The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-01-29
EXCELSIOR.
How Fortunes are Made in the
West.
A TRUE STORY OF A STRUGGLE UP
STREAK.

4 TRUE STORY OF A STRUGGLE UP
STREAM.
We have grown in civilization in the West
within the last decade, and fortunes are
made in a more refined and somewhat less
arduous way than formerly. No one who
comes to pry open life's oyster in the West
that is, the medal West of Illinois and Iowa
thinks of meeting with privations and hS'o
knocks as of yore. The pioneer ns' oeen
before them with his axe, and the imPedi-
man, If nroyress have been Topped away.
Ws vers talking with . wealthy and pros.
nerous manufacturer the other day, one who
is the fabricator Of his own fortune, and who
does not ''despise the day of small things,n
or spurn contsmptuously away the rough
ladder by which he has climbed to q compe
tence. He told US story of his early ex-
perience which should be inspiriting to
every young man who has his health, two
stout arms, and the wide world before him.
We will tell it in his own way as nearly as
possible, although, our space will not per-
NIT US to follow his graphic narration into
all the interesting details of his experience ::
eighteen years ago moved to the West
AID landed at ST. Loui. with $3.50 in my
pocket became sick shortly after my ar
rival with an abscess under my armpit.
was showed away in . garnet of Barnum's
Hotel to mediate upon the situation.
/ called a young doctor who declar-
ed an operation should be performed
or that internal suppurstion would ensue
He called an older man for consultation who
said that could be cured without the opera
ton. The Doctors auarreled and appealed
to me and | discharged the boy and retained
the conservative gray beard, who had me on
my feet in few days. Between them both
with the aid of the hotel clerk, they heeeed
e,all but $50. This invested in q steamer
passage to Rock Island, and landed here with
81, so in my pocket. stayed at the Rock
Island House, and my bill in the morning
was $l.75, OVERSEEING my pile. Ny landlord
when | made explanation, said it was no
matter, that could leave nv trunk which wa
a large one) as security for the odd qnarter
then started out TO get something to do
Mr.. Warner, the railroad contractor met NE,
on the street, and asked me if l wanted
work. replied in the Affirmative, and he
took me up in his carriage to where crowd
Of laborers where driving piles for the rail
road, and grading. Everything was shaking
with the ague, the air was dun-colored with
billiousness, and | could almost imagine
that the trees would rid themselves Of their
leaves, in an sgue suAke. That country
was too shsky for me, so | got on, on foo,
as fast as possible TO hunt myself other
employment. Came down past Mr.. Bowles'
staid all night aud unlosded load of corn,
aud chopped some wood before breakfast
in payment for my lodging Came down
below Moline, and started up for that then
small settlement. On nv WAY I met wei
known manufacturer, who hailed nee after
the primitive fashion: Where are you
bound, stranger?" l replied that if nv
head was right was going north. That's
not what | meant to ask you. Are you
hunting work p | assured him that wac
my mission.
What csn you do?"
Anything that any other msn can"
That's the talk Can you sell tanning
machines and corn shelters ?"
''If any body wants them enough to buy
them"
You'll do; jump into my buggy and
come up to the shop"
lie showed me one of his shelters and
asked me If could sell 1t. / replied that !
didn't think | could, because ! didn't think
it was worth anything. | told him, more
quality Of the machine before could ASK
any BODY with good grace to invest. He
then bid me thrown in corn, and he turned
the wheel, and it did its work nicely. / did
not know then, as ] found out afterwards
that he mad the hardest part of the work by
long odds in turning the wheel. He never
asked me my name, but called me by the uni
verssi western pstrony mic, stranger" and
gave me the following directions. As ]
didn't know east from west, he told me to
keep straight down the Mississippi fifteen
miles without fordinE it, and l would reach
Presumption, and there get a load of shelters
which two men had hauled there before, and
be enioined upon me not to show N face back
in Moline till ! had sold them. To pay my
expenses, he gave me a dollar and half to
pay toll with, and six dozen ''bull'seye"
hoes aud four or FIVE calico dress patterns
to pay for my lodging and food at whsteve-
farm house | might strike at nightfail.
reached Pre- emption, loaded my shelters,
and started out. A short distance from
Presumption | met one Farmer Gilmore, who
was considerably under the influence OF
red eye" 1t was after night, but / com
menced to dicker with him, and succeeded
in selling him a machine. and took his note
by moonlight. Staid at Pre- emption thai
night with Horace Wright, who kept tsv
ern there. Inquired about Mr.. Gilmore.
and found he was q rich farmer. | told Mr..
Wright that / sold Mr.. g. shelter. He
assured me that Gilmore must have been
drunk, or he wouldn't have bought it. ]
showed him the note in proof. "Hes good"
was bis lAconic answer. Next morning
went to Farmer Gilmores, unloaded the
shelter in his barn, and told him of 1t. He
told me to take it away, he didn't want it,
aud said it was worth nothing / replied
that hoped he'd change bis mind when be
came to use it, and drove of. Thence ]
went south, and talked shelter to every
farmer | met for FIVE successive days, with
no prospect of sale / became discouraged.
Ny hoes and calico we're giving GU. rapidly.