davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

aud formed barbed wire trust This
was the nucleus OF the 500, 1000. 600
American Steel & Wire company. now
a part of the Steel corporation. The
first big flotation engineered by Gates
was the Federal Steel. a 500 900, 900
corporation. That was In September,
1898. at the beginning of the great
steel boom following the Spanish.
American war. He followed that with
the American Steel & Wire. with 500.
900, 900 capital, four months later. The
manner in which Gates and Ellwood
brought out this company Is character.
istic of the man. On telephone call
from pittsburg they jumped across
Pennsylvania and bought wire mill
at sharon; then they went TO Cleve-
land and bought $5.O00,000 rolling
mill, and the next day they were back
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

asset, and he soon became danger
Gus rival of Col Eliwood. Tho colonel
brought an action for infringement OF
patent rights and bitter fight was
the result. But Gates hung right on.
Col. Ellwood finally had to make peace
with him. The two became business
partners and have been closely asso-
clated in big enterprises ever since.
Other barbed wire mills began to
spring up, and Gates saw that there
would be disastrous trade war II
the rivals we're not corralled He went
around the country buying them up
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Children Who Contradict.

A natural habit of every child is
TO contradict, and chis should he oyer.
come as soon as boy q: girl develops
Il. for of all dlsagreeable and over
bearing persons those who aggressive.
ly contradict are among the worst.
Parents canEot be too particular in
teaching their sons and daughters 20
disagree courteously. which is not at
all incompatible with doing II posi-
lively. Il beg your pardon but you
are mistaken" is quite as much OF n
contradiction as saying 1T isn't" and
it is fat better manners. Il think you
are mistaken" is another way OF ez-
pressing the opinion. A mother need
not be afraid OF making her child
prig by teaching him such little
things. They are as important to
him as a knowledge of how to speak
dramatically.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
JOHN w. GATES in
MANY WAYS TRUE
TYPE OF AMERICAN
Few of the Striking Episodes in the Life of the Great
Plunger Who Has Raked In Some of the Biggest Jack
pots Known to the World CT High Finance-Has Had
Many Years of Unvarying Success.

Idea came TO him that II the farmer
would sell him the timber rights he
could fell the hard wood and cut It up
into firewood to sell to the neighborlnR
villages. The boy went home after a
tape measure. paper and pencil. and
then back to the woods Undertook
ing" Going about the woods, select
ing small areas, counting the hard
woods and measuring them, he got an
idea of the density OF the forest He
sat down on stump, and by dint OF
figuring he made a rough estimate OF
the number of cords of firewcod an
acre would yield. Then he went to
the owner to make bargain. He
made an offer for all the timber
agreeing to pay for IT as money came
in from his sales of iirewood.
Il haven't any money" the boy told
the farmer but you can have my
threshing machine as security"
Go ahead. Johnny; your word is as
good as n government bond"
Gates as a Woodcutter.
All through the winter ihc lad was
out In the wood lot before daybreak,
working with a woodchopper he hired
to help him The great trees were
felled sawed into ,shor: lengths, and
split into firewood Young Gates de.
livered two loads of wood a day by
sled to the neighboring villages BE.
fore the snow was on the ground the
woods had been cleared, the owner
had been paid in full. and the boy had
81 900 In the bank He took this
money and opened a hardware shop
al the nelghboring railway junction.
He sold the farmers their implements
and machinery One commodity that
had a large sale was the newly In.
vented barbed wire. The little hard.
ware shop at the junction prospered.
but Gates wanted to do something big.
ger. He saw that there was money
in barbed wire. and so he sold out his
business and went to see the man, In
an Illinois town. from whom he had
been buying his wire.
This was Col. Isaac Elwood, 4 pion.
eer in the business. He was not lock.
ing for partners, but he gave the
bright young country shopkeeper a
job as a travelling man for the con.
Germ. Gates travelled back and forth
through the wheat belt selling barbed
wire. and made a reputation as one OF
the best drummer" on the road.
But he wasn't content with his drum.
mers" commissions. He wanted to
divide the manufacturing profits with
Col. Ellwood The manufacturer
couldn't see It that way. and so Gates
put up barbed wire mill Of his own.
His knowledge of the trade was an
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

New York.-John w. Gates. the
most picturesque plunger who ever
rose to fame and fortune In Wall
street, has leased great hunting pre-
serve In France, and is winding up the
business of his House OF Twelve
Partners" He Is through with Wall
street, writes Frank Fayrant in the
Times When a market operator of
his prominence quits the speculative
game Immediately after n disastrous
panic In the market It is but natural
for the gossips of the street to say:
-'They've got him at last" Ever since
Gates began swinging big lines Of
stock In bull markets and running
afoul of men of great power in Wall
street the deniZens of the street have
shook their heads wisely and said:
They'll get him some day" During
the panicky days of March, when the
rumor mongers were telling Of the
huge losses piling up against wealthy
operators, they were sure that the
blouse Of Twelve Partners" was in
house, that in big markets has carried
at times s12500O,000 worth of stock
on margin, Is going out of business,
the rumor mongcrs are saying: Il
told you So"
But John W. only smiles and says:
81 wish they were all as comfortably
fixed as ! am" His friends say that
he began trimming his sails last win.
ter, when stocks were selling at sky
prices, and that when the storm broke
in March he had all his reefs in.
They say that he actually bought
stocks during the panicky days of
March, and that banks were carrying
millions of dollars of free cash for
him when some very wealthy men
were lying awake nights wondering
how they would make their bank bal.
anccs good the next day His friends
think that he is worth at least $25000,.
600, and perhaps a good deal more
So John w. isn't exactly broke.
Barbed Wire the Beginning.
II was in barbed wire that Gates be.
gan TO build his fortune. Gates was
n poor farmers boy out west. His
first business venture was contracting
to husk neighbor's corn. From the
money he saved ont OF this work he
made his first speculation. He bought
a third interest In a threshing ma
chine that came rafting across the
prairie after the harvest. The old
farmers shook their heads at this. for
It was a tradition that the threshing
machine man usually came TO finan.
.cial grief But 1t was a year OF bump.
er crops, and threshing proved so
profitable that before the winter came
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
$500 Reward for SLAYER.

Mexlco.-Edward Reed, a prominent
stockman. and highly respected citi.
zen OF Mexico, was assassinated by
robbers who, after beating and rob
bling him, unconscious In theshrdluuu
bling him. left him unconscious in the
southern part OF the city. He died
from the result Of his injuries and
exposure. Governor Folk the county
court the Mexico Ledger and the citI-
zens of Mexico will offer $500 re-
ward for the arrest and conviction Of
the assassin. The people are thor.
oughly aroused about this outrage.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

Street ever organized a more elabor-
ate system OF getting advance infor.
nation of things that would affect
Wall street. When the street was
waiting anxIously for the final decis.
ion in the Northern Securities case.
and the Union Pacific party believed
that It had defeated James J. Hill, Mr..
Gates one day sent word to Mr.. Hills
Office that he had something to tell
him. The railroad president walked
down Nassau street and across Wall
street to the plunger's Office. There
he learned from Gates that the Su.
preme court decision would be against
the Union Pacific. Gates didn't tell
how he knew It, but he assured Mr..
Hin that he knew what he was talk.
ing about. Northern Securities began
to soar that day, and never stopped
until It had advanced $40 share.
Some days later the Supreme court
decision was made public. 1t was just
what Gates said 1t would be-
Gates Is born bull. He has never
taken any part In bear campaigns,
because he's too much of an optimist
to bet on stocks going down. Every
time during the past six or seven
years when the market has had bad
break, the story has gone around that
Gates was hurt. The bull market of
the fall OF 1902 was almost entirely n
Gates market. Gates and his follow.
ing put st. Paul nearly TO 5000, and
were loaded up with stocks when It
was discovered that the Standard oil
crowd had been selling stocks all the
way up. The market collapsed and
the Gates crowd took heavy losses
1t is Gates peculiar fame that he
owns. SO far as is known, the most
singular pleasure craft possessed by
u millionaire. 1t is a sIdewheel yacht
of uncertain age. but steady as the
proverbial church, and fitted out in Il
manner that puts TO shame its more
pretentious rivals OF the propeller
variety. With his wife he has spent
much time on this distinctly family
seagoing craft, which pleases him to
the point where he tolerates good
naturedly the quips of his friends on
its packingcase proportions.
Small wonder Is 1t that his liking
for pictures has taken him into the
school called Photographic" by the
critics. His favorite Is Messonler and
of the red and blue clad soldiers,
courtIers and ladies who troop
through that artists canvasses he has
goodly company in his Waldorf
rooms. And he finds unending de.
light in the bright colors and clear.
cut figures,
or the hordes Of newly created mill
ionaires borne into Wall street on the
wave of industrial combinations which
overwhelmed the country from 1898
to 1901, Gates was the most pictur-
esuue. He has added to that distinc'
ton the further honor Of lasting the
longest and OF retiring not without
laurels. One may not wonder If 1t
might not be said OF him now what
he once said OF himself on another
question, that he is mot broke, but
badly bent"
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

loses. Sometimes he wins. Every
man who COOS into business CANDLES.
or course, the element Of judgment en-.
terB in. but the element OF chance can
not be ruled out. Whenever a man
starts out on a railway journey it's
gamble whether he ever reaches his
destination. All life is n gamble you
see"
In active markets II has not been
unusual for Gates TO carry line OF
s25 900 900 or S3O,0O0,0OO worth Of
stocks On margin. Some OF the older
men in the street have tried again
and again to tie him up, but they
have never succeeded. Gates has
always had his eyes open. Where he
couldn't see far enough with his own
eyes. he paid somebody else to look
out for him No operator in Wall
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

In New York TO close n deal for the
purchase of another mill.
The Steel Merger.
They picked up everything In sight,
hurried to Chicago. and, within u
week after the opening of their cam.
paign. they had the whole company
organized This is the way that Gates
likes TO do things. Gates and all his
followers cleaned up fortunes In this
flotation. The public appetite was
keen for Industrial stocks. especially
for steel stocks. and the conversion Of
millions Of dollars worth of newly
manufactured stock certificates into
the coin of the realm was accom-.
plished in a short time. Two years
later the big trust was formed in the
steel trade, and the Gates companies
were turned into the merger. Gates
wanted to go on the steel board,
but the chief promoter, Mr.. Morgan,
wouldn't have 1t. The banker said he
didn't think that Gates was safe man
to have in great corporation dlrec-
toratc.
Mr.. Morgan's GOODNESS toward him
didn't seem to worry him at all. Not
plunge heavily in Louisville Il Nash.
vile. He told his friends that Il was
a great property and that II ought to
go higher. EIe and his following In
New York and Chicago which by that
time had grown to large proportions
because of me money ne had made for
them in his steel stocks, put the stock
from around par TO above $3.50. The
street woke up one morning to dis.
cover that Gates had "cornered" Lou.
isville The Northern Pacific corner
panic was still fresh In the mind Of
Wall street and there was momen.
tary scare But Gates said he didn't
want TO hurt anybody. The road
looked good to him and he had bought
some Of the stock In fact, he had
bought the control. Gates didn't have
any special use for railroad with
$500 miles OF track, and he looked
around for purchaser. He went to
Mr.. Morgan's office one morning. and
said: Morgan. own the control of
the Louisville. If you want 1t or have
a buyer for It, you can take 1t of my
hands Mr. Morgan found a buyer
and Gates cleaned up a fortune.
Gates is a horn gambler. When he
was a country shopkeeper out in ILL.
nois he spent many a night In boy
car" on the siding, playing the great
American game" by the light OF a
trainman's lantern. Great financier,
that man Gates exclaimed a railway
fireman one day, az he saw b. the
newspaper headline that Gates had
made big coup In Wall street. I'VE
knew that before Wall street ever
heard of him, when he raked In the
jackpots out at Turner Junction." was
the engineers reply. Gates believes
that gambling is what makes the
world go. Life is a gamble" said he
the other day. Everything is a
gamble. When the farmer plants his
corn he Is gambling. He bets that the
weather conditions will enable him to
raise good crop. Sometimes he
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Pessimlsm.

A certain man, who was recently
reelected to position that he had
held for many years, met friend who
congratulated him on his continued
good fortune. To this the other re-
piled: Yes. but 1t can't always last;
I'll have to give It up some day. I
feel n great denl like man | knew
who worked in one place for 40 years.
and when discharged ct last on nc.
count of old age remarked: We'll.
when l came here knew l wouldn't
have u steady job"
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

young Gates had made enough money
to buy out his two partners. At one
of the farms where the lad had
threshed wheat he fell In love with
a farmers rosy-cheeked daughter
This gave him an incentive TO go
ahead and make asfortune,
a farming community away from
the railways does not present many
golden opportunities TO an 1S.year-old
boy. Near the farm was strip of
woodland where Gates shot par
tridges and squirrels. Tramping along
foot-path In the woods one day the
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Maid TO Ex.Confederatea.

LeXington.-Miss Margaret Aull Of
this city, has been appointed maid of
honor by Brgadler General James ID.
Ingram TO represent the western dlvi.
sion of Missouri eX.Confederates at
Richmond, Va, May 80 to June G. Miss
Aull is the daughter OF Mr. and Mrs.
William Aull.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Missouri Doctors In Session

Jefferson City.-The attendance at
the first days session OF the Missouri
State Medical Association was hardly
up TO expectation, scarcely 100 ply
sicians being present There Is quite
a display in the Railways and rooms on
the second floor Of the capitol OF sur
gical instruments medical work. charts
and other matters that chiefly interest
physicians and surgeons
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
To Pay Death Penalty.

jefferson Clty.--Harry H. Vaughan
and TWO other conycts who killed
prison guards, while attempting to
break Jail, were sentenced to be hang
cd June -. The decision was render
ed in Division No ,, Supreme Court.
to which they had appealed their con
victions In the lower courts.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Sullivan County Benefited.

Milan Tho heaviest rain that has
visited sullivan county since last Sep
temhcr fell here Monday night. 1t
began raining At S o'clock that night
and continued to fall steadily up to
noon Tuesday. Pastures and early gar
dens are greatly benefited
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
NEWS OF MISSOURI
Sued for Divorce.

st. Joseph.-Jesse II. Hartman. So
cretary of the Hartman Furniture COM
pany, which ha? stores In st. Louis.
Kansas City, 81. Joseph and a dozen
other cities was served with a copy
Of divorce petition brought against
him by Aldlne Edith Hartman, who
claims TO be his common.law wife. as
he allghted from train here. The
plaintiff, a remarkably pretty St Jo-
seph girl, declares that they agreed
to be husband and wife in April, 1904.
and she states they have since lived
together In Omaha as such.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Capital Has Real Dry Sunday.

Jefferson CIty.-The Capital City
had its first real dry Sunday since the
saloons were first closed by the Citi.
2cns' League six years ago. When
the saloons were first closed several
lid lifting" clubs were organized and
the breweries did a big Sunday bus.
mess.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Life Sentence Too Much for Bow,

St Louis.-Because OF his youth,
steps may be taken to have the 90
year penltentlary sentence imposed on
John Stapp. 10 years old reduced. It Ia
said. Stapp pleaded guilty to murder
In second degree in the juvenile court
He stabbed and killed Mrs. Otilla
kraus MAY I
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Two Joplin Girls Drown.

Mamie Ruff, lG years old.
and Ruby Garner. G, two OF boating
party Of five, were drowned in Shoal
creek two miles from this city. The
drowning resulted from the capsl2Ing
of the boat in the swift current of the
stream, which was swollen by recent
heavy rains
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Dies Reading Prayer Book.

st. Observation-Disclosures Andrew T.
Arnell a democrat politician and office
colder for fifty years In Buchanan
county. died at his home here from a
stroke of appoplexy. He was reading
q prayer book when he diql,
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Columbia Merchant Dies.

Columbia.-Moss II. Parker, mcr-
chant. died here following an opera
ton. He was "a years old. a Knight
Of Pythias. Maccabee and an Elk. Ha
was president OF the Parker Furniture
Company.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24

Jefferson City.-Gov. Folk made
short work of signing bills passed by
the extra session. There were four
OF them, and all received his approval.
They were the general appropriation
bill, the demurraEe bill, the derellct
official bill and the dramshop bill.
These measures were all signed with,
in two hours after adjournment.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
Book Of War In Missouri.

Jefferson City,-Capt. James W. Al
len. Of st. Louis, has been In Jefferson
City the past few days supervising the
publication OF the proceedings of the
last reunion of United Confederate
Veterans ut Joplin.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-24
St. Joseph Street Car Men Strike.

st. Joseph. negotiating for
several months, the wage scale of the
street railway employees was finally
settled with an increase of 10 per
cent to employees Threats of a strike
had been made
Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-22
NEW CANDY STORE.

There has been long felt want
by the residents OF Bluefield for an
exclusive soda water and confec-
tionary store. Such place will be
opened next Saturday afternoon by
Mr.. John p. Homer, the we'll known
restaurant man, next to his already
well known and popular place, the
White Kitchen
Grhe style OF the place will be
Homer's Confectionery, where the
finest candies. made daily. and hot
drinks, including all other drinks
usually dispensed at a soda fountain
will be obtainable.
Every lady who attend this open
ing next Saturday afternoon will be
presented with n beautiful chrysan-
themum. as 5000 will be distribut.
ed.
Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-22
WILLTtMS'
KIDNEY PILLS

Have YOU neglected your Kidneys?
Have You overlooked your nervous
system and caa1ed trouble with you,
kidneys all bladder? Have you
pains In Joins, side. back. groins and
bladder? Have ycu a fabby appear
anco of the face. especially under
the eyes. TOO frequently a desire
to pase urine? II so. williams Kid
ney Pill will cure you.
Price zoe.
For srie by Tie White Pharmacy
Cor. Bland street aHd Princeton ave
Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-22
PERSONAL

= y. Daley Of 1'ozewcH. wax a
dsifor here 'oiay.
e. r AIoseley. of welch. was a
l-'ucdell visitor today.
Oscar Roles lett this morning on
basiness "trip TO Rock.
Mrs. William Klush LEFT today to
visit relatives at WEIGH.
j. VI. Slaughter, of Honaker, Wis
..cd Blueacla yesterday.
II. r. Caperlon. OF Princeton. was
here on business today.
J. c. Honaker OF Rocky Gap, left
this morning for Norfolk
w. II Benaiict, of Engleslde. was
here on business yesterday.
w. II, Meadow, of Willowtown.
was q business visitor here yester-
day.
Mr.. II. Il. Fairfax OF Roanoke.
passed. through Bluelleld for Norton
This morning.
w. u. HIonaker. circuit court clerk
OF Princeton. waa a business visit
or here today.
The Rink manag mcnt is arrang-
ing for series of polo games for
the near future.
Mr.. and Mrs. j. j. Davidson, OF
Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-22

The British Association is asking
the public to cooperate in hunting
down aScret OF which some fascL
mating hints have Just been discover.
ed. The difficulty of investigation ie
no more than noting down the color
OF the eyes Of the family. In the light
OF science there are only two sorts
OF cycs-blue and not blue. Hence
appears = strange law OF heredity
II Is assorted that where both par.
ents have blue eyes, all the children
have blue cycs; whore both parents
nave brown eyes. al the children
have brown eyes; but So ia where the
parents differ that this alleged law Of
he"diiy is most surprising. I'm thls
case brown eyes are said 20 be doml
nant. and blue eyes reccas ive. so that
The ch.!dson or mixed parents three
NJ every four VIII have brown eyes
and ono blue
Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-22
Martins Revenge.

correspondent tells the story OF
two house martins nests built against
an attic window OF farm. TO which
the birds came for several successive
years. Last spring. however, before
they arrived. sparrow took up her
abode in one OF the nests.
Shortly after the martins returned
as usual. and rne day the farm peo-
pie noticed that the hole OF the nest
which the sparrows occupied had been
blocked up. Next morning a boy
climbed up to ascertain the mean
ing of this and not finding any outlet.
broke away part of the nest, to find
the poor little sparrow dead on her
eggs.
The house martins had walled her
up for daring TO take possession of
their house.-Counuy Life
Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-22
Sudden.

What name" asked the yoirlc
woman at the iaunrdy ONCE. as she
took the customers bundle.
William Arrimee." answered the
customer.
II don't know" said the young
wohan, staring at him. II might
But Amt you pretty tolerably famiI.
iar on short acquaintance ?"--Chlcago
Tribune.