The Washington herald. [volume], April 06, 1913, MAGAZINE SECTION, Image 36

About The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939

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. THE WASHINGTON HERALD, SUNfoAY, APRIL 6, 1913. , , . ,
Among Met Who Work with H&hd or Bradn
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Mill Hand Took a Long
!
MADE up my mind. That's about all
here w as to It. Many men become their
own bosses through force of circum
stances, while I changed the course of
'my life through a systematically con
ducted campaign that led to my delivery
from a rut away from the grind of a hired
hand.
I was tired of slaving. I wantedi to drive
awhile. I said "I can do it." and when I
had said that I did not take It for granted. I
set about to prove It, and having proved it, I
feel qualified to remark that any one of In
telligence can become independent. I don't
mean independence from a penurious stand
point so much as I do independence In move
ment and time.
One difference between being 4bossed and
boss is that a boss Is generally a fighter not
of men but of circumstances while the
other Isn't, and that's why a man, willing to
be bossed will ahvajs remain a subordinate
in the ranks.
I could have gone on and on, as long as my
heart beat. I guess, without getting higher
than a mill hand, unless I had taken the bit
In my teeth. Not until my teeth felt the
steel and had ground on it did I realize how
much light there was in me.
My father, who had fought the battle of
life and come out of It with victory and a
few scars, looked on with interest as I strug
gled through the thicket along the way. To
da he holds me for his own a chip of the old
block and the Intense satisfaction there Is
In knowing jou have done something can
never be described in words or figures. It
must be felt to be understood.
He Dabbled in Politics.
When 1 was. a boj of 15 jears 1 went to
work in a sawmill Father thought that
would do mo about as much good as my
schooling was doing, and besides, father at
that time had not et " struck his stride," so
to rwak. the result being that mj $S a week
was a welcome addition to the famllj's in
come From the beginning, a certain small
sliaie of It was laid aside for me. while the
res-t went to help pacify the butcher, the
baK'r, and the candlestick maker.
The name of the .mill's- ow ner w as Maloncy
Letting People Know Was Idea
That Made Little Store Big.
By WILLIAM H. SCHAEFFER.
WINNING HAM was a young fellow
ilerklng In a neighborhood notion
store, earning a salary of $13 a
wefck, and Indifferently satisfied
with himself and his job His boss
was an elderly German, shrewd enough to
perceive a good thing when It was pointed
out to him, but possessing little ability to ob
ser e for himself 4
The store paid the owner a moderate Uv lng.
The front windows were loaded with a mis
cellaneous assortment"Tf a thousand and one
articles ranging li variety from needles to
s-un bonnets
Inside the store the same miscellaneous
assortment of every thing was to be observed.
Vou could never locate Just wbat-j-ou came
after and sometimes the old German and his
clerk couldn't, either.
Winningham was content to follow along
In his boss' methods until one day he got to
thinking Here was Schrelber' s store, sit
uated in a thlckij populated nelghborliood,
on a street w here hundreds of people passed
daily Yet he didn't sell much. People never
stopped to look at the windows Needles and
things like that didn't make an interesting
display
The next time the salesman for the firm
.celling novelties dropped In, more out of
habit than In hopes of selling much of an
order, Winningham drew him over to one
side and questioned him.
The salesman began an enthusiastic dis-r-ourse
over the matter of a window display
for Ms goods. The talk convinced Winning
ham. and he told the salesman he'd try to
interest Schrelber.
Schrelber was for letting well enough alone,
but Winningham was Inspired by the thought
of breaking into the monotonous routine.
The salesman sent down a few cards, with a
complete set of directions and an attractive
window trim.
Winningham took a number of articles out
of stock and set to work one night By 12
o'clock he had cleared the window and had re
placed the collection of miscellaneous stuff
with a simple but effective display of the
novelties. He went home content.
People Pause to Look.
Next day passersby, wiho had been wont to
let their ejes glance hurriedly over the
familiar collection of merchandise in the
window without seeing anything In particu
lar, stopped and scrutinized the display with
Interest. The unusual attracted their atten
tion. A number entered and asked for the
articles displayed. Those who were neigh
borly with Schrelber commented on the
change In appearance In hlswlndow.
" Why, I didn't know you sold these things,
Products of Inventor's Genius.
Detachable heels for shoes, which can be
replaced with fresh ones without the use of
tools when worn, have been patented.
Rhodesia is distilling alcohol from corn
stalks and using it for fuel In automobiles
and other internal combustion motors.
A life preserver invented bj- a Maryland
man is" featured by a pneumatic belt, which
can be inflated quickly in timV of emergency.
A glass bottle blowing machine Invented
in Germany has a speed of 2.000 bottles an
" iB" &5 Ia-lN -&9r ?filr?"S .mmmJlk 0SPiam0m--- jl 9
Patrick Maloney and a goodbiuflneBs man
he was. too. Had he kept ut of politic
paid more attention to his sawmill, and not
so much to the disposition of petty offices
he could have comfortably feathered hie nest
That was his trouble. He liked notoriety and
a fight, both of which he, got In large quanti
ties, for Maloney was not popular or the
same reason that he failed to make his saw
mill pay. He was a perpetual office seeker.
In the meantime, I was grubbing along on
$8 a w-eek. which grew into $10 and finally $12,
which was the princely proportions of my
salary w hen I cast my first vote. Iwaspayt
ing a little board at home, and helping a bit
n the bills. Inf return, I was getting my
three meals a day, eight hours sleep, and
what harmless recreation my nature de
quired. So I grew fat and was satisfied to
live and let live.
But that was not my father's way. He
had always been a fighter and a plugger
toward the top. By the time I was 25 father
had struck oil and was amassing a small
sized fortune, all of which made It easier for
me and less imperative that I think of some
one else beside myself. Nevertheless, I think
I was sensible about it, and having started
a bank account I took delight In watching it
grow. So I kept on working In the sawmill,
taking my $12 weekly from Maloney.
My father guessed right when he guessed
I wasn't worrying about my future. To
the best of his knowledge and belief I should
worry, but I didn't. So he began drilling
Into me the need of ambition to get ahead
to amount to something more than a mill
hand.
Once I thought he might be a little ashamed
of his son's record, but down deep In my heart
I knew better than that, for my father,
among other things, was broadmlnded. He
would never have reproved me so long as I
had my hands employed at honest toil. Nev
ertheless, he was ambitious forme, and many
a winter evening he spent In planting within
me the seed of dissatisfaction; pictured the
tedlousness and dim luster of the life I was
leading, until actually, I began to hate Ma
loncy and all his works.
Mr. Schrelber." was heard more than once,
and at last had his Interest aroused.
A few dajs later the other window blos
somed out. More and more people stopped
to gaze upon the change in the familiar in
Schrelber' s windows.
Salesmen noticing Schrelber'e remarkable
progress window display, were not slow
in offering additional suggestions
" Put our line in the window for a week
and do some advertising to tell folks about
it," was one offer.
Winningham prevailed upon Schrelber to do
this. Sales mounted. People were surprised
to learn w hat they could buy so close to home.
The next move was suggested by a sales
man who offered an Inside display.
"Your windows look fine, Mr. Schrelber,"
he said, "but when jou get Inside the stor
It's hard to tell all you've got to sell. Let
us send up a showcase for this counter. You
can put our goods In it and people will be
forced to notice them
Schrelber was reluctant to change the in
terior, but the insistence of Winningham and
the salesman won out. The new case was
Installed and sales of this article increased
Taken Into the Firm.
Spurred on by his own ideas and by sales
men's suggestions, Winningham gradually
transformed the interior. Window displays
wei e shifted. Bargains were announced now
and then
Business continued to grow. Another clerk
was a3ded and then another. The little store
could hardly hold Its stock. When the store
adjoining became vacant and the agent pro
posed renting it to Schrelber and cutting out
the wait the acceptance of the proposal was
almost involuntary.
Winningham found most of his time con
sumed In store arrangement. He tried to
avoid slighting customft'sby working nights.
Old Schrelber was observant, however. One
day he called Winningham over.
" Winningham, It has been you what haf
made my business grow. I am an old man,
too ojd for dls newness What do you say
to me glflng you a half Interest in It and you
to pay me from what ve makes? You vlll
spend your time not In valtlng on customers
so much, bud In improving the store."
Winningham naturally took up the prop
osition with eagerness. The firm name
changed to Schrelber & Winningham. Given
full-sway, the store was still further trans
formed under WInnlngham's guidance. To
day It Is a big neighborhood department store,
and while Schrelber still lives he lias re
linquished Its entire management to Win
ningham. v
One Idea ds frequently the foundation of
business success. It was WInnlngham's sal
vation. Let people know and see what you
have for sale.
hour, equal to the work of 250 expert glas3
blowers.
A new library table Is equipped with four
or more electric sockets for supply current
to lamps, cooking utensils, and other appa
ratus A new French three handed watch tells
both twelve hour and twenty-four hour time,
one hour hand being used for each kind on
separate dials while a 'single minute hand
Cces for both.
Chance, But
B iijj M I EPHH
Told to G.
Father was pleased as soon as I began to
grumble.
" Get mad, my boy," he said. " Do some
thing that will give the head on your shoul
ders a chance. Don't let your muscle do it
all."
Crisis in Maloney's Affairs.
From that time on I was thoroughly dis
contented. I made up my mind to do some
thing that would bring me Independence. I
would be my own boss, but how it was to be
done was a matter that kept me awake nights
and had me passing my friends on the street
unnoticed.
One lay I felt that something was wrong
at the mill. Maloncy looked worried and
w orn. My bench was located near the door
that opened into his little office, so that It was
almost impossible for me not to seewhat w as
going on Inside the sanctum. Every few min
utes Maloney would pull out his watch and
fumble it nerv ously . I kept my eyes and ears
open then, because, I will admit, I was just
a wee bit curious.
It had not occurred to me that what was
about to take place was to be my stepping
stone. I had an Idea that I would soon be
leaving the mill, but having spent about ten
years there, I was naturally Interested In
how the Institution progressed.
While Maloney was pacing up and down his
office, blind to the fact that I was watching
him as closely as though I were standing in
the doorw ay, the door leading Into the street
opened and three men entered. They looked
like professional men, and fo they proved to
be law j era. They struck out at once into
tlie business at hand, not even taking the
precaution of closing the door and shutting
off my view, for which I was glad, and more
than glad, considering the developments that
soon followed.
Another fortunate thing happened at Just
that time. One of the pulley wheels broke
so that It was necessary to shut off the power
until It could be repaired.
"Now, Maloney," said ono of the lawyers
after a discussion had been going on fpr sev
eral minutes. " Our proposition, and the only
proposition we can make that will get you
square, is this. e will form a stock com
pany, composed of the creditors of the mill,
buy out your interest at the rate of $o,000
a year, and lay aside 10 per cent of the gross
earnings with which to dissipate the In
debtedness." An Interview with Dad.
Maloncy shook his head.
" If you refuse this offer," said the lawyer,
"we will have to send you Into the bank
ruptcy court- We stand ready to offer you the
Getting Something for Nothing;
How Schemer Fooled Wise Ones.
By
WM. BOTHO MAYER.
m CLEVER joung man purchased a
stonj- patch of land in an Indiana vll-
fP lage. The town had built up around
1L When he purchased thiB bit of
ground, several acres in extent, it was
the leading topic of the little town. Their
suavo real estate man had "put it over" on
borne " smart one " from Chicago. It cer
tainlj' was a good Joke.
The first thing he did after btijlng this
"worthless" land was to apparently con
tinue, acting out the story of the fool and
his monej. except In this case the " fool "
easily parted with several feet of sand cov
ering his land. He gave the city permission
to take all the sand for nothing. This they
The FIGHTING
Courage was his as he carved his path sans cheers of his fellow men,
Stemming his way through each turbulent day that closed but to dawn again;
Shoulder to shoulder with mutable luck, undauntedly jests and jeers,
He carried his cross with a patience born of failure throughout the years;
Building his castles and seeing them fall, he builded anew and smiled;-'
Sounding the depths of his pluck, he knew with faith he was reconciled.
Some day achievement all-infinite would dazzle and blind his sight.
For the blood in his veins was the blood that sustains a man in 4 fearless fight!
It Made Him
N. BRIGGS.
first payment on tho property. What will
you hold your Interest at?"
" I won't sell for a cent under $50,000,"
answered Maloncy, the fight showing In his
eyes.
The sum staggered the lawyers, for they
looked Incredibly at each other.
" You can't invoice this pjace at more than
half that, amount." said the spokesman.
"That's my proposition," answered Ma
loney. The Interview practically ended there and
my brain started buzzing.
I said nothing that daj nor for two or three
days after that, but at the first opportunity,
when my father resumed his success talks
to me, I told him what had transpired at the
mill.
" Too bad," said my father. " But It's Ma
Ione's own fault. He'll be closed up, that's
all. He won't sell for less than $50,000, if
that is the price he has fixed, and I'm sure
the creditors will never agree to a ten ear
drain."
"I think Malonoj will sell for less than
50,(KX)," said I, edging around to the propo
sition I was about to make, " but not to a
buncrTof ct editors. He knows the mill Isn't
worth more than $.TO,000 at the most, but he
is holding out as long as he can."
My father saw that there was something
pressing on mj mind
" Well?" ho queried.
" I would like to offer Maloney $.TO,000 out
right for tho mill." I said. " I would Ilk to
assume the indebtedness of the plant and sell
my services to the creditors for $10.00) a j ear
as manager, agreeing to take up all claims
against the mill at the rate of 10 per cent of
tho gross earnings."
" And then?" my father continued.
"Then I will have an agreement whereby
at the expiration of all Indebtedness I will
become sole owner."
" That would mean," said my father, knit
ting his brows, " that ou would have to in
cieoc tho earning capaeltj of the mill at
least 20 per cent In order to meet the demands
of the creditors within ten jears and get
jour own salary out of It and the expenses
of opeiatlon."
" That's it. I guess," I answered. " But I
can do It I have a line on a JC0.000 job that
I can hav e if I pet control of the mill. There
aie plenty other Jobs that Maloney has
missed, but I can get them. I am sure I can
pay off all claims inside of five jears."
Proposition to Maloney.
The result of my talk with my father was
that I was authorized to see the lawyers and
find out the true condition of the mill. This,
ldid
There are outstanding claims amounting
to about $7.1,0" O," Jaid the lawyer after I had
preEenttd mj credentials as a prospective
greedily did. It was like taking candy from
a babj-. Load after load was taken awaj,
until there was not a bit left, onlj-gravel.
It was then that the schemer threw aside
the fool's mask which the populace had put
on him and showed his hand.
He had gotten rid of the sand, w hlch would
have cost him at the least calculation $500
to romove, even If he could have sold It for
a sniull sum, for It was difficult to find a
convenient market, and before him lay the
glistening gravel which he had been trying
to get it. Now he Is taking enormous con
tracts for furnishing gravel and the " wise "
town Is kicking itself for Its oversupplj- of
wisdom.
by CP.McDonald.
Into the maelstrom of Rosy Thoughts and into the Valley of Dreams
He entered, a youth with a happy heart, to follow life's rainbow gleams;
Ever and ever he looked ahead toward the glare of the beckoning heights.
Toiling and moiling through days of hope far into the fathomless nights;
Alert to the precepts of stern success that thrive in the hearts of men,
Crushed to the earth by the iron hand of fate he would rise again.
Bruised by adversity, goaded by chance, each day he would grimly smite.
For the blood in his veins was the blood that sustains a man in an uphill fight!
Year after year as. his fathers forged, he struggled anchstaggered on, '
Over the path of the countless throngs where his sanctified 'betters had gone;
Out of the smoke of each battle fought emerging to war anew.
For the things they had done and the conquests won were naught to the deeds
he'd dol
What of the failures of yesteryear, the wrecks of a long dead day?
Should they serve to swerve him and keep him back from the strife of an endless
fray? ,
Heaven forfend! He would strive to the end with the last of his curtailed might!
For the blood in his veins was the blood that sustains a man in a losing fight !
the Boss of the Works.
life saver for the creditors. " But," said the
lawyer, " we are just about to foreclose on
Maloney, and unless you have a legitimate
business proposition to offer by this time to
morrow the mill will be In the hands of the
sheriff and an auction sale will be adver
tised." This Information put me on the trail of
Maloney, whom I found, after a long search.
In a saloon. Maloney, I thought, always
liked me. and when I 'approached him he
greeted me warmly.
" Hello, son." he said. " Off today, eh?
Well, what'B the dlff ? Let 'emgo to seed."
It took me quite a while to broach the sub
ject to Maloney, but Maloney himself opened'
the way.
" Say," said Maloney, getting closer, " do
you know where I can scrape up $10,000 In
"ready cash?"
I appeared to think for a minute, then an
swered: " Sure," said I. " I know where ou can
raise more than that If you want It."
Maloney's eyes opened wide.
.""Where?" he asked excitedly.
" From me," I responded. " It's this way.
Mr. Maloney. I'd like to buy you out that
Is, If the mill la for sale."
This put a momentary damper on Malonej""
enthusiasm, but he growled his answer:
" Well, how much will you give me?"
" What's your fljure?" I asked.
" That depends on whVs buying' said Ma
loney. " To some It's $50,000 flat and no dl
count. 'To you It's well to you It's $35,000."
He looked at me as though he expected me
to fall In a heap.
" Make It $30,000 and the deal is closed."
said L " Make it $30,000 and the money will
be In your hands by night."
Malonej braced up and looked me over.
" Saj", young fellow. Is this for jou or for
your dad?" Maloney asked.
In a Boss Position.
" It's for me. My dad is out of it," I an
swered. " Done," said Maloney, and we shook
hands. 9
I was brimful of enthusiasm then, and 1
Hard Grubbing Made Him Rich;
Laying Brick Starts Bank Book.
By HAROLD PARKS.
K
YOUNG fellow told me not long ago
a remarkablo story of ambition, per
sistence, and willingness to endure In
order to succeed. It interested me
because It was the story of a man from
the ranks of the tollers a bricklajer. It
convinced me that a man can start from
brick laving to success quite as well as from
a position more exalted In the popular Idea
Here Is his story:
' Before I was 20 jearsof age I hadlearned
the trade of bncklaj-er. It seemed to me
a good, -practical, honest, sinew builmng sort
of calling, and, as I was strong and robust
and loved outdoor life. I preferred something
of that kind to either factory or office-
" Father was worth cons.derable money,
but he had gained It bj hard grubbing and
he preferred that I get mine In the same w ay.
Ever since I wa old enough to listen I had
heard his storj- of how he had landed here a
poor immigrant, obtained emploj'ment of the
onlj' sort available, and then worked long
and strenuously and scrimped and saved to
get together the first few hundred dollars to
go Into an investment In real estate. By re
peating the process many, man times, he had
reached success and independence. It had al
wajsbeen an Inspiring story to me and was.
I think, mainlj' responsible for my first de
sire to get a start
" Bj- emulating his stories of frugal living
and abstinence from dissipation and useless
BLOOD.
hustled away to find' my father. He made
out his check and I had It certified at -the
bank. Then I. went back to the lawyer-
"Here's .my proposition," said J. "I will,
buy out Malonej-. I will assume all lndebf
edness on the plant, sell you my services as
manager for $10,000 a yar, and pay off the
creditors at the rate of 10 -per cent of the
gross earnings with the understanding that
when that is dope I become sole owner."
After long bickering with other lawyers
and some of the leading creditors the offer
was accepted, agreements were signed by
all the parties, and I went -on mj way re
joicing. At the end of the first year I had paid one
fourth of the debts against the mill and to
ray father $5,000 and Interest on his loan.
It took me less than five years to wipe out
every, obligation, but depend upon my word
for it I worked and schemed.
There aresome who will sa that It was
no credit to me that I got Into business for
mj'self. It Is true that had it not been for
my father I would have had harder work to
raise the money with which to promote the
deal, but my father gave me full leeway and
I ran the business as I thought beat. I never
overlooked a bet. The Jobs that Maloney
was missing while he was seeking support
on some party ticket I got, and I made the
most out of them. I built additions to the
plant, until now I have one of the finest
saw and planing mills in this section.
I had help at the start, but none after that.
I had to make good. I did. I net my jaws
and determined that It coujd be done. Had
I not taken hold of the opportunity I might
still be in the mill, working for maybe- as
much as $10 a week for some manager ap
pointed bj- the creditors, or If 1 had left the
mill no one knows what I might have turned
my hand to. It was my one best bet, be
cause I knew the sawmill business best, and
I knew It well enough to run it at a profit.
That's how I became mj own boss, and I
find the brain work no harder than the
physical efjort I expended In my earlier
years, but the return and the satisfaction
make it worth while to take a chance, be it
ever such a long one.
spending, I was able to start a respectable
bank account and to keep it growing steadily
until at 24 I had $1,000 drawing interest.
Finds Investment for Capital.
Naturally enough I thonusht of father's
fortune built from real estate and turned
my thoughts in the same direction. I discov
ered a lot in a nearby suburb priced way
under neighboring pieces and so situated that
it could scarcely help increasing la value.
By keen bargaining I got the price shaded
still further and traded my S1.000 for the
property, even up. Then I went father one
better.
" White working on various structures I
had formed the acquaintance of builders and
observed a great deal concerning the planning
of buildings. I knew that my lot was) ripe
for improvement, and even before I bought
it the plans for a two flat brick were pretty
well formulated in my mind's eje. I went
ahead and drafted a rough set of plans and
then I stopped abruptly.
" It was obv iouslj- impossible to oarrj my
operation any further until I had earned
more money with which to put the plan into
effect I decided to build that house myself.
Plenty of people said the same thing at the
time. '
" With m- rude set of plans I began work.
'With no equipment but a spade, a wheel
barrow, and my awn hard muscles I began
on the excavating. I worked evenings until
it was too dark to see. digging up the earth
a spadeful at a time and wheeling1 It away
and dumping it in a low corner of a neigh
boring lot whosewner paid me for thus lm
prov lng his property.
Hole Looked Like Panama Canal.
" It certalnb was slow work and more than
once I was almost ready to admit that I had
bitten off more than I could masticate.
" In a little over two months, however, the
excavation was complete. It wasn't an ex
ceptionally large basement, of course, but
after I had wheeled away the last bajrow
load of loose earth and came back to let my
ej-es feast on the finished job It looked as
large as the Panama canal to me. and no
seasoned engineer ever felt prouder of his
accomplishments.
" I simply couldn't quitnow. The one task,
wearisome as It had been In the doing, when
once completed furnished enough inspiration
to carry me over a host of future difficulties.
"After hiring an acquaintance who was
a cement w orker to help me build the founda
tion, wall I proceeded to buyji few loads of
brick and start building my own house a
brick at d time.
" Of course the building wasn't finished
the first year, and when winter came on I
was forced to stop work with the walls for
the second story Just starting skj ward.
"By the next year I had enough monej
ahead to finish the outside of the budding,
and it .was easy after that to borrow more
to finish the interior. Soon I w as a landlord
proudly affixing my signature to leases.
" Rentals combined with savings soon got
me out of debt entirely and I owned mj' first
Improved property free of Incumbrarce.
That was but the beginning, however. A
sudden rise in values enabled me to make a
quick turn and double my monej'. Invest
ments in other vacant followed, more build
ings and more profits. Today I'm worth "
A shrug of the shoulders Indicated almost
1 any fancy figure your imagination might
choose to use In filling the. blank.
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