Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-07-12

Mr. Tansill, the founder of the house
of r. W. Tansiu & Co., is still young
man, although he has been in active
business for over a quarter of a century,
an i is now numbered among those sue
cessful and prosperous business men Of
Chicago who have acquired wealth and
independence through their own talents
and exertions. Mr. Tansil was born in
the State of Virginia in 1914. His
mother died in 1916, and his father
being an officer in the U. S. Marine
Corps, the duties of which required
cruises of three years duration, the
subject of our sketch was practically
left an orphan when less than two
years of age. In 1861 he accompanied
| his maternal grand parents, Weemss
to Illinois, where he decided to remain.
Mr.. IGnsIII IS the lineaI descendant of
the Rev. Mason Locke Weems, who was
at one time the rector of POhic. General
WashingtOH's church, and is familiarly
known as the historian of the revolution.
His works included, among many 9th
ers the life of Washin gton which con-
contains the original hatchet
story. On January 1, 1867
he married Mary E. Iotter. of Clayton,
Ill, and it was in this town that he
first engaged in the cigar business. AT
an early date he became convinced that
Chicago was the coming city of the
west, and in 1868 he decided to remove
his business to that city, where, in the
great fire of 1871, his entire capital was
swept away. Like great many other
of ChicagO's young business men, he
was not crushed by this mist ortuue, but
making a fresh start In busin ess, paying
his creditors 100 cents on the dollar, he,
for a number of years conducted one of
the largest cigar factories in Chicago.
"
covering as 1t did the whole country, to-
gether with the increased demand for
manufacturing and shipping facilities,
caused him to transfer the manufacture
of his cigars to New York, the wisdom Of
which move has been demonstrated by
the continued expansion of his business,
so that he now enjoys the distinction OF
having the largest mail order cigar
house IN America.
The causes of Mr.. Tansiu's success are
not hard to find. He is a man Of orig
inality and action. In carrying out an
idea he has the rare faculty Of adapting
the means to the end, and once satisfied
of the sOundness Of his plan, he exc
cutes it theoretically. These qualities
are perhaps best illustrated by his
unique achievement of building up and
maintaining a great business with
out drumming. Is IS needless to
say that this desira bic result could not
have been brought about had he not
possessed an intuitive genius for
advertising. Tt is Mr. TansiIPs poll
icy to, in all cases, do better by his
patrons than he agrees to do, but back
of all this remains the fact that he is far
too shEeWd TO eXpend brain and money
IN pushing an article which lacks the
merit to back up its claims. His goods
are never allowed 20 detegiOrate, 40
matter what the demand foE them may
be tHHa wisdom of his r1oi7rW ia DEM
onstrated by enormous business
which he has developed
AIr. Iansill is probably better knOwa
to the smokers of the country as the
originator of the celebrated 'pensiiIs
Punch" This brand he placed on the
market nearly a quarter of 3 cen
tury ago. Its popularity vas phe-
nOmenai from the start Its sales
have been unparalleled in the his-
tory OF tEe cigar trade, and 4 is rcCogs
nized today By the smoking public -
the headings cent cigar Of the q. IS