Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-12-27
STORY RYOFAPLANMAN
HISTORY or ONE BUSINESS INTER
PRISE IN NEW YORK.

a yssth whs Han Away frva Home
ssd wsst ss the Metropolis Grew 10
Ne . vsry sses~s.fsi Msrshsas-ifis
wife's share is nis Great saseesA
A good example of how fortunes arc
made In New York city Is afforded by
the life and business operations of Nil
lard Fillmore Tompkins. who died atthe
age Of thir'y.nine years. Mr.. Tompsins
Was almost psnniless when. mere boy,
b. frrt came to this city. lie understood
his business. however. ani be had the
courage 90 strike out into a new path.
The result was that building his busi.
nes. up little by little be died worth
tC00,Oo0. To his wife. fully a. much a.
to himself. this success l. due. and Mr.
Tompkins was always tho lrst to 40
knowledge this
When Mr.. Tompkins was fourteen
years old he ran away from the home
where be was born. at Newport, IL. J.,
and came % this city. with the usual
scsolye Of making q fortune Tor him.
elf. lie had ten dollars In hi. pocket
when he started. This. with what
tnowledge of groceries be hal picked
up at the markets near his home. oonsu.
tuted his stock In trade. Naturally on
reaching the city be drifted 90 the gro
Gerry districts, and 60, work AZ clerk In
grocery store on Catharine street
The proprietor Of the store at first paid
the lad barely enough 10 keep him alive.
but realizing that young Tornpkins was
getting ~ thorough knowledge of the
trade A. to make him valuable be raissd
bis wages very soou.
Instead % living In accordance with
bis increased means. Tompkins contin.
ned % live In the same manner A. bc-
fore. putting aside all his surplus money
Tor the purpose % buying horse and
truck. A picture - him taken shortly
after hi. fifteenth birthday looks more
like that ~ man % twenty-cight than
young boy. III. was then tall and well
developed. with q good ,iIed mustaohe
and "sideburns.- I; was more than two
years before the young clerk had saved
enough 10 buy such horss and truck
~ he wanted. When at length be went
into the truck business he made money
40 rapidly that at the end of two years
be was enabled 20 rell out and establish
q retail grocery store Ia Spring street,
near Clin'on market
II had been his idea since bis arrival
In New York 30 own q grocery store.
There were 40 that time no cheap cash
down groceries In the city. Tompkins
made mp his mind that there was money
10 b. made in . purely cash business,
with q cheap scale of prices for trade
among the poorer people. Following
out this idea he increased his businessto 20
such an extent that be soon moved toa
larger store. and then 10 siill larger
one. Within two years after the pur.
chase % his frst store Mr. Tompkins.
now twenty-one years old. bought out
the large grocery A. Spring AMI Sullivan
streets. and hired another building for a
storehouss near by. IL was about this
time iha, be met Nina josephine Coop
or. Of q Charlton street. He fell In love
with her. and after q short courtship.
notwithstanding that Miss Cooper was
only sixteen year, old. they were mar.
ried. From that time on Mr. Tompsins
had q partner In hi, business as well -
In his life.
"You 40 on and eItend the business"
saii young Mr-. Tompkins 20 her hus-
band. II can marage tho Spring street
store while you look after the general
matters" And she did. With a school
knowledge of figures and bookkeeping
she went into the Spring street store.
mastered the business In every detail.
and alone and unAidod has conducted 10
upto the present time In such a manner
a. 10 make u the most successful esiAbr
lishment owned by Mr.. Tompkins. The
business spread steadily. new stores be-
ing established In Bleecker street. Ninth
and Sixth avenues, and In other places
In this city and Jerpey City. until at the
time Of his death Mr. Tompkins owned
eleven retail stores, besides the two
wholesale establishments at 63-Cl Ganse
wort street.
From the fret Mr.. Tompkins stuck by
his principles Of cash payments. lie
discounted all biz bills. aud thus was
able TO buy where others could not,
dealers who were In need Of ready
money often coming 20 him In prefer.
snce TO Others, as they knew that they
could get cash for their goods II was
his idea 10 drop gradually his retail
trade and 60 into the wholesale busi.
ness entirely. The "are Of 40 many es-
tablishments was wearing on him. but
be absolutely refused 10 let any one else
take part In the management
II have built up the business aud
will run IT," he saii. II want no part
ners or managers 10 tell me what 10 do.
When want advice I can 90 TO my
wife. would rather have her judg.
inent on matters connected with tho
grocery business than that of any man
In New York. have been guided al.
ways by her advice. and 10 her fully as
much. " not more than 20 myself, the
success % our business is due.
York Sun.