Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-10-18
CHARLES BROADWAY ROUSS.
Extract from '.Ne,r York, The MetroP-
oils"

\ Extract from "Netr York, TIE MetfOP-
oils"
Every merchant in the United States and
thousands outside of il have heard of Charles
Broadway Rouss, and yet how comparatively
few there are who have read this extraordi-
nary story. Nothing more marvellous than
the history of the man has ever appeared in
the pages of romance. He came TO New
/ York in the ragged uniform Of an almost
broken hearted Confederate soldier who had
been surrendered at Appomattox with four
dollars in his pocket, while now he possesses
an independent fortune. Apart from the
great commercial success which he has
achieved as a merchant, his original traits OF
character, the pathos, and what may be
termed the poetry of his life, the failure and
the success Of his remarkable career emf
nently fit him for a place in work like
'New York, The Metropolis"
Charles Broadway Rouss was born in
Woodsboro, Maryland, in 1886, but when a
mere child was taken 90 live in Berkeley
county, now in West Virginia, whence after
some years he moved to Winchester, in the
famous Shenandoah Valley Here he lived
and was prospecting in a modest way as
merchant when the ,ocsin Of war sounded
throughout The land, and men with hearts
in their bosoms sprang To arms in defence OF
the cause they deemed right Young Bouss
did not hesitate rs to his choice he joined
the Coufsderacy he belonged TO heimmor-
tai army of Northern Virginia, Of which
Robert E. Lee was the commander-in- chief;
he fought under the immediate eye OF
Stonewall Jackson. and those who know
him best bear witness that mose magui6-
cent soldier or one more uuselfshly loyal did
not carry a musket during those four years
Of fierce strife that began at Fort Sumpter
and ended al Appomattox. After year ia
the corn6eld he came to New York 20 begin
the world anew, not knowing what the fu
lure had in store for the war-woru soldier
of a lost cause. But if he had only few
dollars in his pocket Charles Broadway
Rouss had in his heart the grim resolve TO
succeed, aud here may be the proper place
10 observe that his capacity did not subject
him 20 limitations as 10 a calling. Any one
who reads his Monthly 4nctioa Journal will
at once realize that journalism has lost in
him great editor, literature perhaps great
poet. Any one who has heard him speak
when the mood was on him to throw out
sparks of FIRE, could have no difficulty in
imagining that he could mould himself into
an orator But he had young aud grow
Ing family be had some experience in the
business, aud it may be tha, it WAS necessi
ty drove him into the dry goods trade as it
was opportunity made of Oliver Wendell
Holmes 9 physician, and of Henry Stedman
banker However this may be, he did
become a dry goods merchant
We are told how he began the battle of
life, and the story is both Interesting and
instructive He paid fifty cents a DAY rent
and a like sum for maintenance, aud grubbed
and plodded pluckily along, the world hear
ing very little Of him until 1876, when it
was incidentally informed that this ex Con
federate wauderer from Winchester had forty
branches Of his business in different cities
in the Union
This piece OF news was published in the
daily papers Of the time in connection with
his failure in business For be did, uudoubt-
eddy fail once, aud the failure taught him
the lesson Of his lire At this time his store
was in Duane street, and when a balance
was struck he found himself SOL 900 poorer
than when he began business eleven years
before Why he failed was because he had
been doing business on the credit system -
Every one knows the result also that the
first thing be did when fortune favored him
was to pay of his SOL, 900 Indebtedness to
the last farthing, principal and interest
From that time everything he touched turn
ed into gold-not however, through blind
chance or good luck, but a result of cool,
mathematical calculation, great energy,
hard work and perseverance.
He was obliged TO enlarge his premises,
and being about il at all, he did the thing
in prineely style. His store on Broadway
is the wonder Of New York, not so much on
account Of its size as because Of its s,ateli-
ness and architectural beauty. IT'S notice