Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1895-03-12
NEW sERIEs, VOL. Xxx, he. II.

SubSlSeS0 "a pun - SANSe q nay 1tH
undaunted by tie numerous setbaeks,
he finally succeeded in embarking in
business for himself and began the
work of piling up the fortune that
to-day insures the success of one of
the greatest mercantile establish
ments upon the face of the globe, an
establishment that employs over five
hundred people who attend sales ag-
gregating ten million dollars q year.
and that has enabled its owner to pay
taxes on a million and half dollars
worth of real estate in this city, and
placed his rating at the handsome
sum of over five million dollars, which
is one of the largest private fortunes
in America, and is very rapidly be-
coming greater.
No finer example of a thorough
business man and a Democratic citi-
zen of this great republic could be
offered than CharlesBroadway Rouss,
who is more easily approached than
any other truly great man on this
continent. He is st home during
business hours. where he may be
found and seen by any one who de-
sires a personal interview. He
listens to the slightest complaint
against any one of his employees
with as much well-bred attention as
he does to some Western or Southern
merchant whose business with him
runs into the hundreds of thousands
of dollars.
He is now about fifty-eight years
of age, of medium height, with a
cIear-cut. intelligent face, gray hair,
and closely cropped moustache,
partly concealing mouth of great
firmness. His movements are rapid
and his brain active enough to i'm
mediately solve any business prob
lem that may come before him.
This, together with great amount
of nervous energy he possesses, en-
abIes him to still retain personal su-
pervision of all the details of his
business.
There is probably to-day no single
individual upon the face of the globe
that dispenses as much money daily
in the aid of worthy charity as does
Charles Broadway Rouss, and this
princeIy giving is done in the most
modest and unassuming manner
His charity knows no creed, no pol
itics, no South, no North, no East,
no West--it is so general, in fact,
that it is feared that he is not in
frequently imposed upon, but it is
well known fact that, having satisfied
himself that any applicant is a worthy
one, that applicant is never turned
away from his door empty-handed.
So strong is his love of early home
that it is estimated that his gifts 70
the little town of Winchester aggre-
gate over hundred thousand dollars
as he gave the town their present
costly and effective system of water
works, placed iron fences around the
Stonewall Cemetery there, provided
the fire department with several
steam engines and hook and ladder
outfit, and gave the Agricultural
Society many thousands of dollars to
be used in prizes to promote that
branch Of Industry.
Mr.. Rouss is the worthy sire of
two worthy sons. His eldest, Charles
H. B. Rouss, was engaged in bust
ness with his father for some years,
and gave every indication of being
the possessor of great amount of
business ability and sufficient bril-
liancy TO enable him to eventually
succeed his father as the head of the
house, when what would have been
parallel career with that of his
fathers was cut short by his sudden
death CATER a few days ilIness) at
the early age of thirty-oDe. This
blow was one under which man Of
less will power and force of char
acter would have collapsed, but he
manfully bore up under his great
bereavement. He has one re naming
son, Peter Winchester Rouss. For
some time after the death of his
eldest son SIR. Rouss conducted his
business alone, but about three years
ago he took his younger son into
partnership with him, and this pro-
motion has been more than satisfac-
tory to the father, as it has develo-
ped the fact that he is careful. indus
trious, and capable, and that he
exercises Judgment seldom shown by
men much older. There is no doubt
but that when the time comes for
Charles Broadway Rouss to lay aside
:6e cares of business and retire to the