Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-07-18
SIR THOMAS Upton.
Great Tea Merchant Once South
Carolina Farm Hand.


sport, who has just crossed the Allan
tic to again compete for the American
yachting cup, was once poor farm
laborer in the adjoining state OF South
Carolina. But the present famous
yacht sportsman was once as poor az
any lad that walks the streets Of Char
lotte or tolls in any Of the industrlal
plants of this city, and when he was
less than fifteen years Of age, young
Upton was glad of an opportunity to
earn his daily bread by working with
a crowd Of Negroes on a South Caro-
lima cotton plantation.
Sir Thomas was the son of Scottish
parents, having been born In the city
Of Glasgow. On account Of the poverty
of the family, he enjoyed scarcely any
educational advantages. When only 10
years old he sought and found employ
ment in a stationery store, receiving
the sum Of so cents week as remu-
neration for his toll. The lad utilized
his spare time in the evenings by at
tending a night school, and none Will
dispute that he has made good use Of
what he learned then and since.
Even in those youthful days. Sir
Thomas gave evidence Of the stun OF
which he was made. While toiling In
the Glasgow stationery shop ne was
possessed with the same cheerful and
ardent ambition to make man or him.
self that he has exhibited during the
past several years In his determination
to build yacht that can out-distance
anything flying the American colors
He looked around and came to the con-
clusion that there was nothing In the
old country for poor boy. and It did
not take him long to make up his mind
to run away from home and come 10
America. lie had quarters in the steer
age of the next Anchor Line boat that
sailed. and, when he arrived in New
York, he made his way to South car
olina, where he soon found employ
ment on a big cotton plantation. While
not very remunerative, the toll Was
y
turer did not mind hard and constant
work, he did object to waiting for his
pay until the crop was sold In the fall.
Tiring of life in the Palmetto State,
the lad drifted to Charleston, from
which place he took passage, as
stow-away for New York. Arriving In
New York, Sir Thomas obtained a
situation Of no consequence, and after
remaining In the metropolis for little
while, he decided that America, after
all, was not the Eldorado he had pic
tured 1t in his youthful fancy.
He returned to Glasgow disheartened
and discouraged, but he still had his
nerve, which kept him from letting his
family and former associates know In
what straits he had been since he ran
away from home. The indomitable
will that possessed the boy soon turned
the tide his way, and In a few years
he was able to borrow few hundred
dollars as capital for opening small
grocery store. When he had paid back
the borrowed capital and saved some
money, he established other stores. He
put into practice methods he had OBJ
served in America and made money
rapidly, finally amassing a great for
tune and an immense business.
Today Sir Thomas Upton owns 42O
stores in different parts Of the world,
sixty of them being in the city Of Lon
don alone. He sells all food products,
except beef, which he has never ham
died. He is the largest landowner on
the island Of Ceylon, growing tea, cof-
fee and cocoa, and employing 1000 ma
tives to cultivate and ship his pro-
ducts. He has warehouses all over
Asia and branches in Hamburg and
Berlin. In Chicago he owns packing
house, where about 5000 hogs are kill
ed each day.
Sir Thomas employs over 10000
men and has never had strike or any
kind Of labor trouble. 1t may be added,
however, that he Is very careful as to
the character Of men he employees and
that he sees to it that they are accord
ed fair and just treatment in every
particular.
It has been stated that this wonder
full man, in the very outset OF his bus
mess career, employed business meth
DDS he had observed in America. He
Is generous and frank enough to say:
Every business idea, every successrui
move have made, has been suggested
to me by my observation Of American
methods. Even in our boats the Sham
rocks, we incorporated great many
features that were Of American origin
When in America, the young boy VINO
is now one Of the merchant princes OF
the world observed that the most sue
cessful business men in this country
advertised, and, when he opened his
little grocery in Glasgow, he advertised
his wares. In conversation recently
he said: II of course believe In adver-
tising. 1 think every up-to-date busi-
ness man does that 1t Is easy to see
that the best way to reach the public
Is through the papers, for everybody
reads nowadays. l am spending now
million dollars a year in advertising"
What an inspiration to every ambi-
tious youth is the story Of the life OF
Sir Thomas Lipton!-Charlotte Chron-
icle