Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-24

! went and fetched the water and brought
| hack bullet holes III his hat and clothes.
The rough soldiers cheered the act and
threw their arms around him.
When the war was over he went back 10
Sparta to find his home had been burned
and his mother. like many another in those
| troublous times, left penniless. He taught
school for six months with gun at side In
those mountain districts the period just fol-
lowing the war was not less dark than the
four unhappy years themselves. Inc
guerilla warfare that had augmented the
general trouble did not cease at the surren-
der but outrageS continued to De perpe-
trated upon the men ard families OF the
men who had served in the armies. The
writer has heard Mr.. Rotan tell how many
a time scowling faces would appear at the
door of his little school house and seeing
him armed, would ride mutterins away. At
last this life became unbearable and he
BOUGHT a pony and started for Texas. Ar
irving at Waco with naught to bless him
self with but worn out pony and steady
soul he began teaching school by day and
keeping books by night for the mercantile
house of Kellum & Sparks. he continued
these double labors for two years, during
which time he married. Upon the dlssoIu,
ton of the old firm Mr.. Kellum admitted
Rotan to a partnership, establishing the
wholesale grocery house of Kellum u hotan
in the wear 1871 which dates the commence
ment of Ed Rotan's business career.
By his eaergy and capabllity the control
of the business soon passed into MS hanos,
and under his guidance the house estab-
lished for itself "a reputation for absolute
trustworthiness which has never reflected
shadow.
For candor and honesty, for upright deal
ing for excellence of business methods, for
foresight in the management OF credits,
there is no house in Texas whose past eaa
show fairer page From the beginning
their career has been steady advance,
with an increasing volume Of trade from
year to year.
At Waco the name of the hrm IS synony-
nous with the highest business authority.
In the autumn of 1889 occurred the death
of Mr.. Kellum. Mr.. Rotan succeeding to
the business, and a few weeks after con-
solidated with Shear, Davis q Co., q rival
house, the interest of the two houses into
stock company, under the name of the
Rotau grocery company, OF which Mr.
Rotan is president. He is also president OF
the First national bank, one OF the soundest
banking institutions in Texas.
Personally Edward Rotan is slender,
dark-haired man, with broad, thoughtful
brow and sensitive face, quick and decided
in his movements, with rapid. uenchant
speech; a man who posts himself thor
oughly about his undertakings, then de-
votes himself with forceful perseverance to
hiS,purposes.
His business qualifications, his high
sense of justice, his willingness to look at
an sides Of question, his sagacity and
clear headeduess. and the moral dignity of
the man, together with his intellectual at
tainments aud personal fascination, have
drawn about him the love and confidence
of the people who know him.
Should he be elected. to the Office Of gov
ernor. the people might safely rest in the
confidence that they had bestowed their
high gift where 4 shadow would never fall
upon its honor, that they had put it into
clean hands which would receive 1t as
1sIblic trust and render it back to them
with as much of large-hearted patriotism
and faithful service as he could per-
form. N