New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

supplied with aids and experts in every line OF
his business he viii brush them ali aside in case
matters are not going to his satisfaction and
lend himself TO the case in point till he achieves
a result satisfactory to himself
1t is related that when extensions Of his NAM
moth retail establishment were contemplated
certain lot in State-st was essential to the I'M
provement The property was owned by two
men who were antagonistic to Mr.. Field. and
they had pledged each other that they would
never sell to the merchant prince. He knew OF
this determination and sent for his real estate
agent To the latter he explained the necessity
of acquiring the lot. and the machinery was set
in progress through third parties by which the
property was ostensibly to be sold to Ph1ladel-
phia people Only one of the owners was IN
Chicago. however. and while terms were agreed
to it was necessary to await the return Of the
other owner from Europe before the papers
could be completed Mr.. Field would not listen
to the delay. Instead he went personally TO tbs
resident representative of the property, ex-
blamed the subterfuge that had been employed.
offered $50 900 more than the price previously
agreed to for the property, cabled the man IN
Europe who was interested in the DEAL and Ia
the course of a day or two had secured the nucn
coveted title Others previously involved IN
the negotiations were much distressed ar the
additional price Mr.. Field gave for the prop
erty but he was eminently satisfied with his
work
Another heavy real estate transaction in which
Mr.. Field figured personally rather than
through agents was the one by which ne re-
Iieved Levi T. Letter, his former partner. or
ownership of the ground occupied by car
son. Prize, Scott & Co., his chief rivals In chi
cago trade at State and Madison sts- Prior 70
Letters retirement from the firm OF Field, Letter
& Co, there had been differences between the
partners that left coldness not only In business
matters but in the social life OF the two families
for years. When the Joe Letter wheat deal was
in the throes and his father. Levi T., went to
the rescue some of the heaviest financial In
terests of the city were called into council to
help straighten matters out. The amount OF
ready cash required for immediate use was SO
great that it was recognized that Mr. Field was
the only man in the city in a position to FURNISH
it. Mr. Letter would not seek loan from his
old partner, but agents were authorized 10 oner
for sale the choicest piece OF property ne hao-
The offer was made to Mr.. Fields agents. put
when he heard of it he took charge Oh the oeaA
personally. and in the course of twenty-four
hours turned over considerably more than 81
ono GOO cash for the title. 1t is stated that MT
Letter and Mr. Field did not come In personal
contact in the negotiation, but the outcome OF
the transaction was l. softening OF the dlIer-
ences that had separated them Tor years. -
necuIiar result of the transaction was 10 Mass
NJ Field the landlord Of leading rival IN Iii0
drygoods trade
While the firm of Marshall F1eld q Co. -
one Of the leading opponents Of the value Oh
publfcftv in business, Mr. Field Is aVerSe "
am, form of personal exploitation or puDho
r,an+ion Of his family affairs 1t is recognized
hut probably unwritten law of all his establish
noents that no one there is supposed to know
ANYTHING personally of Mr. Field When ne IS
suDposed to be in Chicago, some dlspatch Iriii
abroad NAV give the information tnat ne 10 III
F,,1rope Unexpectedly ne Will appear a' MS
Chicago office and drop into the current OF ar
fairs without desiring that his presence u a.
sorna should make any difference TO any oilo
of his associates or people connected win
esta bIishment. He viii disappear AGAIN - 80, a
denly and may next be heard from III nG lIoh
ar at some of the New-England resorts WHICH
he likes to frequent At his ONCE. howoEeI,
there is always some one autnoII10u - os 70
for Mr. Field on business matters, Jul d -.
his personal affairs intentions Lnere Is SIl9
utmost reticence or ignorance 1t Is rec gt15
that a number of years ago. when MT Elelo
80 contemplating the gift to Chicago or a large
SIM for public purposes, the Information MeS
given to the public prematurey ana was pLtnt
ed in exaggerated form. The result waS =
g, i. CTIjca 90 newspaper circles and the III
innate retirement from the nrrn OF A1a[sIi a
Field &, Co. of of the older pa[IhS Is - w"
had long been looked upon as MI 4104- -
sonal representative -
IT, retirfr,g mariner however, did not go out
of the firm without his S1,OOOOOO or even Inore
in This instance. It is a byword In the trahe
here that every partner Mr.. Field has ever nad
retired from the firm with at least Sl.oOOUoO;
p1y some If is said to be an unWrttten law OF
+be house that they should retire when they
have 81 100000 And when they 90 60 oy .
nrIor agreement their stock interest In the house
aIIUavs reverts to Mr. Field trustees TO ce
turned over to the next fortunate Individual
who NAV he taken into the partnership. II Is
understood that only two shares Of the stock
name These are the shares that ara turned
over TO the partners they are taken into the
business and revert again to the firm upon their
ratirernent One Of these shares IS said to bs
the property Of the managing head OF the whole
sale house while the other is the perQutstte OF
the manager of the retail store.
In Chicago Mr.. Field maintains his private Of
fee at the wholesale store Of the immense estab-
Iishnent Of which he is head. From this Gems
fire he directs the extensive operations Of the firm
and keeps in close touch with every aspect OF
the business. He makes daily visit to the re-
tail house in the periods he is IN Chicago. He
usually arrives direct from home between $50
and 10 o'clock every morning He goes down
, the main aisle OF the establishment, cordially
greeting employees who catch his eye and fire.
duentIy stopping to speak to some Of the older
employees with whom he has come IN personal
contact He has a room on the fifth floor In the
executive department OF the establishment, In
which he receives department chiefs. After
these conferences he frequently makes tours OF
| inspection through the different parts OF the
house making suggestions and noting conditions
that may have escaped others connected with
the establishment. After this daily visit he goes
to his office in the wholesale house where the
greater portion of his direction Of the affairs OK
| the firm is conducted.
Il