The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-09


This advertisement appeared in black
lines in the Winchester papers, and it
was scattered all over the lower Shenan-
doah Valley by handbills. Mr.. Rouss'
success was immediate, and when the war
broke out he was holding leading place
among the merchants of Winchester. His
motto was quick sales and small prof
it's
A PHONETIC PHILOSOPHER
In his monthly Auction Journal Mr..
Rouss, using phonetic spelling-a habit
with INFUSED to set forth some homely
business maxims as well as details about
prices. The following are literal extracts
from the January issue of the journal:
"Mony is the lever that will unerth for
you that hiden diamond, Sucses-it is the
power that viii place U he'd and should
ers abuv yor compeers, and nsted OF
leading u along the qagmire of the 10
lands. viii at one plant you upon the
shining heits that eomand the plaudits of
your patrons and the admiration and re-
spect of yor competitors
Integrity is the vital spot of CONNER
cial life, Brains the big wheel run by the
tireles steam engin, and Cash is that
ernest and solid STUFF that will buy any
thing on erth Behind these la the re-
serv force of an unconQuerabl will that
commands al things, and an ambition as
vast as that of Cromwell looking for nu
fields of triumf Still in the brain of the
smartest of merchants Their turks puZler
as to wher to get at the bottom. wher to
pix up those giant leders that render
men SUDDENLY prosperous.
Friendship and favor ar the two great
cards of credit, aud it is nothing les than
these fantoms that lure the masses from
the tru path to greatnes.
Purchasers care It'll how big yor
stok is--that does not concern them. Tha
vii walk half dozen biloxi to save
peny on the yard, and irespectiv of re-
ligion and politix, tina viii crowd that
concern whose bottom values canot be
macht and wher the plaintiv cry of hard
times is never herd
THE sensitiv nerve of the pocket book.
like water finds the loest level. and the
crowd seeking rok bottom soon setls the
question of mastery"
CHARACTERISTIC METHODS.
recently published article on Mr..
Rouss said:
lone of his peculiarities was to pay his
employees every night. At the close of
business at 6 o'clock, winter and summer,
the clerks, porters and others on the pay
roll would go to the cashier and receive
their days wages in an envelope, SO that
when Mr.. Rouss closed his store at night
he owed no man a dollar.
HE was always the first to arrive in
the morning and was found daily at his
desk before Z. He was always the last,
except the Waterman. to leave the build
ing at might, and, although he was blind
and had many millions of dollars he put
in twelve hours of solid work six days in
the week.
MIR. Rouss considered one week suf-
ficient time for all his customers in the
country TO receive their purchases, and
he expected the goods to be paid for as
soon as they reached their destination.
City customers were required to pay cash.
He burned his ledger years ago. and af
terward carried on his enormous bust
ness, amounting to many millions year,
with only two bookkeepers. who simply
recorded purchases of out OF town GUS
toners and credited them with the pay
when it was received.
"A fellow was foolish enough to trust
me when / first came to New York, and
trusted Others said Mr.. Rouss one day.
i smashed all to pieces; owed $4,000,
paid it up dollar for dollar, never trusted
anybody again and never permitted any
body to trust me-
HAD FEW PLEASURES.
Mr.. Rouss few years ago told the story
of his life to friend in these words:
Il came to New York poor boy. had
not a cent. slept in the parks. Now
have three or four millions. That is the
whole story.
My life is the simplest come down
to my office at O'Clock every morning
am at my desk until or O'Clock at
night. Then I go home and eat great
big supper at o'clock. and go to bed
rise at O'Clock every morning, summer
or winter. / take a drive through the
park at 5; then I come to the Office
What are your Pleasures
Il have none. | used to go home at
night on Grand street horse car.
stood on the corner and threw pennies and
nickels to the newsboys and bootblacks
who used to run along after the car.
Then the police captain asked me to stop
it, and of course did So,
THAT was my only pleasure in life,"
he continued, plaintively. And the po-
lice made me give that up.S
Mr. Rouss told of another of his traits
in this way:
when one of my statesmen can't keep
away from John Barleyeorn any longer,
he goes around and spends all his money.
and comes around finally. wreck physi-
cally and mentally and financially. If he
is a good man when he is in his right
mind III talo him hack ON his nrnmiSe