The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-08
FROM POVERTY
TO AFFLUENCE
Western Man Makes Million
From the Sale Of Popcorn.
MEAGRE START To WEALTH
Cleveland Consumes More Than kny -Four
Cllss in ihs COualrj and Humphrey
Sells IL
MEAGRE START To WEALTH

Cleveland. July Sd. s. Humphrey, the
man who has popped his way from pow
erty 10 fortune. has rounded the million
mark and is receiving the congratula tons
OF friends who have grown robust on pop
corn and molasses candy while Humphrey
and his brothers and sisters have grown
rich.
III you want 10 make money" says
this man who has made IL, don't trust
to luck. Make up your mind what the
people want, make yourself believe that
they will pay for II. and then give IL TO
them"
FROM POVERTY TO AFFLUENCE.
Back I'm 1893 Humphrey stood on cor
ner In this city and looked longingly at
popcorn cart. The corn smelled appetlZng
and Humphrey was hungry. He Jingled
a very small quantity OF very small
change In the pocket OF his worn trous-
ers. contemplated the corn for a time
and then bought some. Then he did bit
OF thinking He noticed that tho pepper
used by the vender wasn't much OF pop
per- but that the man had no trouble in
selling his wares. He had an idea that
he could make better one and went
home.
Two years before the Humphrey fam
lily. consisting OF Harlow. David. Emma
and himself had come to Cleveland from
Huron county. a mortgage on the farm
had been foreclosed and they had TO bor-
row 800 to get out OF town. Their idea In
coming to this city was TO begin all over
again and this they did. in fact. they be-
gan several times. Bad luck pursued them
and the oftener they tried To succeed The
more dismal were their failures On the
flanxE
I'm sad straits.
Mr.. Humphrey conf.ed his cornpopper
ideas 10 the family. and then made
pepper. 1t was a good thing and he tried
to sell Il. He talked corn-poppers 10 every
corn man he could find but they all said
there was no money I'm making peppers,
and Humphrey decided he had one more
failure on his hands.
STARTER OF HIS FORTUNE.
He concluded, however, TO use the pop
per up and so he started selling popcorn.
lie got an old cart loaded II up and push
ed II by hand TO Gable Park where there
was a fireworks show that night. The
smell OF the corn caught the crowd and
Humphrey made s.. That was the begin
ming Humphrey concluded that there was
more money In corn than In peppers, and
ne and the entire family got into the
business. AS fast as they were able they
got other carts. painted them green and
did n rushing business.
Night after night they popped and sold
corn. Hard work had driven the wolf
from the door. In 1895 they rented a hole
in-the-wall'' on Euclid avenue In front
of fish market They are still there. and
business has prospered. They invented a
kind Of pulled candy and that proved a
good seller. too Last year they made up
their minds good summer park ought TO
pay so they acquired control of Euclid
beach and Forest City park
Besides the parks they have three
stores and are worth $1,000 900, all made
from popcorn and candy.
In one day. during home" week. last
year, their sales were over 500. Cleve-
land eats more popcorn than any four cit
les In the country. and Humphreys sells
most OF IL.