The Anaconda standard., 1899-11-21
FORTUNE IN A SWEEPER.
Business Ability of Grand Rapids
Woman.

| Woman.
| Womans ways and wits and enter
| prise are unfathoma Bile and inexhaus-
| tible. re richest woman in Grand
| Rapids is Mrs. NJ. r. Bissell. She is
| worth something over a millton-how
| much over only herself knows. This
| fortune has been built up in the last
| 20 years, and a most important factor
| in its building has been Mrs. Bssell
| herself, who, as her own business man
| aser, has personally directed opera
tions of magnitude and assumed
weighty responsibilities.
M. r. Bissell several years ago con-
Quoted a modest crockery store in
Grand RAPIDS. He invented a carpet
sweeper and in a small way began it's
manufacture in the basement of his
store. He had confidence in his inven-
ton, and so did his wife, and they
were together in pushing its merits
upon public atten ton. With energy
behind the enterprise the basement fac
tory was before long abandoned for
larger quarters. There were several
other carpet sweepers on the market
at that time, most of them manufac-
tured here, and Mrs. Bissell was a
leading figure in the negotiations which
bought out or closed out the rivals or
brought them into the single company
organized to carry on the business. The
new company was capitalized at $780,
| 900 and Mrs. Bissell was as constantly
| on the ground as her household duties
| would permit, watching the erection
| of the six-stery factory building for
| the company to occupy. %
The company in it's new quarters was
| successful, but before the first year
had elapsed the factory burned. The
| loss was total, as the insurance was
scarcely nominal. Mrs. BisselI was
among the first on the ground as the
| flames roared, and the ruins had not
| yet got cold before she was urging her
| husband and the capitalists who had
| become associated with him to renew
| ed effort. The money was raised for
rebuilding. and It is stated Mrs. BisselI
| personally negotiated many of the nec-5
essary loans. With the factory re-
| placed the company prNspered. 1t paid
| off the debts incurred in rebuilding,
| and then began the payment of divi-s
| dends, which in the aggregate have far
| exceeded the original capitalization. a
! One year, besides paying q large cash
dividend, stock dividend of 100 per
cent. was distributed, making the cap
| italization 100000, where it stands to-
| day. a few days ago block of this
stock was sold. Its lace value was $2S,
| 900 and the purchase price, according
| to inside informa ton, was $125,O or
| more than four to enc of the face
| value. The purchaser was Mrs. Bis
| sell, and Mrs. Bissell's present hold
| is about $4,000 on the basis of the
| last stock transfer. Besides her carpet
| sweeper stock, Mrs. Bissell owns
| stocks, bonds, mortgages and real es-
| tate to large amount. representing
| the careful investment of her surplus
| income. 1t is stated her annual income
| will exceed 100000, and. very modest
| in her style of living, she comes far
from spending it all
! Mr.. Bissell died about 10 years ago.
! Since his death Mrs. Bisseil has been at
the head of the big manufacturing in
| sttution. It Is the largest factory of
| the kind in the world Its products
| go to every corner of the civilized
| earth, and there Is not a detail in the
| immense business with which Mrs
| Bissell Is not thoroughly acquainted
| She Is daily at the office when In town,
| which is most of the time. and for the
| past two years has been the active
! manager of the business as well as
| president and executive head or the
| corporation.
Though having many business re-
| sponsibilities, Mrs. Biss6ll finds time to
| devote much attention to charity. She
| is one of the leading members of the
Division street Methodist church. She.
| is on the boards of several societies.
| but her pet philanthropy is the Bissell
| house.
| This house is located in one of the
poorest and meanest sections OF the
| city. 1t is a substantial red brick
building. erected at a cost of about
| $4,000, and its purpose is to afford a
| place of amusement, instruction and
draining for the children of the neigIt
| borhood Competent teachers are elm
ployed and Instructions are given sG
! sewing, cooking domestic science and,
for the boys. manual training is pro-
vided. The house has library of 800
| volumes, a gymnasium, baths and an
assembly hall, and it is open evenings
| as we'll as during the day. that the
young men and women who work may
| share in its benefits. The Bissell house
| Is an important influence for better
morals in a depraved neighborhood and
much good is directly traceahle to its
work-Chicago Chronicle.