The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-10-21
IRON KINGS.


JAMES PARTON TRLLs ABOUT THE HABIT
OF A PITTsBUR0H MILLIONAIRE.
James Parton, in q lecture in New Yorh
the other night on "KiDgs Of Business,
made some references Of local interest L
PlttSburghers. In the course Of his lee
ture he said:
"0lher men, generous and good, ge
drawn into u roaring whirlpool Of bust
ness, from which they have not thI
strength TO escape, not the, less are slaves
OF business. heard one Of these, some
time ago, relate how he became a slave
and how at last he escaped from slavery,
At the age Of 2s he began making iror
and steel in Plttsburgh-made 81 900 ,OOC
worth per annum upon q capital Of $3.50,
QUO. 1t was that absurd disproportion be
tween capital and production which
made him slave, always anxious
often In terror, always oVerworked. Fol
IA years he toiled 10 hours a day and
hardly had q personal acquaintance with
his own children. At length the victory
was won. BE had capital OF three mil
lion dollars, employed two thousand five
hundred men, had tho finest works IL
Ametica--a little town Of brick cottages
and his paper gilt.edged. But he had
now become the slave oil this vast business
because he had not taken care to train and
form menlto do the difficult part Of the
work, finding il easier 10 do himself, %
II was for the moment. 80 he kent on.
called every morning at six; away to the
store before seven; In the Counting.room
till nine; then to the works, where he re-
manned till two. After hasty dinner he
hurried away to the mine, getting home
to tea at dark. After tea, more dead than
alive, he would drag around to his Office
and estimate till midnight. Then to bed
and Instantly 10 sleep. But one night
alter, such day Of toll-three fair days
work in one-sleep came not to his eye
lids for hours, and when II did come, 1t
was not the deep sleep to which he was
accustomed. Many such nights followed.
Then, one morning, while he was In the
midst Of an sbstruce calculation suddenly
his brain lost its grasp Of the problem.
he could not fix his attention upon It.
He forgot the early steps Of the process.
Hewas obliged to give it up. A short
journey seemed TO restore his mental
power; buta few days after his return, at
the same hour, II In the morning, again
he lost 1t, He tried TO think OF some way
OF amusing himself for an hour or
two, but he could think Of nothing
but 10 go to the dentists and en-.
Joy a little refreshing agony. He failed
in this attempt to obey his physician, for
while waiting in the dentists ante room
he tainted dead away, and had to be car
ried home. Now, for the first time in his
lie he took his case into as serious con-
sideration as he had been accustomed 10
bestow upon iron. He studied the brain
as II 1t had been new kind OF steel. He
saw his error, and what Is much more
difficult and unusual, he reformed lis
lie. He became Intimately acquainted
with his children, spent every evening at
home, took time for any innocent plea.
sure that fell in his way, had q Joyous
holiday in summer, bought a pair Of nice
horses, drove them every fine day, and
so gradually recovered his health. /
caught sight OF him the last time passed
through smoky Pittsburgh, seated in a
light wagon, looking very well-a happy
broad ohested king OF iron."