The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-13

Again After a Five Months Ill
nesa-Sh0rt sketch Of His Life.

W M
Mr.. Theodore Stein. member OF the Coun-
ell for the city at large. has once more
made his appearance on the streets. after
an illness which confined him to his home
for nearly five months. To say that he ID
overJoyed at the prospect Of once more be-
ing able to mingle with his fellow-men
would but mildly express his actions. He
liz more like the schoolboy who has just
began his ten weeks summer vacation.
Mr.. Stein Ia not yet able to devote his full
time to his business, and has not felt that
he could take the risk OF the damp night
air and attend a meeting OF the Council.
but IL he continues to improve and favor
able weather offers he expects to be able
to attend the next meeting.
One bright day last week a reporter
dropped into his office and found him bus
lily at work running through the business
which had been transacted by his assist
ants during his enforced absence.
Il haven't time to talk TO anybody" he
said. with q smile. In answer to n friendly
question, except the subject be strictly
business. My work goes on here just the
same when L am away az IL l were here.
but / am one Of those kind of men that
when / get back / want TO know just
what has been done. and | can learn that
only by carefully going over the work"
4 ~ u man VINO iS SO tnuCn deVOtcu 10
his business that he could not resist the
temptation to talk about 1t when he found
a willing listener. Mr.. Stein has been a
busy man during his thirty-six years Of
life, and the story OF his ups ana downs,
as Cleaned from him In a short, friendly
was born In this city Nov. 7, 1858, and, with
the exception Of a short time spent III
the country, has made this his home since.
His education was mostly cleaned within
the four walls or the tlrGG-StOrV brick
building on Maryland street, just east OF
Delaware street. which was then known
as the English Independent School.
He had for schoolmates the elder Vonne-
CUTS, Frenzels, Seidenstickers Metzgers
and many other German ads who have
After leaving school he was apprenticed
to William Braden to learn the art Of lith-
four years. These four years he looks upon
as simply lost, as his taste was not suffl-
GENTLY artistic for him to have become sue
cessful in that line. One OF his highest
ambitions was to become a soldier through
the medium of West Point, but his small
stature made this impossible: This ambi-
cation in mathematics up to a high stand
ard. through preparatory study. before he
school. That and delving into the State
records to make copies of swamp land sur
yeys marked out the course Of his life.
life, he made Plat Book 8. now in use in
the recorders office. which Is considered
BY all judges the finest piece OF work in
From 1878 to 1887 Mr.. Stein was employed
by H. Hermann, lumber dealer, first as
bookkeeper. but finally as manager. About
that time William G.. Anderson. abstractor
Of titles. died. and this opened up a new
become independent? The abstract bust.
ness, after being closed for four months
was to be sold He finally concluded e
business. Until the business was trans
ferred to him he did not realize what 4
records. such as are essential to a good
business of that kind. For four months
nothing had been done on the books. The
business was at first a constant expense,
with no income, the business of Mr.. An
derson having gone to others during tae
and prejudice against a new man were sc.
rious drawbacks, but, with his Characters
tic energy and pluck, he soon overcame
the successful procession. in spite of the
predictions of friend and foe that he would
soon De without house or home on account
so marked that he is now frequently called
upon to go to distant parts of the State
to, search the records. of some important
missing link in the chain of title to th>
estate. even though abstractors may be
fo 1nd In every sou cunt seat. ,u. -
taking the business was that the books
back Of 1872 were not in good shape. the
of abstracts made on order. This fact was
frequently used against him in his business
ana SO ne undertook the almost endless
task of making complete copies of all the
county records prior to that date. For six
years this work has been going on, and,
with the exception of a small portion, he
now has a set of records which are equal
to those of the county,, and the most com.
plete set of abstract books in the State.
When the new street Improvement law
went into effect Mr.. Stein early realized
that his books could not be complete with
out a copy of every assessment roll, which
carried with it a lien on the property. He
did not wait until the work had accumu-
lated, but began making these copies as
soon a. the first roll was turned over to
the city controller. and now has a complete
record of them ali. MIR. Stein is a Scottish
Rite Mason and also a member of several
other orders. He prides himself that his
ancestors fought for the freedom OF this
country from the calling English shackles
AS a councilman he is looked upon with
pride bv those who placed him in that
office. He is a director of several building
and loan associations and a director Of the
German Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
When Mr.. Stein was told that he had been
In an animated conversation with the re-
rorter for over an hour he jumped to his
feet and said:
"Well. I didn't know that. I must get to
work. I never know how time passes wher
T have some one to listen to me-"
TransmiRrntfOn.