The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-16

twenty-five years he has been hard
worker He was born in Chicago in 1862
and when 10 years old became an otnee
boy in the Chicago agency of the New
York Life Insurance company. He was
second vice president Of that company
when he entered Mr.. MorEan's firm ana
still holds that position. When Mr.. Nor
gan offered him partnership he accept
ed ID on the condition that his connec-
tion with the life insurance company
would not he lnterfered with.
Mr. Perkins IS a trine under six feet,
hroud of shoulder and deep Of chest, with
black hair black mustache and glitterins
dark eyes. He is pleasant to meet, is
always amlabe and a splendid tnlker he
can make friends with stranger In hair
Ills speciaity in Morgan & Co Is the
performance Of ali kinds Of delicate tasks
In which diplomacy Of a rare order Is re-
qured. In the merging of NUMBER or
companies INTO one corporation one OF tn nc
great difficulties is to get the oincers oJ
each OF tho constituent companies "a
accept the price fixed for their stocks ana
bonds, Each company tries to get INTO
the merger on better terms than the other
companies. Mr., Perkins task Is to adjust
all these differences as to valuations con-
ciiate the directors and win them over
to the acceptance OF the common plan.
Bankers laughlngly refer to him as the
| collier" of Morgan & Co, because he often
smooths down the rutfed plumes OF some
dnancler who has left the Office or Nor
gan & Co. IN high dudgeon over rough treat
meut received from Mr.. Morgan. The
amlabillty and tact Of Mr.. Perkins neal
many wounds inflicted by the grunness OF
Ks an example Of the kind of work done
| by Mr.. Perkins the following may be cited'
! On July last Russell Sage let It DC
! known that he had Joined In suit TO pre-
| vent the United states Steel corporation
| from converting S2O0OOO.UOO OF Its pre-
! ferrcd stock Into per cent bonds.
The announcement was made Mt lo'lo
a. m, and the effect ON the steel stocks
/ was instantaneous At noon AIR PERKINS
! was sent to see Mr.. Sage at the latter S
! office The conference lasted some time.
At . %. M. Mr.. Sage authorized the state
/ meut that he was not party 10 the sun
! ana that he had given his proxy TO MT
| Morgan to vote Tor the bond issue.
| Il took Mr.. Perkins but a little more than
/ an hour to dispose of n matter which might
/ have created serious trouble for the steel
/ corporation. lie won the aged hnancie,
! over to his way OF thinking and converted
/ a formidable enemy into a supporter OF
/ the Corporatlon's plan.
/ Mr. Perkins has quick financial executive
ability as well ms rare diplomacy lie Wn'
/ lu charge Of Morgan Co. last spring when
John W. Gates wrested the Louisville and
] Nashville away from August Belmont
Gates offered the road TO Morgan GO
| AT a big price The whole stock market
1 hinged on the outcome Of the offer. Gates
had taken hold Of more than he could
handle and there was danger IN the sltua
tion. Perkins acted quickly. lie took over
, the road, first getting y promise from Gate
not TO force corner In the stock ana an
other pledge from the Belmonts not e
! contest the ownership.
A month ago ne went 70 Chicago and go
I the underwriting Of the beef trust fol
/ Morgan q Co. after preliminary arrange
Il ments had been made TO give the lucratiy,
task to Kuhn. Loeb & Co.
IN the final and successful effort 10 enc
the coal strike he went TO see Preslden
Roosevelt and got him 70 accept and I,
! advise the miners 70 accept the proposition
| calling for the appointment Of an arbitra
ton commission.
Mr. Perkins is IN the complete confidence
/ OF Mr.. Morgan and is kept In close touch
with every big schome undertaken by the
! hnancler, SO that when the time comes fol
/ him 20 start out, smooth down the rough
places, coneiliate and win over the opposl