The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-18
BROWN, THE COTTON KING.
Promoter of the Most Successful
Cotton Corner I'm Years.
H.. H. M. Veil HInrnlh


Brown-W. P. Brown-that is the
name. There is in it not a suggestion
of romance, not a hint of anything out
side OF the routine life that is led by
the average Brown, Smith or Jones.
But the name stands for a great
romance of the Industrial and agricul-
tural world.
It has come to mean 10 cotton manu-
facturers in two hemispheres slacken-
ing machinery and closing mills. 1t
has come to mean to operatives Of
England and America loss of work and
pay. No wonder they are bitter.
1t has come to mean to the cotton
growers of the South unheard of prices
for their product. 1t has come to
mean to the business men of that sec
ton real prosperity. No wonder they
are jubilant.
Who then, is w. P. Brown? He 10
the promoter and manager of the most
successful corner which has been at
tempted in years. He is the cotton
king of the world" He is power felt
wherever an ounce of cotton is grown,
wherever a yard of cotton cloth Is
made.
Inc press mas tOlQ VI
ings on Change. But in spite OF all,
little really is known in the outside
world of the real character of w. z.
Brown, who in a few brief months has
made his personality felt in two conti-
nents.
Who's Brown? William Perry Brown
was born forty-one years ago in the
Caledonia neighborhood," a prosper
Gus old settlement in Lowndes county,
Mississippi. The Brown homestead
was fifteen miles northeast of Column
bus. one of the oldest and most aristo-
cratic towns in the state. J. G. Brown,
his father, was a gallant Confederate
soldier, prosperous and highly re-
spected by his neighbors. He owned
his home and hundreds Of acres ada
cent.
Mr.. and Mrs. Brown had five chill
dren, a daughter and four sons. MIS-.
Brown had a strong Christian charac-
ter, and looked well to the comfort of
her husband and children.
Previous to the death of his par
ents, when he was about fifteen, Will
liam Brown went to Columbus to at
tend the public school-the Franklin
Academy, an institution of age and
repute Left an orphan soon after
ward. he was forced to give up his
home to Columbus at once, and deter
l.lned to be self-sustaining.
The first position he filled was as
clerk in the wholesale supply store of
T. O. BuTris, a leading merchant
Quick and apt, he soon became an ex-
cellent salesman. His pleasant and
courteous manners rapidly won friends.
Recognizing that his popularity had
added materially to the trade of his
~ lie r,Ia no
in charge of the cotton department, a
responsible position, difficult to fill.
having saved money and invested
his earnings, young Brown decided to
begin business on his own account.
He established himself in the grocery
business, dealing also in cotton, in
Main street Columbus under the firm
years later he formed a partnership
with DR.. T. II. Sharp, son of Brig
Gen. J. II. Sharp, of Confederate
fame. Under the name of Brown &
Sharp they continued for several years
to deal in groceries. Then the partner
ship was dissolved, and Mr.. Brown
left for New Orleans. where he became
a cotton factor under the old firm
name of w. p. Brown & Co.
Life in Columbus.
OF his life in Columbus much could
be told. AS a young man he was defer
entail to children and remembered that
the little girls as well as their big
sisters loved candy
He was fond of good music. When
ever excellent musical attractions were
announced he was invariably in the
audience. His favorite song used to
be-" and he is still partial to 1t, Mar
guerite of Long Ago." which he often
sang with young women friends In a
clear tenor voice.
Frequently with other young people
he was with the storm party" crowd,
known in Columbus as the Rosebud
Set" who weekly, without warning,
congregatedS in some attractive home
for a german or card party.
He was in those days, as now, well
groomed and immaculate in his dress.
He was very fond of driving, and oft
en- took his friends out for a spin, us
ually in the best trap and behind the
best span of horses the stables af-
forded.
His most intimate friend then was
the lamented "Win" Johnston. an Of
ficer in the United States navy, who
graduated with distinction from An
napolis. The closest friendship existed
between the two young men until
death separated them.
The first time Brown sprang into
local prominence was when it was an
nounced that he had resigned from the
Columbus Rifiemen to organize a mill
tary company. This step on his part
created a ripple of excitement in the
quaint little town where for more than
fifty years the Rifiemen had held sway
Until Brown appeared on the scene
the younger men were not inclined to-
ward organizing another company. His
enthusiasm over the project, however
became contagious. A few weeks
elapsed and it was announced that a
sufficient number Of names had been
enlisted. The new company unani-
morsly elected it's founder captain, and
voted to call the infant organization
in his honor. the Brown Cadets.
The youthful captain and; his men
from the beginning had a common am
bition--to have the best uniformed,
best equipped and best drilled COM
pany in Mississippi. The officers and
privates' ambition awakened deep in
terest in affairs military. Columbus
became the state center in such in
terests. Capt. Brown" as he is still
called in Columbus, determined that
the beautiful old town was just the
place wherein competitive drills should
be held. So in the month of May for
several years military competitions
were held there with companies from
all over the state and from Louisiana.
The little city was all excitement as
the momentous days approached. The
local military companies selected to
represent them, the fairest representa-
tives from the Rosebud Garden" of
girls. The old people wished the rifle
men to bear off the palm at these drills.