The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-18
MORE STRANGE
THAN FICTION
Continued from Fifth Page.

Der ward and asked for job Mr.. Pallet
didn't have anything fer him. but he
was kind man and allowed Ben 10 steep
on the floor of his office that night Inc
next day they renewed the acquaintance
and MIR. Pallet ted HIM he could work
about a little. sleep in the office ana ne
would pay his board. Ben was deter
mined to catch. onto something and sue
coed. and he says TO this day that the
lumber business, among all others, is the
hardest 70 learn. He worked awful hard
at it and in time Mr.. Pallet began Civ
ing him a little salary. Within six months
from the day he struck the yards, and
slept on the floor, he was not only re-
ceiving 800 month but DIR. Pallet, De-
coming sick, made him manager OF his
business For six years he continued IN
that capacity. Within six months from
the day he hired him for his board, MI
Pallet took him TO Levy's bank and SAID:
Take this young mans signature, and
whenever he signs it to a check, honor it
and charge it TO my account never
was such confidence placed upon a
strange young man who had come 10 a
place under such strange circumstances
When Mr.. Pallet sold the lumber yard
TO Geo. Pratt one of the conditions was
that Ben Mclean should go with the
yard at sl25 per month
One day in the early stages of the boom
]. c. and Wilbur Jones induced Mr.. Nc
Lean to buy a lot from them as a specu-
lative investment. They sold one to him
at 500. He hadn't the money, but they
said they would trust him. 1t WASH
long after that Mr.. Jones called on MIN
and counted him over $500 IN cash. The
Jones got a chance to sell the lot at sl.OOo
and being men of sterling honesty, they
took ont what Mclean owed them and
gave him the balance. This gave Ben
little start and he speculated in the Doon
only to find himself one day 'bursted as
high as Gilroy's kite and owing a lot
of money He he'd a consultation with
his young wife and the agreement was
mutual that they should sell their hand
some home and give the proceeds to their
creditors. Then and there is where Ben
Mclean showed the strongest phase OF
his character. He and his wife moved
TO the southwest edge of town-a place
then known as Dogtown-and sequeStered
themselves in little red house that could
not have rented for more than s. month.
There they remained until the $4,000 Ben
owed during the boom, had b en- reduced
to $500.
The lumber yard where Ben now is was
then very small ard he conceived the IDEA
of buying il, but he didn't have dollar
One day in 1S94-only nine years ago-he
was passing what is now the Kansas Ma
tional bank. He walked in and went to
the cashier. Il owe this bank exactly
81. 500 he said and haven't a dollar 10
pay on it. 1 want to borrow $500 more
and have TO security to offer for it. but
my word and a pledge of my honor. The
cashier almost fell dead. He had never
seen such nerve. He said and it was
absolutely true, that the bank had quit
loaning money on account of the financial
panic. that was then daily wrecking some
of the strongest financial institutions OF
the country. Besides" he says. lit
would be impossible for you TO succeed
against the tidal wave of business adver-
sity now prevailing"
Never mind that said Ben, IN win
regardless of adversely. onsult your dis
count committee about it The discount
committee of the bank was then COM
posed of Pat V. Healy. John NJ. Allen anG
William F. Green. They met and unani-
mousIv reported that although Ben Nc
Lean didn't have a penny, he was good
for the loan. He secured the money,
bought the lumber yard, and at the end
of the year turned over the protits-$3 200.
to the bank Within six months he paid
the remainder These were two of the
most remarkable achievements in the
history of Notwithstanding loan from
a bank that wasn't Ioaning during
manic and making a profit of 100 per cent
in eighteen months of the dullest and
most dangerous per.o1 the United States
had seen in forty years.
Mr.. Mclean is now a wealthy man. III"
has four lumber yards. some fine Dividend
paying stocks considerable property and
little money for a rainy day. He said
recently to the writer: L am not half
as wealthy as people generally think
am and still l presume have twice
more than l Will ever need This re-
mark brought on a discussion which re-
vealed the philosophy of Bon Mclean
who by the way, is one of the brightest
thinkers among the business men Of
Wichita wealth he said is COM
parative word. Any man is wealthy who
has good mental and physical health and
an income equal To his necessities and de-
eires A man getting Sl5 per week whose