Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-02-07
/ thousand pairs of boots. shoes and over
shoes are turned out daily.
How Men Have Become Rich.

quarters year or two ago TO tounu COL
lege in Boston. began business thus: AT
eighteen he came from Cape Cod to Bos-
Ton with three or four dollars in his pos
session, and looked about for something to
do, rising early, walking far, observing
closely, rejecting much. Soon he had an
idea he bought three bushels of oysters,
hired a wheelbarrow, found piece of
board, bought six small plates, six iron
forks IL three cent pepper box, and one or
two other things. He was at the oyster
boat, buying his oysters, at three O'Clock
in the morning, wheeled them three
miles, set up his board near market, and
began business. He sold his oysters out
as last as he could open them, at II good
profit. lie repeated this experiment morn
ing after morning, until he had saved $3.50,
with which he bought horse and wagon
and had five cents left.
How are you going to board your
horseP" asked stable-keeper, who wit
messed this audacious transaction.
II am going to board him at your
stable"
But you're minor" replied this
acute Yankee. "And mind, | can't trust
you more than II week." The next morn"
ing the lad who had established good
credit with the oystermen, bought thirteen
bushels of remarkably fine oysters, which
he sold in the course of the day at profit
of seventeen dollars. So he was able to
pay for his horses board. And right there
in the same market he continued to deal in
oysters and fish for forty years, became
king of that business, and ended by foun-
ding college; thus affording new illus
tration of Professor Agassiz's theory
that the consumption of fish is serviceable
to the brain.
So Astor, on reaching New York, with
his capital OF seven flutes and few shil-
lings, gees to work beating furs for two
dollars week and keeps az furs until he
is able to build Astor House and Aston
Libraries. William Chambers, the fouu-
der OF the great publishing house of Edin-
burgh, coming out of his apprenticeship at
nineteen with five shillings' capital, set up
II book-stall with ten pounds worth of
books, all bought on credit. The IIar-
pers began by cautiously printing 500
copies of Locke on the Understanding, "
and Daniel Appleton by publishing mi
mute volume, bound in blue paper, two and
II half inches square, called Crumbs of
Comfort" George Stephenson, brakeman
to steam engine at the mouth of mine,
began, it is true, by soiling his sweetheart's
shoes and demanding a kiss in payment.
But this was only ayouthful sally. Her
name, however, was Ann, and she was a
servant girl. But soon he began to tinker
ut his steam-engine, and kept on in that
way until he invented the locomotive, and,
created with the aid OF his son, the rail
way system.
Iii those lecturing tours, which are far
more instructive to me than | can be in
structive to any one else, | frequently see
immense establishments, and | always
visit them when | can. Nine times in ten,
if am told their history, am informed
that the founder was poor man, who be-
gan business on next to nothing. In Chi
cago, a few years ago, mechanic invested
his whole capital, and credit too, in max
ing one rough, strong farm wagon, the
first ever made west of the lakes. 1t was
all he could do to live while he made it,
and if he had not the good luck to sell it
Immediately he would have been in sor-
ry plight. When | was there, twenty
years after, he had factory which turned
out an excellent wagon every seven min
utes. Last winter, in Norwich New York,
| went over David Maydoles manufacto-
ry, where one hundred men were employ
ed in making hammers. He was one of
the most perfect examples of u king Of
business had ever met with in my life
A plain little man he is, past sixty now,
but in the full enjoyment Of life, and in the
full enjoyment Of his work. Upon being
introduced to him in his office, not know
ing what else to say, and not being aware
that there was anything to be said about
Misunderstanding, in fact, always taken
hammers for granted-I said: "And here
you make hammers for mankind Mr..
Maydole."
Yes" said he, " I've made hammers
for twenty-eight years.
"Well, then, said |, still at Il loss for II
talk-opener, you ought TO be able to
make pretty good hammer by this
time"
mo, sir, said he. Il never made Il
pretty good hammer: l make the best
hammer made in the United States.n
And so he does; every hammer is made
most carefully by hand, and tempered
over slow fire, as delicately rs Deimon
ico's cook broils steak for his pet gour-
mand. Then hickory handle is put to it
that has been seasoning tor two years; and
it is hammer that dare show itself any,
where in the world. There is thought,
and conscience, and good feeling, and high
principle and business sense in it. 1t speaks
its makers praise wherever it goes, and
as long as it lasts, and it will last very
long indeed. He did me the honor to give
me one, which has ever since hung con-
spicuOusly in my room, admoni-hing me
to work, not fast, nor too much, nor with
IL SNOWY polish nor any vain pretense but
as well us can every time, never letting
one thing 60 till | have done all that was
to make it what it should be-
Upon our return to the Office after going
over the works he told his story. Il is Il
representative story. Twenty-Five years
ago, when he was roadside blacksmith,
six carpenters came to the village from
the next county to work upon new
church, one of whom having left his ham
mer behind, came to the bIacksmth's to
get one made.
MAKE me good hammer" said the
carpenter, 'as good II one us You know
how.n
But, said the young blacksmith, who
had already considered hammers, and had
arrived ut some notion of what hammer
ought to be, and had proper contempt
for cheapness in all its forms, "perhaps
you don't want to pay for as good one as
can make"
Yes, do; want good hammer"
And so David Maydole made a good
hammer; and one that perfectly satisfied
the carpenter. The next day the mans
five companions came, each OF them want
ing just such hammer, and when they
We're done the employer came and ordered
two more. Next the storekeeper of the
village ordered two dozen, which were
bought by New York tool merchant,
who left standing order for as many
such hammers as David Maydole could
make And from that day to this he has
gone on making hammers, until now he
has ll5 men at work. He has never adj
vertised, he has never published, he has
never borrowed He has never tried tn