The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-06-22
Industry Of cur Rich Men.

Troy Times writes:
Having referred to industry as the
chief necessity to sweeten existence, let
me add something upon the laborious
habits of our leading business men.
Many young men look forward to the
time when they shall ue released from
labor, and they have u notion that the
rich men of this city lead what is called
an "easy life" This idea is very erron-
eous. Our successful men not only have
been, but continue to be, hard workers.
1t is true there are persons who have in
herited wealth, and therefore yield them
selves to Incidence and dissipation, but
their experiences quickly prove the truth
of the old saying, that the fool and his
money are soon parted. Our rich bust
ness men work because habit has become
able if they were idle. We have no rich
drones, for drone would never become
rich. Let us look at the industry of
few Of our self-made men. Here is
MOSES TAYLOR,
who is about three score and ten, and is
estimated at five millions. Surely such
a man, one might say, ought to rest. SO
far from this, however, he is almost as
busy as ever. He was noted as an active
and far-sighted merchant, and ever since
he retired from trade, he has found
enough to do in the vast field of finance
Mr.. Taylor is President of the City Bank,
which is one of tie heaviest of our Wall
street institutions. He would be ex-
tremely miserable if he did not visit that
bank every day, and spend en- hour IN
&c ~,
which some men would call laborious.
After this is done, one may meet in the
Wall street crowd that form, 1.-THE and
erect, and that penetrating countenance,
which seems as much on the alert as
when he was a poor clerk. Four o'clock
finds him at his home, with racked
brain and weary body, but u fine dim
ner restores his tone, and after an hour
of social small talk and drive to the
park, he retires to his private otiice and
enters into deep and veXatious calcu-
lation which continues until bedtime.
Do you inquire what it can be which
thus drives rich man so intensely? l
reply, he has large number OF vacant
lots which should be covered with houses,
and the architects plans and the build
ers' contracts are TO be examined. He
has shares in banks, in gas companies
and III other stocks, all of which must
be looked after. And if he does not
finish his work as rapidly as each day
brings it before him, it would soon ac-
cumulate in u very burdensome manner.
Such then, is the life of IL five million
man.
TIE COMMODORE.
He has worked hard for more than
sixty years. OF late he has abated the
intensity Of his application, but still
labors from five to SIX hours q. day in
very close manner. He has just COM
pleted the greatest railway depot for
travellers in this city, and this is mate
to the great freight depot in st. Johns
Park. The Commodore mast work to
save himself from sheer misery. Idleness
would be to him the greatest of misfor-
tunes. He is also determined that his
children shall be working men. The
largest part Of his property will come
into their hands, and he knows that it is
only industrious habits that can keep
them in its possession. To such man
as the Commodore the idea of retirement
is repulsive. Activity is his life, and
business is an elysium. Each day brings
its excitements, either of loss or of gain,
and at its close he feels the pleasure re-
sulting from exercise of the faculties both
of body and mind.
STEWART.
1t is well known that this man is a
marvel of industry. Like Vanderbilt,
he is about seventy-hve, but he looks
much younger than the former. Van
derbilt may have felt the impelling con-
sciousness of q family to sharpen his APP
plication, but Stewart has neither chick
nor child" He works in simple obedi-
ence to his nature, which demands it.
Stewart and VandeIb bilt are the great
exponents of two departments Of bust
ness, the one being merchant prince
and the other railway king. / do not
know that they have ever met, and the
greatness of this city is shown by con-
tanning two such men without collision
of interests. 1t is the opinion of good
judges Of character, that if Stewart had
been bred to military life he would have
been the greatest general of the age.
What would not have been accomplished
by such method and such industry?
Having reached old age, and with a