Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-11-15

rather than the rule. A trlend IN
need is friend indeed, and he who
conducts his business operations In
these times of war, so as to afford life
and sustenance to the poorer classes
rather than to accumulate wealth,
gives evidence Of genuine disinterested
patriotism, and builds for himself
monument more attractive than the
polished work of the sculptor's hand.
THE desire to amass riches, even
at the expense of grinding down the
poor, has been so frequently and fully
demonstrated on the part of business
men in general that one conducting
operations under different plan Is
accounted the wonder of the communi-
ty. We have been led into these re-
marks by circumstances which lately
came under our observation. The ex-
orbitant prices demanded for the nee
essary article of salt having attracted
the attention of our enterprising, 60
ahead townsman, C. B. Rouss, that
gentleman dispatched an agent to the
salt works in Southwestern Virginia
with instructions to buy 1000 sacks
to be furnished to his customers and
the poor of the town at as low price
as possible Owing to the destruction
of the bridges on some of the roads
and the occupation of others in trans
porting Government freight, only
portion of the salt had reached Stras-
burg. On its arrival there the follow
ing telegraphic correspondence took
place:
Strasburg, Nov 20.
C. B. Rouss: There are one hun
dred sacks of salt here of yours. |
am offered $1,000 for it. Answer.
John Fleming.
Winchester, Nov. 2S.
John Fleming: Ten thousand dol
lars would not buy it. c. B. Rouss.
"On the arrival of the salt at Win
chester, and before it was unloaded
from the wagon, Mr.. Rouss was offer
ed Sl4 sack for it, but he refused
the tempting bait, on the ground that
he had purchased it for the purpose OF
accommodation, not speculation. The
entire stock of salt was disposed of at
S. a sack, no purchaser being allowed
more than one sack. Mr. Rouss has
the proud consolation of knowing that
in refusing large pecuniary gain he
has added to the comfort and health
of a large class in this community
"In the article of sugar a similar
liberality has been displayed by Mr..
Rou8s. Hogshead after hogshead has
been retailed out by that gentleman
at twelve and half cents pound,
when 20 and % cents pound could
have been realized. We have alluded
to this transaction not for the purpose
of putting Mr.. Rouss, but with the
hope that others seeing his good exam
pie will be constrained to go and do
likewise 1t will give them a pleas
ing prominence in the community
whilst at the same time a conscious
ness of duty well performed will adj
minister to their happiness through
life. Would that men of industry,
energy and humanity such as Is ex-
hibited by Mr.. Chas. B. Rouss were
more plentiful.
DETERMINES TO GO TO NEW YORK.
After the surrender of Lee at APP
pomattox Mr.. Rouss returned TO his
fathers farm a poorer man than when
he started as boy in Senseney's s store.
All his property had been swept away,
and 20 years of his life had passed by.
He remained on his fathers farm for
about year. AS he tersely puts 1t,
"plowing corn and planting potatoes.
Mr.. Rouss was not suited to that sort
of a life. He didn't object to hard
work, but be wanted money in return
for it, and there was no profit in farm
ing. He finally told his father he
wanted to go to New York; that he
believed he could make his mark in
the metropolis. The devoted parent,
to quote Mr.. Rouss, replied: "All
right, Charley, own this farm. Go
see how much you can borrow on it. "
The future millionaire mounted his
horse and rode all over three counties,
but the people were so poor that he
could not raise dollar on one Of the
finest estates in the Shenandoah VAL
ley. He managed to get together $2Sr
and with that started to New York.
On his way he stopped in Baltimore,
and found that the wholesale mer-
chants there were willing TO help him
if he wanted to start in that city
New York was the goal Of bis ambi-