Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-07-04

ulators-Story of the First Dollar
Bill He Ever Owned.
The late Roswell Pettibone Flower,
teacher. seller of watches, politician,
statesman, financier, philanthropist,
was born III Theresa, Jefferson county.
N. Y, on Aug. 7, 1885, the sixth Of
nine children. His father died when he
was years old, and the boy helped his
mother to run the wool carding and
clothmaking business in the summer
season and went to school In winter I'M
til he had obtained good education.
Then he became teacher, and after
two years of this he took position as
clerk. He was 10 years old when he
found himself clerk in general mer-
chandise store in Watertown, and the
postmaster made him his deputy at a
salary of $50 month. He was deputy
postmaster for six years. In that time
he had saved 81 900, and then he bought
out the postmaster's interest in jew
slry business, turned in and learned the
trade at the bench and joined labor
union. He bought out his partner and
sold watches and repaired the trinkets
of Watertown until 1860. Meantime he
became a volunteer fireman and mar
ried Miss Sarah NJ. Woodruff, a daugh-
ter Of Morris NJ. Woodruff.
1t was as leader of Wall street that
Ex-Governor Flower was best known,
though his prominence in politics at
one time seemed to preclude his attain
ing any further pre-eminence in differ
ent line. Only after he left the execu-
tive chair in Albany did Mr.. Flower
pay especial attention to the speculative
market. Chicago Gas was his first big
deal. Then came Rock Island, Interna-
tional Paper, Brooklyn Rapid Transit,
Federal Steel, but the biggest opera
tion of all with which his name has
been connected is Brooklyn Rapid
Transit.
Some of his friends interested him in
Chicago Gas. 1t was big enterprise.
extensively managed. He brought about
reductions in expenses and bought al
the stock he could get his hands on. Fl
bought in the fifties and the stock went
to more than 100. Brooklyn Rapid
Transit was selling at 6 when he went
into it. He and Anthony N. Brady
bought 10000 shares apiece for q
starter. Then they advised all their
friends to buy. One road after another
was absorbed in the combination.
Finally the Long Island and the Coney
Island hotels became part of the system.
OF all the millionaires that Wall
street has known Mr.. Flower has been
the most genial the most approachable,
the one with the most warm personal
friends. He was short and stout and
jolly. He told funny stories and enjoyed
hearing them. His word was never
broken. He was never suspected Of be-
ing tricky, even in Wall street. where
"wizards' abound.
When Flower was governor, the chol-
era scare convulsed the New York end
of New York state. The legislature was
not in session, but the governor bought
the Fire Island hotel as a place where
thousands Of cabin passengers from Eu-
rope could he held in comfort and away
from the cholera on shipboard. Before
they could land an injunction was
served forbidding it, The Long Island
ers were afraid Of infection.
The governor asked bis lawyers what
would happen if the people on the trans
fer boats should disregard the injunc-
ton and land He was told they would
have to be arrested and locked up. The
governor sent word to the militia who
were on duty that if any one violated
the injunction and came ashore he must
be arrested and locked up in the hotel.
His instructions were followed, and the
persons from the cholera ships spent
comfortable night. The people on Long
Island were enraged. One of his advis-
ers told the governor that good manage
ment would be required, or there would
be u loss Of votes to the party that own
ed such 20 ahead executive.
Chang the votesl" said the governor.
"I'm thinking Of my duty toward those
unfortunate people,
That expression, "Hang the votes"
never did the governor any harm polit
ically.
Mr.. Flower gave this as his advice to
young men who wanted to speculate:
"Stop making faces and bowling at
trusts and monopolies and get into 'em.
If there is good monopoly around,
manage to get with it and don't make
faces at it. Suppose the young men who
shouted a,'r made faces at the Standard
Oil company had put all the money
they could get hold Of into the COM
pany. See where they'd be today"
Mr.. Flower had the courage Of his
convictions. He believed in prosperity.
Toll or
on himself Of tho first dollar bill he ever
owned. He was working in a general
store. ''They call 'em department stores
now,' he said. He slept in the store.
A small boy slept with him. He had
this new dollar bill. He showed it tc
the small boy before they went to bed
In the morning the dollar bill was miss
ing. The boy didn't come around that
day until late. He had missed the dol
lar in the meantime. He suspected the
boy, so when the boy came around he
asked him to be sure and sleep with