The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-15
OBEYED THE RULES.
HOW TOM JOHNSON STARTED
ON ROAD TO FORTUNE.
Ills Rapid Rise in LouIsvilie, Hy, from
once BOY to superintendent Of a
street Railway-s Sketch of CIsve:and's
Millionaire Mayor.

They tell stor'ss in Louisville about
the start which Tom Johnson, recently
elected mayor Of Cleveland, made there
on his road to fortune He went there
at the age Of IA and secured employ
ment as an Office boy at 50 a week in
foundry. His duties consisted OF keep
ing the office clean, running errands
and picking up odd scraps that got into
other peoples way B. du Pont, who
was part owner of the foundry, saw
the industrious Office boy rush one
day into the street, pick up a bit OF
iron and, returning throw it on the
scrap heap inside. When the boy re-
entered the Office Mr.. du Pont said to
him:
why did you do that my SOM"
''Why. sir" said Tom, bit embar-
rassed, there was no use wasting it.
They can put it in the furnace and
use it over again"
"Well, just think I can use you,
young man. in the street car business.
How would you like to come at 81 a
week?"
Young Johnson accepted the S. raise
with alacrity Mr. du Pont controlled
the Fourth avenue and Walnut street
lines. One barn was at Eighteenth and
Walnut streets and at Fourth avenue
and Main streets was the drawing sta
ton. All the cars Of the system had to
pass there, and it was there that the
money was drawn from the big, clumsy
boxes into which the fares were
dropped. One Of the rules Of the com
pany was that as each bag Of money
was drawn. the drawer must carry it
into the Office, put it into the safe and
close the door. To this rule Johnson
owed his promotion from Office boy.
Mr.. du Pont was seldom at the draw
ing station during the day, and in time
the drawers grew careless. No one
had access to the room but the draw
ers, and knowing one another to be
honest, they formed the habit of care
lessly throwing the bags cf money on
the floor and piling them all into the
safe in a heap at the end of the day
or when they thought Mr.. du Pont
might be around. One day the chief
drawer was i'll and young Johnson, the
office boy was sent by Mr.. du Pont
from Eighteenth and Walnut streets
to Fourth and Main streets to help out.
Johnson read the rules and in drawing
the bag Of money from the first car,
he bounded up the steps to the room,
opened the safe. threw in the money
and slammed the door.
What in hades did you do that
for?" demanded the bookkeeper.
"The rules say So" answered the
sub-drawer over his shoulder as ht
ran down the steps to meet another
car.
The same thing was repeated a dozen
times. Then the bookkeeper wheeled
around and demanded:
Don't you think I'm honest? DC
you think I want to steal any Of thai
id money!"
Dunno" answered Johnson, "bu
the rule says. Put the bag in the saf'
and shut the door and that's wha
I'm going to do whether you like it ol
not"
The bool1keeper jumped off his stoo
just as Mr.. du Pcnt stepped in.
What's all this row about?" h'
asked.
This young fool is acting as if hi
thought | was trying to steal you
money" the bookkeeper replied.
q was just obeying the rule, Mr.. d.
Pont," spoke up young johnson. "Her'
it is" and he showed the president o
the company the rule"
"All right, my boy" said Mr.. dl
Pont, since you obey the rules SO wei
I'll make you chief drawer righ
now"
Two years later, when he was Il
Johnson was superintendent Of tn
road. Utica Globe.
st. Joseph's Cathedral.