The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-03-17
GEORGE ". cHILns.
His Early Career In PhiEadeIPhSa-HOw
He Became ProprietOr OF the e Ledger

He Became ProprietOr OF the ledger"
philadelphia Press.l
The career of a man like George W.
Childs is full of interesting lessons In
perseverance and industry. Born III
Baltimore, in 1929, of parents IN the
middle walk of life, he received COM
mon school education and entered the
United States Navy when only thirteen
wears OF age, where he remained for tif-
teen months. Even in that compare
tiyely short space of time he gained
full knowledge of order and discipline,
which have since marked his conduct of
affairs. This term of hardy service also
had its effect in aiding his physical de-
velopm ent and permanently beneftting
his Leatth.
In 1874 he came to Philadelphia, as
ne Thought it afforded better opportu-
nifty and broader field for business than
his native city did. Although depending
entirely upon himself, young Childs.
then only fifteen years old, soon man.
aged 10 obtain employment in the store
of bookseller named Thomson, at
S xth and arch streets. Here he worked
early and late, applying himself to bust
ness in a manner very unusual to boys of
his age.
this sketch hat he took but little inter
est in the customary sports of lads in
his ne;okbmbood. and found more en-
ioyment in acquiring thorough knowl.
edoe of business. LII this he succeeded
so well that his employer Aoon recog-
nized his value and entrusted Jun with
work requiring rare Judgment anu tact.
He was selected to attend the book aIlc-
tions to make purchases, and by thN
time he wss sixteen years of age he reg
ularly attended the great trade sales, ~
New York and Boston, where he pur--
chased whole editions at a time. At
eighteen years of age he had saved up a
few hundred dollars, and with this linn
tied capital, aided by his experience, he
resolved to set up in business for him
self. He obtained a small room in the
building then occupied by the Pubic
Ledger, at Third and Chestnut streets,
and began business.
Here he worked hard and success at
tended his efforts. He soon gained an
extensive acquaintance among publish.
ers, and was recognized as young man
of great business talent and sagacity. So
favorable a reputation was not without
it's advantages, and by the time he was;
twenty-one he was offered a partnership
in the publishing house OF h. +. Peter
son & Co. He accepted it and the finn
was changed to Childs g. PetersCo. Both
partners went to work with a wiz, and
as they possessed good Judgment theIr
business increased rapidly.
Mr.. Peterson compiled work from
numerous sources, entitled Familiar
Science" in which much valuable
information was set forth. in an in
teresting manner. Mr.. Childs, with
great energy, pushed She sale of the
book to two hundred thousand copies,
and had it placed on the list of studies
in many schools where it is still retained.
The next venture of the firm was with
handsome edition of DR. Elisha Kent
Kane's "Arctic Explorations. which was
largely advertised and had an enormous
sale. The number of copies sold can be
imagined when it is stated that the finn
paid DIR. Kane nearly $40, 900 as royalty,
Shortly after this the civil war broke,
out, and the suffeTings of Southern
loyalists excited much attention, the
most notable case being that by Parson
Brownlow, of Tennessee. Chllds & Pc
terson took advantage of the sensation,
and issued description of the cruelties
practiced in the South, written by Par
son Brownlow. Before the book APP
peared Mr.. Childs had so slillfully adj.
vertised it that public curiosity was ex-.
cited, and it sold tremendously. Fifty
thousand copies were disposed of in a.
short time, and Mr.. Chiids handed over
to the Southern parson 800, 600. This
was the only work of a sensational char
acter ever published by the firm, but the
interest manifested in it made it an OK
ception to Mr.. Child's customary rule.
Among the other successful books
published by the firm, many of them
through his advice, were AllibOne's
Dictionary of Authors" BouYier's
Law Dictionary" and Constitutes of
American Law" Sharswood's Black
stone, Fletcher's =" Brazil" and Loss
ing's illustrated History of the Civil
War"
All the while this firm was prospecting,
41As NA4AlNAo 11ttA oilC OhJCtb III Wow
Nearly ten years before, he said to a
friend in his little Office at Third and
Chestnut streets eff I live 1 will be-
come the owner of the Public Ledger"
He was only boy at the time, bnt the
remark was not uttered in boyish boast
nor as a jest. 1t was said with the
utmost sincerity, and with positive
conviction that the words would be
verified some day The gentleman to
whom he spoke, the late DR.. r. Shelton
Mackenzie, was deeply impressed at the
time, and years afterwards recalled them
in letter to Mr.. Childs. When he did
so the prohecy had come true, and
George William Chiids had become pro-
prietor of tine most widely-read news
paper in Philadelphia, the Public
L9dger. The purchase was made In
1864.