The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-29
4 BLIND OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
A Fresh Tribute TO Charles broadway

ot'no AAlaoIalre or New YORK, into q,
peculiar kind OF prominence lately. But
MT. Rouss has prominence of another
soHt, ana that as q man of great philan-
thropy and OF noble character generally.
mat one of the individuals who de.
Hiares he can heal blindness, and proves
a. Dy many certificates Is resident Of
chicago, who proposes to restore Mr..
Rouss sight, gives the matter to be con-
sloered local interest as we'll as A.
general one. The person who proposes
70 go from Chicago to see Mr.. Rouss is
A1r. Harry Slater, an intelligent Young
negro man, who came to this city from
Virginia, the native State Of MIR. Rouss,
put ne was born and raised In Mobile,
Ala. He claims to have knowledge of q
virginia herb. the secret Of which has
descended through several generations
of his race, which heals the blind when
properly applied.
0Mr. Rouss was born at Woodbury.,
Md. In 1886. but the family moved to
gerkeley county. Va. in 1s41. and
academy in Winchester, twelve miles
away from the home Of his father, who
was farmer His education was broad
ana Liberal. and. having a turn for COM
merclal affairs, he refused to adopt the
ployment In the establishment Of Jacob
Senseny, one Of the most enterprising
ana prosperous merchants in Winches-
ter Young Rouss began on salary of
81 q week. which was increased from
time to time. At the end Of three years.
when is years Of age, the young man
mad saved $500. and with that sum went
INTO business for himself, and succeed
ed SO we'll that at the end Of six years.
when the civil war began. he not only
chester but Il bank account OF $50, 900
clean cash. He had also taught the
Oldest, as we'll as the youngest Of the
other merchants in the place, much that
was valuable III business methods.
And yet Charles Rouss' philanthro-
pic tendencies were greater than his
business instincts. In the fall Of 1861,
the war being then under full head
way, the very necessary article of salt
having become SO scarce that it was
held at an eSorbitant price and people
even Of moderate means, could not OBJ
tain 1t, Mr.. Rouss succeeded in obtain.
ing, by most difficult processes, q thous.
and sacks Of salt from the salt works
OF southeast KENTUCKY and southwest
Virginia, and this he sold to the people
OF Winchester, his customers and the
poorer classes at what 1t had cost, not
WithstandinG he had been offered s1O,-
ooo profit on the article. The salt, he
SAID, mad not been procured for specula-
lion and no offer could divert him from
the purpose for which he had obtained
IL. In the same manner he disposed OF
large quantity Of sugar that his bust
ness sasacity had induced him to Sc
cure before the military embargo came.
he could have easily realized S2O,OOG
profit Oh the two articles but he de-
clared that he did not need money made
in that way. =
Shortly afterward, feeling that his
services were needed by the State he
so much loved in the army he mounted
good horse ana served through the
war as private soldier in q caylarv
regiment until surrendered with his
comrades at Appomattox In those
years OF strife he suffered. OF course
the privations. perils and other trials
OF soldiers life In active service, and
at the end OF it all he returned to his
fathers home in the Shenandoah Val
ley. penniless, but strong and hopeful
Onlll the harvest was over in 1865 he
made himself useful on the old home
farm; then he told his father that farm
lire was too slow for him and that he
was going to New York to become the
rival of A. II. Stewart as merchant.
The father had great confidence in this
enterprtsing son, but lie couldn't see
sould cope with such competition as
De would find in n great city, notwith-
standing his remarkable success before
the war, in q city Of 5000 people So
ne endeavored TO dissuadc his sanguine
son. Besides. he wished to have the
boy, from whom he had so long been
separated by the war. to remain with
aim ana his mother, both OF whom
were growing old. Charles had the
deepest affection for his parents, but he
felt that to be Of the greatest advantage
10 them he must go where he believed
MS greatest success must come
With money enough to pay his pas
sage to New York and 81 so more, young
Rouss sought the great Atlantic me-
tropolis. For ten years he struggled
with alternating success and failure
and Ills career was even romantic in it's
severe realism. One Of his business eX-
IONS was: 1T Is not time. place or CIR
cumstances, but the man, that com
mands success: and the larger the field
the greater the results" With views
like that and industry, integrity, econ
Watchwords. he at last acquired an i'm
mense paying business and has grown
to be so wealthy that he can easily az
ford to offer q million dollars for the
restoration Of his sight. His loss Of
vision began nearly four years ago and
has continued until he has become to-
tally blind The cause is said by emf
hent oculists to be atrophy Of the optic
nerve and is considered by the great
oculists tO~he incurablc. Rut the i'm
nense sum offered by Mr.. Rouss for
cure has caused hundreds Of persons
to offer all sorts Of remedial devices
and letters by the CARLOAD come to him
from all parts Of the globe, Offering re-
storative suggestions. and these are Of
salVeS and washings, healing prayers
and the waters Of curative springs.