Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-01-25

ciate, He Never Refused n Worthy
Request For Aid-How He Treated
One of His Employees Who Was In
Debt.
The record of the late Philip D. Ar
mour as a captain of industry will
long he conspicuous in the commercial
and industrial history Of America, says
the New York Press. Mr.. ArmOur's
chief trait was in mindng his own
business. One day just after Mr.. Ar
mours return from a European trip
Chicago newspaper sent reporter to
interview him in regard to his observa-
tons of life and business abroad. The
millionaire packer received the reporter
courteously but added in brief, direct
way, with a quizzical smile:
Il am no talker. l made my money
by learning to keep my mouth shut.
When the teeth are shut the tongue is
at home. Besides, you'll never be con-
victed of foolishness if you follow this
rule"
Whenever Mr.. Armour had any COM
ments to make on travel, business,
politics or religion they have always
been terse and to the point. but he
never was anxious to take the public
into his confidence. He was one Of
the leading members of the Chicago
Commercial club and had seldom been
absent from it's dinners. but no one can
recall him as an after dinner speaker.
Mr.. Arn,our's pet projects in philan-
throphy We're the Armour institute, a
school Of technology, and the Armour
mission, an unsectarian institution,
whose object is to promote the phys
ical,, intellectual and moral improve
nent of children and youth. These
institutions stand side by side at
Armour avenue and Thirty-third
street, on the South Side in Chicago.
They represent an investment by Mr.
and ethical welfare of the community
amounting to $2,5O0,000. While the
first building was being erected, about
Is years ago, it was reported one day
that the bricklayers had struck be-
cause of sympathy with certain alleged
labor grievances in which the ArmOurs
figured in the Union stockyards.
''Are the bricklayers refusing to work
for you?" Mr.. Armour was asked.
"Oh, no." he said. with a twinkle i'll
his eye. 1.-THE mission is still going up.
They don't interfere much with my
,,ie ,Jy I nj to
another mission house, but have post
poned operations for the present You
see, | have been a little short on reli-
gion for some years. and / thought the
best thing l could do would be to try
to get even.
II sent that young man sitting over
there out to see the contractors, and
he came back and said, BY God
Stop there, Dave said I. Don't swear
in talking about a mission house. Per
haps, though, you'll be forgiven on my
account, so go on He told me that
the contractors advised postpone
ment of work for a year or so, and l
agreed. l will have to hustle a little
harder then to catch up on the religious
end; that is all. In the meantime
will kind of struggle along, leaving the
other people to do the talking-and
perhaps the walking-while Armour II
Co. do the business" He then resumed
his interrupted task of filling out an
order for a new suit Of clothes for
clerk who seemed to deserve a reward
for his exceptional services. This form
of reward always was hobby with
Mr.. Armour. A little more than year
ago he made his last gift of $75OOOO to
Armour institute.
That he had always been deeply in
terested in young men and happy when
he had the opportunity to encourage
the young and ambitious has been we'll
illustrated by more than one incident.
He had always shown a desire to do
the right thing at the right time to
shape the character for growth in the
right direction in young persons in the
plastic period OF life. One day, while
travelling between New York and Chi
cago, he became Interested in colored
boy, q sleeping car porter, whom he
saw trying to read book. He named
the boy General Forrest"
General" said MI Armour, I'll
give you So bill if you will read one
line of that book without stopping to
spell out the words"
The boy grinned, but accepted the
challenge and read out a line without
hesitation. He not only received the
So note, but on further questioning
stirred Mr.. Armour to still greater in
terest. He disclosed desire for knowl-
edge that impelled Mr.. Armour to pro-
pose way for his education. Soon
afterward General Forces" resigned
from the sleeping car service and went
to Oberlin college, where he was edu-
Gated at Mr.. Armour's expense.
Three or four years ago Chicago
newspaper reporter called on Mr.. Ar
mour in his office and asked him to
contribute his views to New Years
symposium on this questions:
ION what lines has the greatest
progress been made during the last
year?
WELL" replied Mr.. Armour with an
amused expression, 1--WE Americans
have been progressing in several d.
tactions For one thing, speaking for