Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-10-12
STORIES OF J. S. ROGERS
Guinness of the Locomotive Build
er who Died Recently at
Patterson, N. J.

er Who Died Recently at
Patterson, N. J.
Here is a story which it is sai5 ~,
late j. $. Rogers, the Paterson \
locomotive builder, related in his ol.%
home but a few weeks prior to his do ~
1t shows just how blunt he Wa an;
how little he cared for the opinions ~
| others, for he enjoyed relating ii grearlv.
L went to answer the doorbeI 6nt. ~,
ernoon few days ago when = rat H.
comely middle-aged woman presented
herself and said she wanted 10 500 N.
Rogers. / told her that | was fhe ~,
dividual and she said:
'Oh, You are Mr.. Rogers? Well
came here to have some business Ne
name?" ny
II have not the least curiosity to know.
your name" / replied, so YOU con ON
right ahead and tell me your business
Il presumed" answered the woman
that before You had any dealings with
me you would like to know sometbin@
about me. | am married woman
| interrupted her, assuring her her fam
NY affairs were not of the slightest in
terest to me and asked her to 90 On ana
teil her business. To this she replied
that she had come for $1,000.
"Oh, you want SCOOP | manfred
That is what | am after" replied the
woman. 'He
And what makes you think that will
give you $5000?" asked.
The good God was the answer. He
appeared to me and told me to come here
and ask you for 5000 and to tell Won
that He had said you were to give if Ia
me-"
Where did you see the good God?" I
asked
Il just left Him short distance down
the street here. | frequently see Him"
the woman assured me.
BY the good God you mean God Al
mighty, | presumeE' l inquired.
Yes, sir," was the response.
We'll, sissy" | said, you Just 90 bac,
and tell God Almighty that for once IIc
made Il mistake. Mr.. Rogers is not 70
ing to give you 5000 on any such con9t-
eral. Now get along out of here"
IN the matter of giving no one could
drive Rogers. If a man went to him
seeking contribution for worthy cause
1t was necessary for him to make up his
mind beforehand to stand pretty hard
dressing down if he hoped to De success
full IN his mission. At one time the PAT
crson General Hospital association
wanted Mr.. Rogers to give them Il strin
of land IA feet wide and 200 feet dceD
on the edge of block which the aSSo-
citation had secured for building PURPOSES.
None of the members was anxious to
tackle the old gentleman save one
plouS deaSoL. Th0 thought that he could
handle the locomotive builder. He called
at Mr.. Rogers office and told him what
he wanted.
$50 you want me to give Won that
land, was the brusque response well.
L am not in the business of giving away
real estate. | do not owe Paterson auy-
thing and do not see why | should give
away my real estate for the benefit of
Paterson sick people. l have no use for
your hospital. l have money enough to
nlV[nlf nf
money enough to keep my friends out if
l choose to do so. No, sir, you are mis-
taken when you think that | am going
to give you that piece OF property"
The deacon, instead of permitting Mr.
Rogers to continue and then modifying
him became eXaSperated as most good
deasons would have done under the cir
cumstances. Arising from his chair, he
cried out:
"Mr. Rogers, do you know that YOU
are. on the direct road to perdition?"
MIR. Rogers sprang from his chair. up-
set chair and table in his attempt TO
reach the good deacon. at the same time
crying out with such illuminary remarks
as the reader may well supply. you
come here and because | don't shovel out
deeds to real estate to you, you tell me |
am going to hell? Get out of here"
But the good deacon had got out be-
fore Mr.. Rogers had finished his remarks
on the subject.
Rogers prided himself though he was
habitually man of few words. upon his
wit i'll repartee. II. X. Porter was man
ufacturing locomotives in Pittsburg at
the same time Mr.. Rogers was turning
them out in Paterson. The two men met
one day in the office of the railroad com
pany for which both were filling orders
Can you tell me, Mr. Rogers asked
MIR. Porter, why it is that while we
are practically building the same types
cents a pound for your locomotives,
while | can only get cents a pound for
mine?'
why, that is easy, SIR" was Mr.. Rog-
ers' quick retort. I'VE melt 5 cents
worth Of brains with every pound of our
iron"