Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-05-30
aaiseeltantuas &taaing.
BROWN IS Al YEARS OLD.
New "cotton King" Always at Office
Early and Leaves Late.

~
W. P. Brown, Of New Orleans, the
cotton merchant whose arrival in New
York on Sunday and whose plans and
purposes with reference to the cotton
market were briefly noted in the Com
mercial on yesterday, has had pro-
nounced success on the bull side OF
the market and has unquestionably
rolled up a big pile Of money out OF 1t
all. His operations have attracted wide
attention, and he is likely to be a
prominent figure on the cotton ex-
change floor here in New York for
some time to come and to WELD un-
usual influence IN shaping the course
Of the market
Mr.. Brown is a native Of Mississippi.
From his earliest boyhood he has been
connected with cotton in one way or
another! He is now in his forty-first
year. In the little north Mississippi
town where his parents lived, Brown
was born. He received the education
to be had in the rural schools Of those
days, and while still in his teens he
started to work on a cotton plantation.
He saved up few hundred dollars,
which he invested in a general mer-
chandise store, and for the next few
years he gave his attention to the
building up of that business. He was
not particularly successful, and, when
the store burneSAdswn one day, Brown
lost everything that he had In the
world. Then he went to Columbus,
Miss, where he worked in store,
having charge Of the cotton depart
ment. 1t was there that he organized
the cotton firm Of w. P. Brown & Co.,
and moved to New Orleans eight years
ago.
He secured offices in the Abraham
Cotton building, half square from
the New Orleans Cotton Exchange.
The office was much smaller than
many other cotton offices in New Or
leans, but Brown had the whole out
side in which to work, and Office space
was not a prime consideration. Even
today, when he is the most-talked-of
man in the cotton business at the
south, he still occupies the modest
second floor apartments, consisting OF
all office and a sample room. He has
been bulling the market all these
years, and his success must be even
beyond his expectations, for not even
he can accurately estimate just what
Is his wealth today.
Shortly after settling In New Or
leans, Mr.. Brown married Miss Julia
Braughn, daughter Of the late Judge
George Braughn, one Of the most
prominent citizens there and one OF
the foremost jurists in the south. Miss
Julia was just making her debut In
society, and her sister, Miss Louise
Braughn, was queen Of the carnival
that year.
His wife brought some capital into
the partnership, and became a men,
ber of the firm. Since their marriage,
Mr.. and Mrs. Brown have been resid-
ing in the upper section Of the city,
but Mr.. Brown is now having fine
residence built on st. Charles avenue.
There are three children in the family
all boys.
Mr.. Brown has always devoted a
great deal of time and hard work to
his business, and has had little Of life
outside of that and his home. He has
personally conducted the entire busi-
ness of his Office, having assistance
only in the clerical work.
In personal appearance, he Is Of about
the average height, but sturdily built
and well proportioned. In dress, he is
perfectly plain, almost to the point
of carelessness. He Is tireless work.
err Often he reaches his office before
his clerks, and he never leaves in the
evening until all Of the days work has
received his personal attention. He Is
quick in his movements, as in his
speech, and yet extremely careful in
every undertaking.
81 have been In the cotton business
all my life, but 1 don't know how much
longer 1 will be in It," Mr.. Brown said
when asked, just before his departure
for New York, what he was going to
do with all his money.-New York
Commercial.