The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-07-19
a bEALER M aMALL ooLN
A Unique business That Amounts 20 MILL
Ions Of Dollars Every Year.


A unique business That Amounts TO Mill.
Ions Of Dollars Every Year.
Every working day, cloud OF sunshine,
during banking hours, faded wagon OF
slight frame and leather covering, drawn
by "a Rosinante with a meek visage and
the cut of worker, may be seen stand
ing few minutes at time in front of
some one or another of the many banks
that abound in the neighborhood Of City
Hall. From this wagon descends a man
with an active tread and dark hair gray
ing under the rains Of probably fifty
springs. In his hand he holds canvas
bag of large size and evidently of heavy
weight, which he draws from the back
OF the wagon, and with which he enters
nearby bank If he does not take a
bag into the bank the process is reversed
and he emerges with large bag of
money, deposits it in the wagon and
drives off rapidly.
Few are better known to the opulent
business men Of the city and less known
to the public at large than Theodore V.
Smalley. Mr.. Smalleys occupation is
that of a broker, a title borne by scores
Of wealthy and worthy citizens, resi-
dents of the city, and not sufficient in
itself to distinguish its bearers avoca-
ton in life AS in any way remarkable.
But the nature Of the brokerage business
that Mr.. Smalley has transacted for over
the last twenty years is unique. No one
else in this city is in the same sense a
broker. One or two others, perhaps, are
In New York, which city, however, Mr.,
Smalley includes to certain extent in
his field of operations.
He is a money broker, is Mr.. Smalley
To buying and selling money of the low
est denomination hedevotes himself with
singleness Of purpose. Promising build
ing lots are no temptation to him. He
is indifferent to rises and falls in railway
shares and as innocent in puts and calls
as a froicsome kid of drawing room eti-
quette. Nay, it is even rumored that he
cares not for even the elysium delights
Gof the owanus canal.
Mr.. Smalley buys pennies, nickels,
dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars
from churches, banks and newspaper Of
fees and places of amusement, and sells
to big stores, factories, pawn offices,
banks and large business houses. A
profit of 1 per cent. in the dollar ON
pennies satisfies him, as win seventy-five
cents profit on 81 ,000in silver. Not often,
he says, does he get more 1t is in the
magnitude Of his transactions and not on
the percentage that he finds profit. In a
year he handles over $3,000,000. He is
punctuality personifed, and many are the
large stores in which the clerks time the
hour by his daily arrival, laden with
strong bags with pennies and silver
Formerly" said Mr.. Smalley, with a
sigh, to the writer, 'the profits were
much greater. That was when trade
dollars were in vogue, but now the bust.
ness is down very fine and it is not on
account of competition"
Are you not afraid of being robbedg
II was robbed once, but | don't think
l will be again. Around the banks rob
bing is almost impossible. There is nc
more secure place that know of. Officer
Kelly is vigilant officer. He has been
long time ON his beat and knows stran.
gers at sight and the character and pur.
pose of every loiterer."
1t was on the 7th of March, 1891, that
the sole robbery Of which Mr.. Smalley
was the victim occurred He had pur.
chased early in the forenoon, and about
quarter Of an hour previous to the rob
berry, several hundred dollars worth OF
small money at The Eagle office, and had
driven to st. Annes church, ON Front
street, near Gold. While waiting a few
moments in the pastoral residence for the
Rev. Father McMeel strange man tool
advantage of his absence, jumped int
the wagon, and. driving off at furious
gallop, escaped pursuit. The robbery
created sensation at the timeo accoun
of the audacious manner Ia which it wal
effected. w. II. Morris, whose sobrique
is Country Conlllin,p was arrested upoI
suspicion, tried and acquitted. Th
money amounted to 1927, not cent o
which Mr.. Smalley recovered. Brook
lyn Eagle.