Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-10-11
KICKED INTO. FORTUNE.
How a Thrifty Mechanic OUT
witted a Big Capitalist.

"Speaking OF cables" said a man on
the ferryboat in the hearing OF a San
Francisco Examiner reporter, ''re-
minds me of good one l heard the
other day on the late Charles Crocker.
You know he was at the head of the
great Market Street able system and
was a close figurer in financial mat
tiers. Well, when the Market Street
cables were put down the contractors
employed Henry root TO superintend
the construction. There was lots to
learn about cable roads in those days,
and even after the contractors had
turned the road over to Crocker and
his associates every days run sug-
gested something in the way OF i'm
provement. Without any particular
understanding Root was kept along to
look after things generally, and espec-
tally to secure patents on the dozen and
one devices which the construction and
operation of the road had suggested.
He was paid a small salary, only about
500 month, but so loyal was he TO
the company that when an offer came
to him from Denver urging him TO
take charge OF the city's new cable
road at fat salary he refused it. and
went on until he had about perfected
his patents.
when he had been thus employed
some menths Mr.. Crocker came back
from the East and at once began look
ing over the expense account and pay
roll of the cable company, with view
TO retrenchment and more rigid
economy. After time he came to
Roots name.
"'See here, said he to his manager
whats this man Root doing on our pay
roll?'
oh, we've kept him al ong looking
after various things and arranging
about patents
We'll, he has no business here at
ALL said Crocker, sharply. He was
employed by the contractors, and when
they turned ovcr the road TO us his en-
loyment ceased. Now, i want you to
tell Mr.. Root that not only will We no
longer pay him anything, but that
shall expect him to return TO us all
the salary he has received since we as
sumed control of the road
Perhaps you don't think Root was
astonished There he had refused a
permanent position at n good salary
just because he felt 1t his duty to stay
by the Market Street company, and OF
course he had spent the 800 which he
had received from the company in the
way of compensation for seven months
work. 1t was big wad of money to
the Root OF those days, too. and he had
n heap OF trouble to raise it. But he
stood up all his friends, mortgaged a
J LOT nd ~
himself with Croker. taking receipt
from that gentleman showing on its
| face that he was not in the cable com
pany's employ for the seven months,
and that the money had been wrong
fully paid to him.
Then he went on and took out his
patents in the name of Henry Root.
by and by Croker, Hallidie and
the rest OF the cable men began the or
ganizatiop of their big pool. When
they got we'll along with it Hallidie
said one day: See here. Croker,
where are your patents on all these
improvements which you people oper
ate? | don't see your showing.
"'Oh, we've got 'em somewhere, re-
! piled Crocker, cOnfidentially. but when
he came to look into the matter he
found he didn't have 'em by long
shot He found the patents for some
of the most important devices in use
on his system were in the name of
Root
ale sent for Root
"When that thrifty mechanic appear
ed before the magnate the latter said:
Root. there are lot of devices which
we use and which | see are patented
in your name. / wish you'd just make
them over to the company.
"'WhyT asked Root simply.
"'You worked them out and patent
ed them when in our employ, and of
course you know that the laws OF the
state provide that when an artisan
takes the time for which an employer
pays him to work out patent the pat
ent belongs to the employer.
Certainly; | know that's the law,
replied Root, in his most respectful
tone, but here's your receipt, Mr.
Croker, which shows that during the
time / was at work on these patents
was not in your employ. Now, my
dear Mr.. Croker, you can have those
patents for just $2j, 000.'
"Crocker paid.
"From Roots connection with tho
road he learned OF the projected extern
sion out Haight Street. put his $50. 900
into lands along that highway. realized
on them when the boom came, made
enough 10 keep the wolf from biz
door, thus found time to perfect Cable
system of his own, forced them to take
him into the pool and is enjoying a
rajah's income from it now.
There's a man absolutely kicked
into fortune"