The Portland daily press., 1886-11-15
THE CAREER OF AUGUST sREN-
TANO.
a crippIe's Rise from Poverty to
AffIuence.

Inc career OF the late August BrentanO
is worth the careful study Of all young men
who are striving to get ahead in life, and es-
pecially Of those who cry ont that the hard
conditions Of their lot make the struggle for
advancement hopeless.
There Is not one Of them Ia this whole city
who began life worse handicapped for the
race than August Brentano was He came
TO New York about a generation ago, a poor
immigrant from Austria. Heeould not speak
our language, he was total stranger, and,
besides, he was afflicted with bodily deform-
tiles that would have crushed the spirit Of q
less resolute man, and, perhaps sent him
down into the ranks Of the permanently de-
pendent. Nature had denied him the OppOr-
tnnity Of earning his living with his hands
for they were twisted and greatly deforIned,
so that he was debarred from nearly all the
employments open to his fellows. The
struggle for existance was therefore pecu-
liarly hard for him, and the reasons for dis
cOuragement were extraordinarily great, since
doubtless, like all people so afflicted, his dis
position was painfully sensitive, and he felt
that an evil and cruel fate had set him
apart from the run Of men,
But Brentano's bodily infrmities only
made him the more self-reliant and deter
mined to surmOunt the obstacles to successt
thing which came in his way and was within
his restricted capacities. He could carry and
sell newspapers. and though the business
was humble one, the labor exhausting, aud
the rewards small, he went into II at the first
opportunity and pursued 1t with tireless zeal
That was about thirty-fiye years ago, when
New York Newspapers were almost wholly
distributed by carriers from house TO house.
Each carrier had his definite route, and IL
was his function not only 10 serve papers at
the doors, but to seek and obtain new Gus
toners. The business required great indus
try and punctuality, and necessltated rising
before daylight and long and rapid walking
in all weathers In the gray Of the morning.
1t also involved no little risk in comparison
with the gains obtained, and demanded both
tact and patience In its prosecution. Gus
toners paid weekly, and accordingly there
were great numbers Of bills TO be collected
when the route had been made large enough
to be at all profitable. But an active and en-
terprising carrier was able to build up
business whose good will eventually came TO
have pecuniary value like that Of a mer-
camille establishment, or, more exactly, like
tina. Of a milk or bread route.
Accordingly when carriers wished to go
out OF the business OF delivering newspapers
they could sell their routes for hundreds Of
dollars, and so obtain the capital for larger
ventures.
In the old days, and even when Mr.. Bren-
tano landed in New York, there were COM
n
which has now grown into enormous proper
tion, so that IL gives employment to thousands
Of people, was then In its beginning, and he
was one OF the earliest to take advantage OF
the new method Of distribution. We re-
member well when he set up his first news
stand ON Broadway, where he at once at
tracted attention because Of his appearance,
and won profitable trade by reason Of his
enterprise and anxiety to please his GUS
toners and anticipate their wants. He was
fa1 frr fIaa
pers on his stand, and before long had in
creased the variety Of his wares by includ-
ing publications not often found at such a
place. IL customer wanted any periodical
which he did not have or sell. he was eager
to be allowed to get 1t for him, and get 1t he
would at any cost of running and inquiry.
In that way BrentanO's news stand came to
have a celebrity which extended far beyond
the neighb0rh0Od In which 1t was situated
He succeeded in making his name known
more than that OF any other newsdealer in
town.
Then, when he had accumulated enough
money by prudence and economy, he entered
into more ambitious field. He rented a
store and established what, If we remember
rightly, was the first, and for long time the
only shop of the kind in New York. 1t was
ON Broadway and was stuffed with publica-
ti0ns of every sort both domestic and for
eign. If you could not find what You wanted
in that varied collection. Mr.. Brentan was
might supply it.
Therefore the demands of his increasing
custom taught him the proper directions into
which TO extend his business, until at last he
had not only a store for the sale of news
papers and periodicals, but also bookstore
at which the freshest publications Of
every kind could always be obtained.
Therefore when he removed his place Of
business to Union square he was already a
prosperous man and there was no dealer Of
the kind so well known as he. b On in the
town and outside of its borders. ieople had
found out that what they could no. get else
where he was sure to have orto g for them
promptly.
Such career ought to afford encourage
ment to every clever and enterprising young
man who Is disposed to grumble because his
circumstances are not what he would have
them. Mr.. Brentano, too, was only one
among many who have risen in the same way
and in the same employment during the perl
cd covered by his career in this city. The
men who are now at the head Of the great
news companies were generally trained to
the business at little news stands, and they
have had the industry and ability to grow
with the growth Of the present method Of
newspaper and periodical distribution.
Nor were their chances greater than those
which are all about us now. Other employ
ments as humble and as little profitable as
the news business was when Mr.. Brentano
set up his stand on Broadway may to-day be
made the beginnings of fortunes.