Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-30

there. He was sent from Cleveland to
congress-, and was for years one of the
| soundeSt advisers of the Republican party.
l think that Townsend and Strong were
| partners at Mansfield. Another man who
has done much since he left that part of
Ohio is General Tom Eckert, who is now
the president of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. During my chat with the
mayor | asked him how he happened to
| leave Mansfield. He told me that he was
ambitious. wanted to see something of the
world. and concluded TO try New York.
| He began his work here as d clerk, receiv-
ing at first $lCO a month. Then he was
sent out West to collect bills for his firm,
| and succeeded so well that mis- salary was
increased right along. In those days there
We're no collecting agencies. The mer-
chants came to New York to buy their
goods, and as they usually purchased on
time. the wholesale dealers had to send
| their collectors out West to get the money.
They sent them much as they now send
drummerS out to sell goods. Young Strong
soon got 4 large acquaintance in the West.
I He was a good mixer. and was so popular
that il is said that he would often take
Dime with a man in the evening or go 10
church with him. the man knowing that he
would the next day appeal against him in
n law suit. lie did so well, in fact, that he
WAS soon able to 20 into business for him
self. and he Is now one of the rich men OF
! New York. He Is, l am told, worth ON
Siderably more than T.0o0.C00 and. in adj
dition to a big commission business. he
has other interests Of many kinds. When
he was elected mayor ne was one of the
directors OF tne New YORK Lie insurance
Company, president OF the Homer Lee
Bank Note Company, and the confidential
adviser of other institutions. Before he
took the office. however. he said to his as
sociates of the different boards: Gentle
men, for the next three years you will
have to get along without my aid. / am
now in the employ of the city of New York
and will have to work for them" Mayor
Strong has carried out this resolution.
His commission business is managed by
his son. Putnam Bradlee Strong. and the
M N-RF'G Uhnln strength Is devoted tn tho
city.
New York VIII Lead the World.
I asked Mayor Strong a few questions
about the greater New York. He said he
had no doubt but hat the city would pros
per even more than it had done in the past,
and that II would eventually be the great
est city of the whole world. His ideas on
this subject are those Of an optimist. He
has faith in the United States and in New
York. He does not believe the country is
going to the dogs, and evidently does not
think TIE days Of prosperity are past.
one of my questions was as to whether
he thought the young men had still a
chauCg of success in the great metropolis.
and whether the business chances would
b. good in the greater New York. The
There are plenty Of opportunities for
young men who come he-e in the right
way
OrH' / aSked.
Any young man who expects TO succeed
in New York" replied Mayor Strong,
must come here determined to rely upon
himself. He must push out for himself,
and not depend upon his friends. The boy
who does that is sure to succeed If he has
good principles and good habits. He must,
however, bend every energy toward accom-
pliShing what he sets out to do, and he
must be economical in respect to money,
time and strength. If he does this and has
il in him he will have "A great success. for
there is no place where the possibilities
or great successes are more than right
here
Which has the best nance to succeed,