The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-06-05
40 Che Value Of a GOOD Grade. 3D.

i" HE wealthy man who has
college education may obtain
success in life, but if misfor-
tune overtakes him at middle
age he loses that which is dear to every
neutrality-suspicious.; and must seek for
aid among his friends to restore his
fallen fortunes or else pass the re-
mainder Of his life subsisting upon
crumbs of his former magnifcenc
There is no sadder spectacle than that
of proud independent nature brought
low by misfortune, humbly petitioning
his former associates for aid in his
hour of adversely. A wrong turn of
the stock market or a bad trade may
bring the shrewdest man to this pass.
A skilled mechanic has this advan-
tage over the college bred man, he has
his trade to fall back upon if he
becomes financially embarrassed. He
does not lose his independence and
nothing can rob him of his means of
making living. The mechanic has all
the resources of the public schools to
give him foundation in knowledge in
youth, and by self-instruction after he
has begun to work at his trade can be-
come as learned as the one who boasts
a college degree. Some of the sons of
the money kings have fortified them
selves against future financial disaster
by mastering some mechanical craft
and have shown much genius and met
with not little success in their new
departure. One OF the Vanderbilt's
has invented locomotive boiler of
such efficiency that its use bids fair to
become universal; an Astor has paten-
ted pneumatic road cleaning machine
and also invented turbine for use on
ocean steamers, and many other sons
of moneyed men have distinguished
themselves in practical mechanics.
Just which particular trade offers
the best chance of success in life is a
difficult question to answer, but perhaps
that depends upon the individual. One
thing is certain, and that is there is al
ways room at the top; and just as sure
as water will find its level so will good
man rise above his fellows. L believe
the trade which offers the shortest
route to financial success is the mason's
trade. By this craft 1 mean all the
word mason implies-bricklayer, plas
terer and stonelayer. The three
branches of this craft are recognized
today as separate trades, but genera
tion ago, when apprentices received
more thorough training than they do
at present, they were schooled in all
three branches. In these days OF
specialists we seldom find good all
around masOn-One who is master of
every detail of his craft and capable of
estimating any contract or doing all
kinds of work in masonry.
A route all master builders have
travelled with success to financial re-
ward is briefly thus: AS it does not re-
quire large amount of capital to start
in business for oneself the savings of
FIVE or six years is sufficient for start
that is for small job work, such as
chimney building, concrete floors and
sidewalks, cellar walls, cistern walls,
repairing and the various odds and
ends that the large master builders
will not touch. All of these small jobs
yield a little profit, and it will not,
be long before the small contractor can
begin to build houses and take larger
work. Building residences brings the
builder into contact with real estate
men and he soon has an opportunity to
become property owner. Many
wealthy master builders received their
first real start at this point of their
career, by taking as part pay
ment for work done for real estate
men parcel of land or maybe a mort
gage on some property in lieu of the