The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-17
WONDERFUL CAREER
OF GREAT MERCHANT
From Farmers Boy He Rose to
Be Head Of S5o,ooo,ooo a
Year Establishment.

AAS9o " USO,Ooo,OOO
Year Establishment.
Marshall Field began life as farm
er's boy in Massachusetts. trying a
clerkship in a country store. Then, going
to Chicago, and growing UP with the
town. he finally became the head Of
mercantile establishment which did a
business OF more than 100000 year
Honesty and industry have always
been associated with his name. and he
was not n stranger to philanthropy
and the arts. In addition to his dry
goods business he had extensive bank
ing interests. owned more than s50Oo0.-
600 worth Of real estate was the chief
stakeholder in the Pullman Company
held enormous quantities of railroad
stocks and bonds, and was director
in the Steel Trust.
In spite OF this colossal wealth he was
modest and retiring man, little
known to society, though his handsome
looks and cultivated mind were calcu-
lated to grace 1t.
1t is interesting to recall that through=
out his long career the public never
said any but kind things of Marshall
Field.
Did Cash Business.
1t was matter of pride with him that
the basis of his SUCCESS had been cash.
He never gave note. never bought
share of stock on margin, never borrow
ed money nor allowed his property to be
encountered with mortgages; he bought
for cash. sold on short time. and held
his customers to strict enforcement of
their contracts.
Mr.. Field was born in Western Massa-
e saau in the lItsls ieYn OF Conway. In
$4,000 public library III commentator
school and academy education. and at the
age of seventeen went to Pittsfleld, Mass,
to become 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
that Chicago would become the western
metropolitan fact. the chances seemed
rather Ts;s1e In favor OF St. .Louis-but Mr.:
soul, and the story of his life is won
lerfully close index of the city's history
and growth.
Mr.. Field obtained employment MS n
clerk in the wholesale dry goods house of
Cooley Farwell and Co. His equipment
at the outset in his new field of labor
was health. brains, sound principles and
ambition. Genuine worth did not have
to wait for dead mems shoes to secure
recognition in the broader field in which
the young man found himself. His good
quaii,sies We're promptly discovered by his
employers and availel of to mutual adj
vantage.
Nj Field remained in the capacity of
clerk only four years In 1860 he was
made partner. In 1865 there was a
partial reorganization, the new firm con
sisting Of Mr.. Field. l.. q. Letter and
Potter Palmer. under the firm name Of
later Mr.. Palmer withdrew, and until 1881
the style OF the firm was Field. Letter
and Company. Mr.. Letter retired in the
t tiu year and since that time the firm
has been Marshall Field and Company.
Quick Recovery From Fire.
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
retail store Of MARSHALL Field q ana 5ae c new
pany. Everything was swept away by
the flames, involving a loss Of $500 900.
The firm eventually recovered So 500 600
insurance.
The disaster was met with character
istic energy and pluck While the ruins
stu ST. 4, smoked d,sl new Quarters were opened
State and Twentieth Streets, and rebuild
ing was ut once begun on the old site.
The firm also began the erection Of n
Market Streets. Their new buildings
We're among the first of the permanent
st T9;,S,r completed ss !. after the IRE,
mendous growth of business, and and the the
erection Of the present sen great structure
lin ana Quincy Streets and FIFTH Avenue 1
IL the heart Of tna. BUSINESS sectioa
oa l5ts firm ,narn I'LL. large ner
rattle Of It's looms was heard III the
manufacturing centres OF both heni-
fEasna ond s bad nstoTss II
Spain. Germany. Austria and Russia, in
China, Japan, India and Australia.
The great appointment stores. of the East
eontfolled the trade !1isn on on the Atlantic
the great expanse west and south OF Of
Chicago as far an the Pacific, 'A
Could Take a oke.
Mr.. Field had an instinctiye capacity
for estimating the the ability Of his assist
s sats is w si9 Tae to sse 6 as
dared to ask MI Field for For vi" raise e1'i In
sad ths hasss sr PIT Fhs 9 e as The
boy kept silent. Mr.. Field said;
HHW n aar are EEst hegss e.
"Thiiree dollars weols!" exclaimed Mr..
Field div "l Why when ! was Your age i
tion. perhaps you Weren't worth any
The reply amused the merchant mil
lionaire and the boy got his advance
The Field Maxims.
| A clear-sighted chronicle OF things and
| "A student Of. men once wrote several
maxlms, which 4 Is Sc said, Mr., Field took
mercial career, and which Contributed to
| his triumphs Whatever truth, there
might have been IN the deduction. the
He never gives note