The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-10
D. R. Calhoun's Rapid Rise From
the Time He Met Frank Ely,
Founder of Ely-Walker
Dry Goods Company,
Reviewed.

From office boy at g a week. D. R. Cal
houn. who was elected last week president
Of the Ely-waIker Dry Goods Company,
has risen to one of the most lucrative and
responsible positions in the St. Louis COM
mercial field. Yet he is still in the prime Of
life and in perfect health. His age is A.
Everybody knows Of the Horace Greeley
famous advice to the ambitious youth. who
sought to rise, but did not know whittier
TO shape his course. Young man said
the great editor. go West and grow up
with the country"
Mr.. Calhoun was not that young man,
but he is one of the benefciaries of Gree
ley's wisdom.
The epochal saying was fresh from the
lips of its author when the present head
of the long-established firm, then little
more than a boy. babe New York a final
farewell and cast his fortune With the
Queen City of the Mississippi Valley. His
capital was youth, energy and a capacity
for work. His first pay here was SIC a
week. Within q twelvemonth it was 1850
a year. and since il has mounted steadily
upward.
His training. save for the usual High
School course, has been wholly in the world
sof business. The result. to the observer, is
a typical. successful ST. Louis ussne
man. Not that the st. Louis fsssiness
A<0A ~ 49, AAAS ~ So
other, unless it be in the fact that an
added trace Of conservatism is discernibie-
The characteristics of such a man are a.
grasp Of details, an understanding of all
phases of his particular business, and par
t~icularly an ability to decide issues quick
ly and well. Decision marks every word
and action Of Mr.. Calhoun.
MAN OF DECISION.
When a Republic reporter was at his Of
fee the other day, one of his subordinates
stepped In.
What is it, Bob?' asked Mr.. Calhoun.
The Bob" in question gave him a teie-
gram. He read it. then asked:
We'll. What does this mean?'
1t means that we've got to pay that
price. We've got to have that line of goods
and they're the only people We can get
them from
What did we pay on the last purchaser
The answer was technical to the goods,
and involved a long set Of figures. mingled
with fractica-gibperish to any but a dry-
goods man.
That is not exactly what / meant" said
Afr CaIhoun. How does this price COM
pare with the last"
-oh! It's about a cent a yard more
How much do we need
One hundred cases
How much will 1t amount to-
\ Eight thousand dollars"
Buy replied the president. and the
emp.oye disappeared
Tne conversation seemed a key 10 the
business methods of d. r. Calhoun. The
empioye was trusted absolutely up to the
poiLt Of rendering a verdict Inc Thole
TAX involving = considerable amount OIL
money-small for the scope OF the hrm, but
nevertheless considerable occupied two
minutes. The decision came OUT in one
brief word. Probably fifty such incidents
arise in the course Of one business day OF
the Eiy-Wa.ke- chief executive.
.-.ft-.-.-- a-,-t fN p1AiSzt
circumstances. His father was a pioner
IL the advertising business, but advertis-
ing was not then the great commercial fac
tor that Il is now. Consequently, it was q
case of shift for himself. when young Cal
Q houn reached the age of Is. His first job
was with Noyes. Smith & Co.. a large com
mission house His work was to run err
-ands. and to answer the beck and call
% everybody N whom was vested any
authority. It was then that his salary was
S. a week. Three years later he was re-
ceiving Sis q week
MEETS FRANK ELY.
At tina. time he made the acquaintance
o. Frank Ely. who had started into the
dry goods business in ST Louis on a small
scale. Ely was in New York purchasing
for his firm. Ely. Janis & Co. ,whch then
Rad Offices on Locust street, between Sew
eath and Eighth The youths duties with
Noyes. ninth & Co. included waiting upon
CCStOA4Attt "Altb df lax obAtN 1tc-hAcii Ntic
busy, and Ii occurred that Frank Ely
proved 10 De one ot these customers.
Ely. who vas then % and a prominent
citizen OF 81. Louis, tock a fancy 10 young
Calhoun. and enc day asked him:
How would You like to go WestT'
First rate was the instant answer.
wei. come over and see me at the St.
Nicholas Hotel"
Calhoun lost no time IN making the visit.
and bits of the ensuing conversation. as
now remembered by the youngest partic-
ipant-Frank Ely died about ten years ago
arc amusing
.rWhen can you start asked Ely.
Tomorrow. or to-day, II necessary"
There's no such hurry as that" an
svered Ely. laughing. Make II Saturday"
The fact will be noted that young Cal
horn accepted Ia ct. Louis less money than
he was making In New York When Frank
Ely asked him about salary. he replied
'16r. Ely. I'll leave that {, you" In this
aasnecdon. M. Calhoun states that during