The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-19
Studied Production and
Then the Game of
Manipulation.
ROSE, LIKE A ROCKET
Diced With the Law of Sup
ply and Demand
and Lost.

NEW YORK. March 19.-Daniel J.
Sully diced with the law of supply aud
demand and lost. The story of his rise
and fan Is the old story of the success
and failure of every man who has tried
TO control absolutely one of the staples
of the world But never has a would
be corner maker flashed with the brill
liancy and gone out with the sudden
ness of Daniel J. Sully-
1t is hardly more than a year since
Sully came out Of the East 1t is hardly
more than twenty years since he was
an inconspicuous clerk, with q sup
posedly inconspicuous future, in the city
Of Providence, r. l.
Educated for Yale.
Had the speculative structure which
he reared in so short a time fallen ten
days ago. he might have celebrated his
birthday amid its ruins. He was born
IN Providence on March g. 1851 He was
prepared for Yale at the Norwich Free
Academy, but went into business in
stead of going to college. The first job
he got was clerkship for coal COM
pany. His salary was something like
$25 a week, and his employers said he
was worth all he got.
While he was selling coal. however, he
was planning for the future. The first
of these plans was perfected soon after.
In 1885, he married Emma Frances
Thompson, a daughter Of Col. David N.
Thompson. general mana ger Of the mills
of d. B. & r. Knight. the largest cot
ton spinners in the world His father
in-law got him job in the general Of
hce of the firm.
Learned to Know Cotton.
sullv then knew as much about cot
ton and its manufacture into cloth as
he knew about the geography Of Mars
But the real nature Of the man assert
ed itself He saw there was OppOr-
tunity for him through his connection
with the great house Of Knight he
determined to make the most of IT and
lost no time IN getting TO work. He
had been with the firm only a short
time when he sought an interview with
one OF the partners. To him Sully
said:
Il can be of real use to you, if you
will permit me 10 learn the business
from the ground up. AS near as can
make out, there isn't a cotton spinner
in New England who knows any more
than ne ought TO know about the pro
duction Of the product on which his
business depends. Send me down into
the cotton country. let me study the
conditions Of production, and III make
money for you and myself
The young man was talking TO
veteran in the business, but the younger
had the faculty Of impressing the older
then. as he has impressed other men
since. He had then. as he has now
the power OF bringing other men 10 his
way OF thinking. To the South he was
sent. and for two years he studied cot
ton production.
Playing the Game.
When he returned to New England
there was nothing about the growing
OF cotton that he didn't know, but ne
no longer had a great interest IN Its
manufacture. Instead of returning TO
the mills he gave his employers all the
information he had obtained Then,
feeling that ne had paid the debt he
owed, he went to Boston, got a clerk
ship in the Office Of firm Of cotton
brokers and began 70 learn 10 play the
game OF the Spectator in cotton
At the end Of four years he returned
70 Providence, entered the employ OF
the brokerage house of F. W. Reynolds
& Co. and. after q few months was ad-
mitted to a partnership in the firm
One day, shortly after he had become
a member Of the firm, somebody asked
him why he hadn't stuck 70 the mills.
The smile, which has made sally
friends wherever he has gone. mantled
his face and his blue eyes twinkled as
he replied:
Zone day you'n see why left the
mills. The money in cotton is at this
end Of the line. I know the situation.
about which others are only guessing
and I'll get the money"
Advent in New York.
As the soldiers Of fortune say, he
.'piked' along for while as a specu-
lstor. both in Providence and Boston.
He made more money than he lost. but
the game was slow. In the early winter
OF last year he announced that he was
going to New York to live.
What for?" asked one Of his part
ners.
was the laconic reply.
He took an Office IN the Wall Street
district, bought a seat ON the Cotton
Exchange and day after day went into
the pit, stood around and kept his eyes
open. studying the game as he had
studied the production Of cotton In the
South
cotton pit IN those days-the same Price
who. few years before, had ciphered
out first the course cotton prices would
take had speculated accordingly. and
after few brilliant successes had drag
ged his frm down 10 a failure Price
was the great cotton pun, and 5ully
watched him. The price OF cotton was
sounew hat below s cents then, and Price
was telling all his friends II was bound
20 20 up. Sully heard Price talk, but
he didn't buy He was learning 70 play
the game.
IL was early in March Of last year.
before the young man from Rhode
Island felt that he was ready to play
Then. without any blare Of trumpets,
he started. and from then on the cotton
SPECTATORS OF the world had 70 reckon
with Dan Sully.
Began Where Price Quit.
He took up the trading where Price
baked, when cotton was selling around
9 cents. Sully said Price was only guess
inc al things about which he SulIv