The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-25
THE HALF CENT MAN.
HOW NEW Works POsToFFICE GAVE
HIM HIS FIRST START.

He Received $1,000 That He Didn't Ex- |
pect-It Was His Share of Extra |
Profit the Firm Made by Following One |
OF His suggestions.
The biggest, best and mcGt expensive |,
ly furnished house in the town of Win |
terport, Me-, is owned and occupied by |
David Heagon Smith, big, blue eyed |
Yankee, who started out as poor boy !
and earned his money and his reputa-
ton among the granite quarries Of Pc |
nobscot bay. Though Mr. Smith was
always generous, giving literally TO
church and charity, he has been known
among his friends as the 'half cent
man" for nearly 30 years
Beginning as drag tender, young
Smith worked his way up, and in 1870
was appointed general manager of the
quarries on Dix island, nine miles south
west from Rockland. At that time the
Dix Island Granite company, for which
Mr.. Smith worked, had just taken the
contract to quarry and cut the stone for
the New York postoffice.
Stcnecutters and blacksmiths received
$3.50 day for eight hours work, the
United States paid the bills, and every
body connected with the work was pros
porous. The first set Of pay rolls that
! was made out came back from Wash
| ington for revision. At So. 90 day
| frll days wages came out in even
change, and so did half day. The
trouble was in the fourths. A quarter
of days pay was S71a cents, and
| three quarters of day was So. 621a,
and while the government is honest it
cannot and will not countenance the
splitting of cents in the wages Of any
body.
When the matter was explained, there
was solemn meeting held in the COM
pany's office, which was attended by G.
p. Dixon of New York, the company's
treasurer; Alfred B. Mullett, United
States supervising architect; two or
three congressman, including James G..
Blaine, and small army of local bosses.
Mr. Mullett proposed to divide the frac-
tions equally ON the quarters, giving
the quarter of day man SO cents and
the three-quarters of a day man So. 62.
Mr. Dixon was about to accede to the
ing the idea Of great nation like the
United States haggling and wriggling
over little matter of half cent day.
His argument prevailed, and, Mr.. Null
lett yielding, the pay rolls allowed quar-
ter of day men SO cents and half a
day men SO. CD. The workingmen gained
both half cents and nobody was injured.
The New York postoffice, costing
more than $1,000, 900, was completed
in 1874, and the new Philadelphia post
office and courthouse was started the
same year and finished in 1877, SO near
" 5000 skilled mechanics had continu-
Gus employment for seven years. Under
the terms of the contract the company
received 90 cents a cubic foot for the
granite employed in the two structures
and had commission of 10 per cent
upon the gross cost of the buildings.
When both jobs were done, Mr.. Dixon
/ called Mr.. Smith into his Office and pre-
sented him with check for 50, 600.
"What is this for?" asked Mr.. Smith,
! who had always drawn his pay at the
end of every month. Instead of making
! an immediate reply Mr.. Dixon put an
other question:
"How much is 10 per cent of one
half cent, David?'
! "Three-fortieths of cent, replied
d Mr.. Smith.
! "And how many three -fortieths of q
c cent are there in So, 000?"
/ This puzzled Mr.. Smith for time,
and Mr.. Dixon laughed.
care there 1000, 000?''
"No, sir "
"Are there $500, OOo?" continued
c Mr.. Dixon.
eyes, sir, and fraction over. "
q "Well. David, +" resumed Mr.. Dixon
81 have made few figures for myseli
and have learned that your talk to Null
. lett, which gave me both half cents
: has earned me about $40, 900, and
i think 1 ought to divide. That's you
half on the check.
g The following spring Mr.. Smith wen
to Winterport and bought the old Urea
homestead The place originally cos
about $50, 900, but had fallen into de
cay, so Mr.. Smith was able to buy /
: for So, 000 Since then he has fixed i
a up and beautifed it SO it is one of th
finest estates on the Penobscot river
When visitors call and praise the home
stead, Mr.. Smith says
, eyes, / like it. 1t was bought from
n a commission of one-half of 10 per cen
L on half cents but L guess it Is goo'
, enough for me- boston Globe.