The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-06-05
WHEN FORTUNES COME.
A Statement That Wealth In America IL
Acquired by Men of Forty.

One OF the brightest young men IN puouc
life said to New York Sun man the other
day that he was going to make his ever
lasting fortune some day when he grew
tired Of politics. "But there isplenty Of
time for that" said he "Do you know that
it Is almost rule IN this country that men
do not make their fortunes until they are
forty years old or olderl The grand excep-
ton to the rule is Jay Gould, but the con-
temporary fortunes We're nearly all made
when their founders were at or beyond
middle age. Commodore Vanderbilt, John
Jacob Astor, A. T. Stewart, and all the
others prove what say"
The reporter TO whom this was said
turned over the pages of the biographies
and other works Of reference at his hand,
aud found enough in them to warrant the
assertion that at least great many rich
Americans have been beyond forty years
Of age when they have accrued riches. Ger
tainly the richest body of men in the land,
the United States Senate, is composed of
elderly mon; but in the lower house of Con-
gress we see millonaires who look scarce
ly old enough for the rule.
Alexander I. Ste wart came here in 1923
from Ireland, where he was born in 1903.
He opened little linen store on Broadway,
and gathered wealth very slowly at first, as
most other men had done. He was prudent,
shrewd and original, and gradually became
o heavy importer; but he was forty-five
years old when he became able 10 put up the
| first Of the two great stores in which he
| afterward transacted his business.
Henry Clews is an example, He spent
his early manhood as q clerk, and when the
war broke out and found him broker in q
small way he began to make money. He
and his partner, Mr.. Livermore, who retired
at the close Of the war with half million,
| jobbed in certificates of indebtedness, and
laid the basis OF the wealth which Clews
afterward accrued. He failed, but further
demonstrated the rule by making his way
over again, as Henry Willard has done.
Henry Willard is about fifty.fve years old.
He came here from Germany at twenty
years Of age, and sold subscription books at
first, then became an irregular writer for
the press. He studied law later, but gave
that up and adopted journalism as his pro-
fession. He was forty-one years old when,
in 1874, he began the great Oregon railway
operation that made him wealthy. Nine
years later, when the famous golden spike
was driven through Northern Pacific rail-
road sleeper he was worth 5000, 600. He
impoverished himself in trying to maintain
the value of his property, and went under.
Next, at more than fifty years Of age, ho
rose again as fnancier.
Warner Miller is fifty years old. Be-
ginning in the humblest way, he managed
TO organize q mill company, and worked six
teen hours day for ten years TO make his
fortune. He was past forty when his bank
accounts showed him that he could afford To
take the world more easily. He is o
millionaire now. Levi p Morton is about
sixty-three years old. Twenty-Five years
ago, when he was thirty-eight or thirty
nine, he founded his banking house. He
was fifty.one when his wealth enabled him
TO devote part OF his time 10 public life.
His great stroke was made when he
established his London house in 1868, and
soon afterward went into the syndicate for
fundiAg the United States debt. He was
past forty-three then. Charles Crocker was
past forty when he began TO be millionaire.
Edward r. Jones, the rich scale maker and
Lieutenant Governor Of this State, was
born in 1928. He began his business career
at the close Of the war, and was long past
forty when he became rich. Henry B.
Courtney, the marble millionaire, now dead,
started with fifty dollars In 1853, when
thirty-three years old. He was beyond
middle life when he got his pile.
John B. Slawson, the car-fare box In
ventor, was twenty-five years old when he
went TO New Orleans in 1910 from this
State. There he slowly made his way up
ward But for the war he would have
pushed his invention at forty six years Of
ago, but he bad 70 wait, and he was past fifty
when bis big money began 10 pour In. His
friend Stephenson, the horse car builder,
also millionaire, had 70 wait for middle
age 10 get great riches. SO did the elder
Bennett, OF the Herald, SO did Hon. Oswald
0ttendorfer, and 80 did the late Marshall o
Roberts.
Jay Goulds early life was failure, but
this phase OF 1t was very short. He was
born in 1881, and went into specializing in
railroad stock in 1859, when he was only
twenty-eight years old. He was very sue
cessful, and made use Of the war, when II
broke out, TO give large returns on small or
shrewd speculations. His fortieth year
found him, in his present opinion, only
starting in life, but the world already
knew him as master money maker, for he
had been more than three years president
Of the Eric railroad, and his associate, Fisk,
had startled America with his share Of the
partnership.
Samuel J. Tilden made his first consider
able money as O lawyer, but he was more
than forty years old before he put other
aspirations aside for the time and began
that devotion 10 his profession which was
quickly distinguished by his connection
with the greatest law causes Of the day.
He was forty-one when, in 1855, he was
defeated as q candidate for Attorney Gen.
eral OF the State. After that came his
greatest legal triumphs, and after them his
still greater financial operations.
The Standard Oil fortunes nearly all
prove the rule. Mr.. Rogers made his share
Of that pile while younger than forty years
old, but Messrs. Rockefeller, Starbuck and
Flagler were beyond that age when they
grew rich. In Philadelphia, George W.
Childs Is probably an exception. He is only
sixty years old, and has been rich more
than twenty years, but John Wanamaker
only began the making OF his fortune In
1875, when he was thirty-eight He was
nearer fifty than forty when he became real
lyrich.
Augustin DAILY is fifty. two years old. He
was thirty-four when he began his brave
struggle with the dramatic compeny that
Is now world famous. Wealth did not reach
hin till he was beyond forty. The ministry
contains numerous examples that are 10
the point Rev. DIR. John Hall was thirty.
eight years old when he came 10 America
on the mission that introduced him here.