to work in the same place, receiving sixty dollars the fourth year, eighty dollars the fifth, and $120 the sixth.

On account of military oppression he came to the United States, having heard here of the greater opportunities and hoping to do better. An uncle, the Rev. Jacob Legler, was a Lutheran minister in Fresno; and so, having reached New York, he crossed the continent to Fresno, which he reached on December 30, 1891. Fie worked with the Southern Pacific builders of the Pollasky road, and in 1892 picked grapes. After that, for two years, he worked in Stack's restaurant, and then for a couple of years he was with Gambrinos.

Next he started in the grocery business on G Street with M. Karle and continued for a year; and having sold out, he leased, with Henry Fries, a ranch on the Laguna Grant. The partners had a vineyard there, but after a year they dissolved their partnership. He was next in the employ of Ed Schwartz for four years, and was then proprietor of the Railroad House for a year.

Having conducted a restaurant on I Street for two years, he disposed of the business and for a year was grading streets as a general contractor. Then he engaged in the grocery business with H. Bier on California and Elm avenues, and after a year sold out and was in the employ of FI. Schwartz for two years.

In 1913 he bought the Waffle Kitchen from Charles Kline, and when he became proprietor, he named the now famous eating-place the Alex Cafe. It is located at 1042 H Street, a remodeled and thoroughly up-to-date establishment. Mr. Borger also owns a twenty-acre vineyard at Biola devoted to raising Thompson seedless raisins and is a member of the California Associated Raisin Company. Mr. Borger also built and now owns a handsome residence at 455 F Street.

On October 2, 1892, Mr. Borger was married at Fresno to Miss Mary Bier, who came to Fresno in 1892. She is a native of Mr. Borger's birthplace in Russia, and the daughter of Philipp Bier, a farmer there. Mr. and Mrs. Borger have had four children: Katie, who is Mrs. McMahon of Fresno; Alexander, Jr., who is with the subject of our sketch; Mary, who died when she was only a year old; and Henry, the youngest. The family attend the German Lutheran Church.