Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-05-19
.A FORTUNE FROM 4 EISHLINE.

When Thomas Proctor entered my Of
flee one October morning ten years ago,
] little thought the day would prove to
be the most cycutful in the lives of three
men.
| had aided Proctor financially in sew
eral promising business ventures and
they all wound up III disaster, which was
not due To any msmanag cement on his
part hut to a combination of unfortu-
nate circumstances.
AFTER the last collapse Proctor oh
tanned 4 situation at n salary which
barely supported his family. This went
on for about two years, when his em-
piay2r failed and Tom was again strand
"a. lie had been without employment
about month when he c:llcd at my
office that October morning.
| gave him some advice and cncoar.
aSemcnt and what to him was more
substantial some dollars to relieve his
immediate necessities.
Proctor expressed his gratitude in his
hunt, homcly fashion. and added earn
tStiy: Perhaps this is the turning of
me tide. Mr.. Burrows" and | replied.
i hope SO, with all my heart"
Az thnt time was a director in n
large transportation company, and
thinking that possibly | might secure n
position there for my young friend, we
started on search ut once
pn the way downtown we stopped mt n
wholesale house to buy a hammock to
send 70 friend in Florida.
Inc clerk informed us that as the ham
mock season was over all their stock had
been packed away on the top floor. so we
assembled To the nth floor ia the elevator
and then climbed two flight of stairs. on
tcflnS q room occupying the whole area
Of the building.
y clerk was buSily engaged with gen
- "a h4.N
oSiethorpc. multimilionare, the richest
man IN the state.
The clerk went down stairs for some
WlnE, leaving us alone--a millionaire. \
merchant and poor man.
suddenly we were startled hy the
changing of gongs and a commotion in
the street. -
We all rushed to the window. drawn
tn'ther by the natural desire inherent IN
the breast OF the average American ~
witness the rush of the fire engines.
=, Great Scott. gentlemen" exclaimed
ON eNeltetN. the fire is in this huill.
Ing smell smoke. We must get OUT"
We an rdShed 10 ice door. Proctor reach
ihS Il hrSt. KS he swung it omen he was
driven back by n sheet of flame ana
smoke "''0
No chance 20 escape by the stairs :"
said he; perhaps there's a fire escnps.
you, stay here while take look" and
''Nt 'ttSAt tt tstA va tue tfonf. SlUp anil
rear windows When he reioiuel orr Nv
Tie group the answer was plainly written
on his face, NO fire cscapcs onywbprs
ON the building"
-. In that time Of awful peril AID danger
Tom Proctor was cool and collected. So
we naturally looked to him Ia find SONS
avenue ot escape, Ten minutes hefnr.
ne was pennileSs bankrupt. rraIjzins,
ms own inS!gnlhcauce more keenly he
cause Of the presence of modern
CruuSuS. q"
y few moments had changed the stand
lNE OF the two extremes of our trin nu1
Proctor had jumped To the head of the
class for We were in a situation whore
lars ''''
lie examined the room, hoping 10 FIND
q SNyhsht. but was unsuccessful. The,
he sought the windows again. thinking
4" might discover a coping or corniCu hv
Wnivu We could reach some adjoining
building. but with The same hopeless ~,
suit
Then we ran 10 the windows To- see IL