The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-04-19
by Mr.. du Pont from Eighteenth ana
Walnut up to Fourth and Main to helr

Walnut up to Fourth and Main to heir
out. Tom Johnson read the rules and
on drawing the bag of money from the
| first car, he bounded up the steps tc
| the room, opened the safe. threw in the
| bag OF money and slammed the iron
/ door again as the rules directed,
What the h did you do that for ~
demanded the bookkeeper.
Cause the rules say So" answered
| the sub-drawer over his shoulder as he
ran down the steps again to meet an.
| other car.
The same thing was repeated and
about the twelfth trip the bookkeeper
was mad clear through. AS the safe
door closed for the thirteenth time he
whirled on his stool. angrily.
Don't you think I'm honest? Do you
believe I want to steal any of the old
money! he roared at the boy.
Dunno" answered Tom Johnson,
but the rules says put the bag in the
safe and shut the door,. and that's
what I'm agoin' to do whether you like
1t or not The bookkeeper jumped
from his stool at just the time MIR. du
Font entered unexpectedly
whats this all about?" he de.
manoed.
This young FOOLS acting as If I was
trying to steal your money" replied
the irate bookkeeper.
Il was just obeying the rules. Mr.
du Pont," spoke up young Johnson
Here it is" and he showed the presi-
dent Of the company the rule.
AN right, my boy" said Mr.. dl
Pont. since you obey the rules so well
I'll make you chief drawer right now"
superintendent at Ii.
Two years later, when he was seven
! teen, Tom Johnson was superintendent
Of the road.
About this time the Indianapolis
street railway was in bad fix. 1t
was owned by William H. English,
Delos Root and a DR.. Allen. Tom
johnson saw a chance to make money.
He interested his relative, Colonel
Charles F. Johnson, and a man named
Shepard in the scheme. The three got
an option on the Indianapolis road fol-
$4,000.
Probably there was not much more
than 10000 cents among them. They
invested all they had in rolling stock
and set to work, agreeing to make
monthly payments. Tom Johnson was
manager. Within few years they
had paid the 100000 cost price out OF
the profits of the road, and sold out
for S1100,O00. Tom Johnson had also
patented the Johnson change catcher,
in use on many street railway sys-
TENS.
Tom Johnson next planned to entel
Cleveland. The city was divided up
among the various companies then, SO
that all were doing we'll and living I'M
der an ironclad agreement to fight all
outsiders. Under agreement certain
streets were not used far cars, SO that
the residents of these streets would be
compelled to patronize car lines sew
eral blocks away.
johnson Makes a Coup.
Johnson bought little jerkwater
country line on which the cars ran by
accident. 1t came up to within 1OC
yards of the viaduct. The new factor
in Cleveland street car affairs could
not get entrance for his line, so he
terminus to the center Of the city.
Then he set to work on the city
council
One rainy night all the city fathers
were not on hand. Those favorable to
Johnson were there, however. Be
fore anyone knew what was happen
ing an ordinance giving Tom Johnson
the right to operate a car line on IL
leading street had been shot through
the lower board, carried to the alder
men and passed by them also.
The Cleveland street car magnatcs
read about it in the papers the next
morning.
A new magnate had arrived, ans
soon he owned them all.
The story of Tom Johnson's luck in
the YOUNGSTOWN flood almost passes Gre
dence. Johnson had just patented his
rail, the johnson street car rail, now in
use all over the country. His patent
In some slight way seemed to infringe
on the patent Of rail made at Johns
town. Tom Johnson went there, made
an agreement with the founders by
which they were to help him with his
patent, in return for which he would
buy the one from the Johnstown peo-
pie and establish his works there for
certain period of years. During
that time everything worked to mu-
tual advantage.
After that time, however, there was
a disagreement. Tom Johnson deter
mined to pull away. There was an
other valley, near the Johnstown val
ley equally well suited for Johnsons
purposes as a factory site. He quickly
bought the necessary ground, estab-
lished his plant, and removed all his
Workmen into their new homes. The
day after the moving had been finished
Jamestown was destroyed by the food.
Ills Early Marriage.
Tom Johnson, like many other sue
cessful men, seems to believe in early
marriages. Before he was q he had
married MS cousin, Miss Margaret
Johnson, the daughter of Colonel Rob-
ert A. Johnson of Louisville.
Mrs. Johnson is an exceptionally
bright woman, q clever writer and
brilliant talker. Their daughter, Miss
Helen Johnson. made her debut in
Louisville society two winters ago.
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