The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-20
ALL SOLD DRY GOODS.
Famous Men Who Once Stood Behind the
Counter.


Bos TON, Dec 19.-Eben Jordan, who
has just died millionaire after many
years Of enjoyment of we'll earned
wealth, started in life as farmers boy
and went from that into the dry goods
business, beginning at the bottom. At
the time of his death he was one OF the
leading examples of great Americans
who have made their mark in the bust
ness world through the medium of dry
goods. The list of great men who have
started in life selling dry goods over the
counter would i'll great big book.
One of these men is governor of a
great state and presidential possibii-
ty. Levi P. Morton began life as clerk
in a country store, and he sold dry
goods in Boston when he was a young
man.
Another one time dry goods clerk is
now great editor-the greatest editor,
if the votes of the newspaper men of
the United States were taken or the
subject, will venture to say. Charles
A. Dana was clerk in Buffalo dry
(
struggling for an education.
Another editor who was clerk in a
country store is Henry G. Bowen of the
New York Independent. He was clerk
in his fathers country store at Dudley,
Mass, before he got into his head the
idea of being journalist. Massachu-
sets has furnished great share of the
successful dry goods men of the country.
Henry B. Claf1in, who died in New
York in 1885, was clerk in the coun-
try store of his father at Milford, Mass,
and succeeded his father in business
there. He saw an opening in New York
and went there to build up dry goods
trade worth millions.
Cornelius n. Bliss, the noted New
York business man and politician, is a
native of Fall River, Mass, and after
working in the store of his stepfather
at New Orleans for time he entered
a Boston dry goods house as a clerk. He
became a partner, opened a branch in
New York and made his millions in
the dry goods trade.
Justin s. Morrill, of the nearby state
of Vermont is not an example of wealth
accumulated in the dry goods trade,
though he made comfortable fortune
for himself keeping a general store at
the place where he was born, STAFFORD,
VT
John Wanamaker is another dry goods
dealer who has gone into political life,
| though he has never held an elective
Office. He was President Harrison s
I postmaster general, and he has been one
of the liberal contributors to campaign
funds for many years.
David Bows, the noted commission
merchant, who died millionaire, be-
gan his career as a boy in an Albany
dry goods store at 800 year, and he
had to open the store each morning and
dress the show window He got a raise
! the second year to $3.50 and the year
| following to $3.50. Most of his money
| was made i'll railroads and banking.
! Another millionaire who started in dry
! goods and grew rich in railroad enter
prises is c. P Huntington. He kept a
/ store in California in the gold days, as
| did a great many other people who went
to the coast in 1649. Senator Perkins Of
California was one of these, and Mark
! Hopkins was another.
L. 2. Letter of Washington and New
York started in business as a porter, or
something equally as humble, in Chi
cago store He retired from the dry
goods business few years ago with sew
eral millions. which he has been spend
ing in society ever since.
A. T. Stewart of New York had a
better start than Mr.. Jordan. He inner
tied So, 600 from his father in Ireland,
with which he opened his store on
Broadway. His business for the three
years preceding his death aggregated, l
believe, about $205, 900, 600. He paid
$3.50 rent for his first store and slept
there. Mr.. Jordan's first rent was $500
year.
s. B. Chittenden, who died in New
York millionaire, began life as a clerk
in country store at New Haven. He is
remembered chiefly for the S125, 900 Ii
brary building he presented to Yale.
George S. Gee, who was the founder
of the clearing house in New York,
worked in a country store for four years
and sold dry goods over the counter.
When he went into banking, it was as
clerk, porter and messenger. He made
$1,000, 900 in banking.
Don Alonzo Cushman, one of the well
known Cushman family of New York,
went to the city when he was Is years
old with ST. in his pocket. He had sold
dry goods in a country store at Coopers-
town before that.
William E. Dodge, the millionaire
New Yorker who used to give more
than $500, 900 year to charity during
his life time, began as boy of all work
in dry goods store in New York city
and worked for others till he was %
years old, when he started store of his
own. Another noted philanthropist who
became wealthy i'll the dry goods trade
was Samuel Appleton of this city, wh(
died good many years ago. Bronson
Alcott, the noted philosopher, was {
dry goods merchant once.
H M. Flagler, the Standard Oil mil
lionaire, was clerk in a country store il
Orleans county, N. Y, when he was Il