The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-16
aHOOT MON

A. j. Boardman Tor WnOm ~ tAe otu
Shevlin- Carpenter mill site was recently
purchased. probably bought 1t IN the
interest of the United Gas Investment
company Of Philadelphia, for, whom he
has worked for several years In conf
dental capacity. A. D., Boardman, NOT
Blethen, was one Of the characters or
Minneapolis when he lived here. He had
various and sundry bouts for office and
always unsuccessful until he became by
the grace of the managers an unopposed
candidate for the park board and then
he showed his rushing qualities by get
ting all the votes there were cast. He
made a model park commissioner and
when he was elevated to the presidency
of the board set a new pace in park i'm
provements. His service on the park
board seemed to show that Boardman
would have made good public servant
in any capacity, but the more conserva-
tive members of the community did not
appear to be ready to trust him. Board
man had difficult time trying to build
up manufactures in Minneapolis at a
time when manufactures seemed to be too
delicate for our climate. He sunk his
capital and failed. Some years later
when he was candidate for mayor, E.
S. Corser cast the vote of the fourth
ward delegation against A. j., prefacing
the casting process with an explanation
that he hated to do 1t because Albert was
a good fellow and a good neighbor. but
the fact was he was too smart to be
mayor. A. J. was pretty sore and came
as near losing his temper over this slap
from his neighbor as he ever did. =. But
he did not say anything until Mr.. Corser
also had his business troubles, when he
remarked that he might be smart but
he was only half as smart as COrser be-
cause he had failed for only half as
much. - .r
A. J. modelled his career apparently
upon that of Mark Tapley, for he was
always jolly, making it a point to be
most cheerful under the most difficult cir
cumstances At one time when he had
succeeded in getting the contract for
suburban gasolene lighting and had no
capital to buy lamps and start the bust
ness going, he went down to Chicago and
tried to interest some capitalists. They
seemed to think we'll of his contract, but
kept putting him off instead of coming to
terms. He stood It as long as he could
and finally at one long drawn out inter-
view closed the proceedings with the re-
mark ''Pll be in again Saturday and
shall expect definite answer at that
time
On Saturday he blew in and saw the
Chicago capitalists sitting like row Of
fates behind a big table. One glance
showed him that he was to be turned
down, but, putting aside the thought, he
asked cheerfully: ''Well, how is it?''
The spokesman replied slowly and pain
fully: you see, Mr.. Boardman, we
have-that is, you know when men back
another in contract they in a measure
;,o&z
you must understand we have looked
you up, Mr.. Boardman, and"
"Yes?'' =
'Well, the fact is we find that your
paper sells for 80 or s5 cents in Mime
apolis."
"Oh, is that an?'' said A. j., unbut-
toning his coat and taking out large
pocketbook. you needn't have gone to
Minneapolis for. that information. I'll
sell you Boardman paper for half that
myself. How much do you want?"
When recently big bank and trust
company in =, Philadelphia failed, A. J..
wrote to a relative in Minneapolis: 81
had about $4,000 On deposit In that in
stitution. Did you ever hear before of
bank getting the best of a Boardman?''
There are a good many things about
the railroad business that the layman
Will never find out. There are lots of
things about the system which are be-
yond the ordinary intellect, but when one
pumps up against the way of doing bust
ness on the dining cars he cannot help
but take off his hat to it's devisers. The
Northern Pacific Is now operating the
largest dining "a ,icjn ~,
and it it were not closely organized it
would break up the road It is system
affixed to an extent that would paralyze
smaller business by the mere weight of
the bookkeeping, but that makes money
for the Northern Pacific. When a din
ing car starts out it Is stocked and a..
careful inventory taken of everything
in it. When it comes back it must ac-
count for everything it took out either
In money or in returned goods. After
each meal the dining car conductor
makes out an account Of every item that
was consumed and the price paid for it.
Every cup OF coffee, every slice of ham,
every egg and every order of meat is
represented. Then the cook turns in his
inventory of what is left If there has
been an order refused and reserved the
BOOKS have to show 1t and the pantry
must produce 1t. The meals served tn
tralnmen, what they had and what thew
paid, are put down in separate account.
The road has an educated sleuth in St.
Paul who knows how many beans are in
pound, how many potatoes in a bushel.
now many grains in a cup of coffee,
what gets past him is so infinitesinal
that it is not worth speaking of. There.
is no more chance to steal than there is
to jump off the train without a broken
leg. Even If the conductor and the cook
should make deal to falsify the &C
count, they could not be safe because
they would never know when they were
entertaining spoilers. The minuteness
OF the system would probably break
Gown a lesser business, but it has built
the dining car system Up. - ''0'''.
.-.-.. .-...' e,- H. James Gray y