The Cecil Whig., 1885-07-11

When he visits his Chester yard there
is no business transacted until he has
first telcgraphcd his wife OF his safe al
| rival, and next visited the Eanilv of his
son, who resides in Chester, and as
certained that they are all in health.
Then he goes to the yard, dons an old
coat and an Old hat, and starts for 4
tramp through that immense establish
ment. When he returns to the office
he knows more Of the condition of
every branch of the work in progress
than any other man connected with it.
He has the faculty of being able to
quickly grasp the many details, and
mastering them. While always well
dressed, he is utterly indifferent to his
personal appearance. Were it not for
his wife, the chances would be in favor
of his suspcndcrs being fastened with a
six-penny nail. y good story is re-
lated of him one day in Wall Street,
where he is a familiar figure 'Hallo,
Uncle John, as he is frequently called,
'By love, that's fine coat. Give
me the name Of your tailor, won't
you," said q friend, while others con
graduated him upon the fit, style, sym
metry, beauty, etc, Of his coat. When
he reached home, said he to his wife ::
'Mother, everybody seems to like my
coat is it better than / usually wcar?'
His wife looked at 1t, and, behold, he
had worn his coat inside out His
workmen at the ship-yard all remember
the coat he wore about the yard, with
the two rings marked with white lead
where he had sat upon a template.
At home, among his children and
grand children, he is as mild and as
gentle as he is persistent and pushing
in his business. "Here comes giand-
pa is the signal for regular picnic
among the grandchildren. They will
flock around him while ne goes down
in his pockets, wkerc there is generally
something slowed away for their bene-
fit. When there is nothing else a
handful of change will be drawn out,
thrown up and the children told to
scramble for what comes down, and
they are as liable to find half-dollars
and quarters as nickels and pennies.
On the trains between New York
and Washington Mr.. Roach is known
to all the train hands, and he may be
frequently found stretched out upon
two or three trunks in the baggage car,
snugly tucked up by the baggage
master, with 4 roll under his head and
slippers upon hia feet, resting while
travelling. Nh hands are glad to see
HIM and always ready to add to his
comfort.
Mr.. Roach IS 10 years Of age, of a
solid build, eats from necessity, and is
hardy and well preserved. His habit
is to retire generally about II ?. NJ,
and rise At in the morning. Eight
o clock will find him busy at work, for
his personal inspection Of all work has.
he states, been the secret Of his sue
| cess.
John Roach was born in Ireland.
He came to this country when 6 wears
old. Finding no employment in New
York, the poor, fricndleSs boy crossed
over into New Jersey, in search of a
man who had worked for his father in
the old country. He found him at
the Howell Works, sixty miles from
Jersey ~ity, and procured work in the
same establishment, which was owned
| by James Allaire. Three years from
his beginning life in the United States,
he had accumulated $1,000, and, leav-
ing the balance of his savings in the
| hands of Mr.. Allaire, took a small
amount of cash and started for the
West, with the intention to buy land.
Mr.. Allaire' failure in business killed
this project and left the young man
under the necessity of working as a
laborer in order to live. He returned
to New York and shortly afterwards
he was married man by this time
set up in business, in which he pros
| pered for while, but was afterwards
financially ruined by the explosion Of a
| boiler. Un1auntcd, he started afrcsh,
| and became the owner of the foundry
in which were built the largest engines
ever constructed in the United States
up to that time. After few years he
bought out the Morgan Iron Works,
the Neptune, the Franklin Forge and
the Allaire Works. In November,
1871, he also bought the shipya,ds at
Chester, Pa, owned by Messrs. Rainer
& Sons. Since that time he has built
many fine steamships.