The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-02-09
AN EXAMPLE FOR
AMERICAN YOUTHS
Career of the King Of American
Merchants is An In
spiration.
MARSHALL FIELD THE MAN
Began Life as a Poor Boy, and by Strict
Honesty and Industry Amassed
Largest Fortune of Any
American.
MARSHALL FIELD THE MAN
From the Chicago Evening Journal.

From the Chicago Evening Journal.
Long after most features of the per-
sonality of the late Marshall Field nave
been forgotten. C~hicagoans will re-
member, with admiration and graft
tude, his quality of temperance.
This quality has not been sufficiently
remarked. Unlike some other rich men,
here and elsewhere, he recognized the
obligation his prominence laid upon him
of setting u good example to oun
money enough to crafty every pos
sible whin, however costly. But he
lived modestly, without o~stenstation,
without making himself ridiculous in
attempts 10 find new sensations beyond
the experience of mon less rich.
He did not appeae to think that
wealth relieved him of the necessity of
being a gentleman. You never heard
of him scattering sold from the Eittel
tower. or trying to break the bank at
Monte Carlo.
He aid not OWL. a String of race
hSrses." He did not appear in race
course betting rings, am enormous cigar
in his mouth, his face made crimson by
costly wines, hi. pockets stuffed by
thousand dollar Aills, his person thanked
by Jockeys, touts, faro bankers, and
prize lighters. Ne did not sit up nights
In hotel rooms playing poker.
The newspapers never reported him
as tipping q restaurant waiter $50"
He did not spend his summer at Sara
toga, ~hobnobbing with notorious gam
blers. When he travelled it was not
In a special train, with a band of re-
tinue or servants, and an army of
sycophantic guests.
Some other rich men ae our day are
guilty of these vulgarities, but Marshall
Field had the instincts of q gentleman
and a good citizen. If he had acted as
other rich men act he would certainly
have done great injury to all young
men in this community. for, democrat
ICED by his example. they would have
followed it, reasoning that il tina rich,
successful ma could indulge In such
bad practices, they could safely do so;
hat what had not harmed him would
not harm them.
Instead OF that. Mr.. Fields example
and Influence We're always on the side
illness.
His life was simple, normal. clean.
And. being what he was in the world of
business, IN the civic life of Chicago,
he mad his mode of existence the
fashion. So long as he was our first
citizen lit was not possible for rich
men with vulgar tastes to be comfort
able here. They We're chilled by the
disapproval of Mr.. Field. Sooner or
later, they abandoned their N~ulgarity
or removed elsewhere. The moral at
mosphere here was too clean for them.
This was due. TO a great degree. to
Marshall Field. and for it he should
be held in grateful remembrance by all
who wish to see the purity of our social
sentiment preserved.
Began as Farmers Boy.
Marshall Field began life as a farmers
In a country store. Then, going to Chicago
and growing, up with the town, he finally
became head of a mercantile establish
ment which did a business of more than
$50, 100000 a year.
Honesty and industry have always been
associated with has name. and he was not
a stranger to philanthropy and arts. In
addition to his Grygoods business he had
extensive banking interests, owned more
than $50, 0o0. 0o0 worth of real estate. was
chief stakeholder in the Pullman company.
held enormous quantities of railroad
stocks and bonds. and was 4 director IN
the steel trust.
In spite of this colossal wealth he was a
modest and retiring man, little known to
society. though his handsome looks and
It ts interesting to recall that through
any but kind things of Marshall Field.
Did a Cash Business.
1t was a matter of pride with him that
the basis of his success had been cash.
share of stock on margin, never borrowed
money nor allowed his property to be en-
numbered with mortgages; he bought for
cash, sold on short time, and held his Gus
toners to a strict enforcement of their
contracts.
Mr.. Field was born in western Massa-
chusetts, in the little town of Conway, in
1885. Five years ago he gave the town q
800. GOO public library in commelnoration
Of the event. He received a common
age Of II went to Pittsfield. Mass, to be
come a dry goods clerk. Having served
there four years he started out for a
place Offering opportunities, and Chicago
was his first and last stop.
There was no guarantee at that time
Metropolis-.n fact, the chances seemed
rather in favor of st. Louis-but Mr.. Field
became a Chicagoan heart and soul, and
index of the city's history and growth.
!. Clerk in Dry Goods Store.
Mr.. Field obtained employment as a
clerk in the wholesale drygoods house Of
the outset in his new field of labor was
health, brains, sound principles and ambi-
tion. Genuine worth did not nave to wait
in the broader field In which the young
man oun himself. His good qualities
were y promptly d as GO Erred by his employ
Mr.. Field remained IN the capacity Of
clerk only four years. In 1860 he WAS made
a partner. In 1865 there was a partial re-
Organization. the new firm consisting Of
Mr.. Field, L. q. Letter and Potter Palmer,
under the firm name Of Field. Palmer &
drew, and until 1881 the style of the firm
was Field. Letter & Co. Mr.. Letter retired
IN the latter year and since that time the
Quick Recovery from Fire.
The only. break in the unexampled
growth of the great mercantile house was
that made BY the fire of 1871. In that
great calamity Mr. Field suffered proper
.%tionately with the city itself. His firm
then did business at State and Washing
ton streets. the present site OF the new re-
tail store of Marshall Field & Co. Every
thing was swept away by the flames. in
volving a loss of s3.5O0,ON. The firm event
V1aJ1u racnuarn1 go So0 0n incprar n V
The disaster was met with characteristic
energy and pluck. While the ruins still
smoked new quarters were opened by the
firm in the steet car barns at State and
Twentieth streets. and rebuilding waN at
n c begun on the old site. The firm also
began the erection of a separate wholesale
house at Madison and Market ~streets.
Their new buildings were among the first
of the permanent structi1es completed
after the fire.
Within a dozen years the new wholesale
quarters proved inadequate to the tremen-
dous growth of business, and the erection
of the present great structure was COM
pieted in 1887. 1t occupies an entire block.