The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-06-25
OBEYED THE RULES.
HOW TOM JOHNSON STARTED
ON ROAD TO FORTUNE.
His Rapid Rise In Louisville, KY, from
Once Boy to Superintendent of q
Street RaiIway-sketch of CIevsland's
Millionaire Mayor.

They tell stories in Louisville about
the start which Tom Johnson, recently
elected mayor Of Cleveland, made there
on his road to fortune. He went there
at the age of IA and secured employ
ment as an Office boy at So. a week in a
foundry. His duties consisted of keep
ing the office clean, running errands
and picking up odd scraps that got into
other peoples way. b. du Pont. who
was part owner of the foundry. saw
the Industrious office boy rush one
day into the street, pick up a bit Of
iron and, returning throw it on the
scrap heap inside. When the boy re-
entered the Office, Mr.. du Point said to
him:
Why did you do that, my SOM"
why, sir" said Tom, a bit embar-
raised, there was no use wasting it.
They Ear put it in the furnace and
use it over again"
We'll, l Just think l can use you,
young man. in the street car business.
How would you like to come at 81 a
week."
Young Johnson accepted the S. raise
with alacrity. Mr.. du Point controlled
the Fourth avenue and Walnut street
lines. One barn was at Eighteenth and
Walnut streets and at Fourth ayenu
and Main streets was the drawing sta
ton. All the cars of the system had to
pass there, and it was there that the
money was drawn from the big, clumsy
boxes into which the fares were
dropped. One of the rules Of the COM
pan was that as each bag of money
was drawn, the drawer must carry it
into the office, put it into the safe and
close the door. To this rule Johnson
owed his promotion from office boy.
Mr.. du Pont was seldom at the draw
ing station during the day, n in tim
the drawers grew careless. No one
had access to the room but the draw
ers. and knowing one another TO Dc
honest, they formed the habit of care
lessly throwing the bags of money OF
the floor and piling them all into th'
safe In a heap at the end of the da!
or when they thought Mr.. du Pom
might be around. One day the chic
drawer was i'll and young Johnson, tn
Office boy was sent by Mr.. du Pom
from Eighteenth and Walnut street
to Fourth and Main streets to help out
Johnson read the rules and in drawin
the bag Of money from the first cal
he bounded up the steps to the room
opened the safe, threw in the none
and slammed the door.
What in hades did you do tina
for?" demanded the bookkeeper.
1.-THE rules say So" answered tn
s~ub-drawer over his shoulder as b
ran down the steps to meet anothe
car.
The same thing was repeated a doze
times. Then the bookkeeper wheele
around and demanded:
Don't you think I'm honest? [
you think want to steal any of TIL
id money!"
Dunno" answered Johnson, OBJ
the rule says, Put the bag in the sa
and shut the door, and that's VIII
I'm going to do whether you like it
not"
The bookkeeper jumped of his sto
Just as Mr.. du Pont stepped in.
Whats all this row about?"
asked.
This young fool is acting as If
thought l was trying to steal 20
money" the bookkeeper replied.
81 was just obeying the rule, Mr..
Pont," spoke up young Johnson. He
it is" and he showed the president
the company the rule"
"AIl right, my boy" said Mr..
Pont, "since you obey the rules so W
I'll make you chief drawer rig
now"
Two years later. when he was
johnson was superintendent of
road.-Utica Globe.