The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-01-14


IN , er cd Of HIS If. young Spoer
had an ambition to become literary
man, and every spare moment was
devoted to study. He devised various
eXpedients to secure funds for the
purchase of books. At the expira
ton OF his apprenticeship he resolved
to start a shop OF his own, Of cou,se
on a small scale, In his native village
of Passaic A friend leased him a
piece of ground, whereon he built
him shop with his own hands. and and
got all the business of the neigh Dor
hood, which was scant enough. Often
he has come to New York. bought
the stuff for bureau or sofa, shipped
! it by rail, and returned home on foot.
distance of twelve miles. not having
money to pay his fare, to turn the
raw material into furniture, which
would produce funds enough to make
another trip fer still more material to
the city. Energy and determination
to succeed soon brought their reward,
| and in a few years he had a larger
shop and was able to employ
several journeymeD, but nOtwith-
standing his apparent success, he was
still without capital. To supply this
he was in the habit of making jour
neys through the country, taxing
circuit of ten or fifteen miles, carry
ing with him his tools and varnish
pots. Thus armed he would call at
the farm houses, repair the furniture,
revarnish the chairs and tables in the
best rooms, and occasionally send
peculiarly crazy and dearly cherished
piece of antique furniture to his shop
to be made as good as new" In
this way he accumulated enough to
buy his shop and the lot on which it
stood, and soon after the house and
grounds which he now occupies as
dwelling. During this close applica-
ton to business he found time to en-
ploy his inventive faculties, which he
did in devising piano on an entirely
new plan, for which he obtained
patent. He also invented and pat
ented window fastener, now In gen
eral use. Want of means (Which. in
his case, included time as we'll as
money!, impelled him, reluctantly, to
partially abandon his idea of liter
airy life, and he turned his attention
to horticulture and AGRICULTURE as a
means of recreation (thus proving
that the busiest men have the most
leisure), and incidentally to those
pursuits, manufactured some wine.
which he stored for his own use.
Ambitious to enlarge his establish |
ment, he started out with his window |
fasteners, intending to sell the patent |
right of the different States, and in
vest the proceeds in the other inven-
ton, or in making and storing wines. |
When In New Orleans he found his !
patent right poor stock, and not wish
ing to leave Louisiana without at |
least clearing his expenses, he sent |
home for basket of his wine. This |
he used as a sample, and took large |
orders in New Orleans and Mobile. |
This unlocked for success led him to
the conclusion that anything that APP |
pealed to the sense of taste, especially |
bibulous taste, would prove more
profitable than window fasteners or
new style pianos, and he at once re-
turned home, and directed his atten-
ton to fruit wine making.
From this transition to the port |
grape culture has been easy. Begin
ming, with few vines, he studied the
peculiarities of the plant. and ascer-
tanned the best varieties for
his purposes. What he began
as an experiment has proved
the stepping stone to for
tune, and he now has the most ex-
tensive vineyard and wine vaults in
the Eastern States, and fine ware
house and salesooom at 243 Broad
way, in this city. Notwithstanding
his many engagements, he still found
time to spare to fulfil the duties of
good citizen, by taking an active part
in every movement that tended to the
welfare of the village He saw that
grading and paving the streets would
enhance the value of property largely,
so, after obtaining the necessary au-
thority from the Legislature, at it he
went, devOting an entire year without
hope or prospect of reward to the en-
terprise. He graded and laid over
five miles of sidewalk in about five
months, and the result is seen In the
fact that more houses have been
erected in Passaic during the past
two years than in ten before, aud
handsome villas and cottages dot
the landscape in every direction. As
a consequence, the value of property
has nearly doubled, and, although
there are many beautiful sites for
building, they are held at largely en-
HANGED prices, as compared with two
years ago.
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