davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
]. OGDEN ARMOUR
ONE OF AMERICAS
KINGS OF FINANCE
MultinoLionaie Works Harder and Has More Hours of
Business Than Any of His More Than 2O,O 900 EN-
pEoyes-Has No Time for "Society''-Fis Home and
''The Came Take Up His Whole Life.

Chicago.-By virtue of his millions,
his diversified financial and CONNER
cial interests, his methods, and his
means to business ends, J. Ogden Ar
mour is one of the accredited great
captains of industry of Chicago.
But when you seek to discover of
his friends the social side Of the man,
they are not certain even of it's exist
ence.
Ask Mr. Armour himself and he re-
CARDS the subject as not at all worthy
Of discussion in business hours.
And ]. Odgen Armour has more
business hours in the course of the
calendar year than has any other mil
lionaire in the western metropolis.
He eats his luncheon in his private
office in the general offices in La
Sale street, sends out for it some
where and satifies his hunger with
the least possible loss of time. When
the days work is done he starts home
in his automobile, just within the
speed limits of the ordinances, for a
seven o'clock dinner.
Responsible for days work as the
head of Armour & Co., with its pay
roll of 10000 men, looking to his own
private interests in half a dozen lines
of investment, meeting in one way or
another the multitudinous calls that
come from great world to the desk
OF the millionaire.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20

one Of these men FOR years had
been a travelling auditor of the bust
nesses of the Armour branch houses,
scattered over one Of the great Sec
tons of the west In this organiza-
ton of the Armour business each
branch house has its own manager.
Each of ten or II houses comes I'M
der the supervision of a superintend-
ent, and about the same number is in
the territory of a travelling auditor.
The poultry business of Armour &
Co. is not one of the money making
ventures of the company. Armour,
in his touring of the country in which
his plants are located, always has an
eye to the records of this poultry
business. Occasionally the manager
of a particular plant overstocks in
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
JUST WHAT ALLIED HIM.
Case of Man Puzzled the Doctors,
But Not His Wife.

A policeman had found man lying
on the sidewalk in an unconscious
condition and sent him to the hospital
in an ambulance. A doctor spent half
an hour in overhauling him, and then
gave up in despair and establishment.
Th7 man appeared to be on the point
of dying. and yet he had no malady
that could be discovered.
The doctor was about to bleed the
patient and then follow with electric
shocks, when a tall gaunt woman, with
an iron jaw, made her appearance at
the hospital and was admitted. When
she was ushered into the ward where
the new arrival lay she said to the
doctor who haG worked over him:
Yes, that's my husband, knew I'd
either find him here or at the morgue.
Is he pretending to be unconscious?
He is unconscious, madam. In
fact. he will nos live half an hour. Has
he been ill?'
Not in 80 years
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
His Idea of a Good Time.

The retired contractor sighed as he
got into his dress suit and thought of
the elaborate dinner and the opera
that were to come.
Some day." he said, It'll git real
desp'rit, an then do you know what
I'll do?"
Something terrible, no doubt" re-
piled his ambitious wife.
II suppose it wouldn't look well in
print" he admitted, "but can't help
that What I'll do will be to throw
away these high-priced cigars, put on
some old clothes, go out an come in
by the back way an smoke a quarter
pound of cut-up chewin' tobacco in a
cob pipe while I'm talkin' things over
with the coachman in the barn" The
Bohemian.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Close Supervision Necessary.

That such lesson may be worth
while is suggested in the fact that
there are about $50 of these branch
houses throughout the country. Three
hundred and fifty manager are neces-
sary for their conduct, and 35 super
intendents and as many travelling au-
ditors overlook the business of these
houses between the Armour head and
the myriad details of buying and sell
ing.
The possibility of 5000 loss in each
of $50 branches is an item, even in a
business which nets $5,000,000 Or &c.
100000 in a year.
There is a story extant in which
just one man did resent the Armour
finding.
He was the cashier of the Boston
branch of the business, and he drew
one of the big salaries on the Ar
mour rolls. One day, Unexpectedly
as usual, Armour entered the Boston
Office a quarter Of an hour ahead of
the cashier.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20

compass the estate. The chief ma
terial in construction of the house
will be marble
His Best Beloved.
Some one may find food for thought
on compensations in the fact that Mr..
Armour's family consists of only wife
and daughter.
All the world has heard of this little
daughter, now II years old-the little
Lolita Armour, weighing three pounds
at her embarrassing of the incu-
bator, with the little life hanging by
a thread-fnally the active child with
the handicap of dislocated hip, to
become the patient of world-famed
surgeon, and, restored to health and
strength, stand as one of the marvels
of twentieth century surgery.
But this little daughter is the light
of the Armour household She is
legion in the affections of the father.
The brusqueness of business speech
softens in her presence. The man in
the business Office becomes the ia
Their in the home. And the trans
formation is complete.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Text Somewhat Anropos.

The Rev. J. B. Hammill, the elo-
quent preacher of the Hanson Place
Methodist Episcopal church, Brooklyn,
was preaching at Sayville, L. L., from
the text Look well to your founda-
tions." After repeating the text he
leaned heavily on the pulpit desk,
which gave way and plunged over the
altar rail, nearly hitting the laymen in
the front seat and scattering the Bible
and the preachers notes among the
holders of the pews. The aged preach
er barely escaped a tumble over the
altar with the heavy desk.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20

Not long ago a young Irishman was
seeking work in western Illinois, and
among those to whom he applied was
a farmer near Cairo.
The farmer was attracted by the
Celts frank, CHEEKY manner, and,
while he was not in need of help, he
asked, after a pause:
"Can you GRADER"
"Cradle!" repeated the Irishman.
"Sure, 1 can! But. sir" he added, per-
suasively, couldn't We give me job
out-of-dures ?"-Harper's Weekly.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Marsh Bill Recommended.

The assembly committee recon-
mended concurrence in the Marsh bill
providing for system of water reser-
yoirs on the tributaries of the Wiscon-
sin river north of the south line of
Lincoln county to produce uniform
flow of water for manufacturing and
other industrial purposes. The COM
uaittee on legislative employees apd ex-
penditures recommended for passage
q bill increasing the salary Of the
chief clerks of the two houses of the
legislative from $500 to $1,000.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Price on Railroad Tickets.

Among bills passed by the assembly
was one requiring that every railroad
ticket sold for points within the state
shall have it's price stamped or writ
ten on it. Another bill passed pro-
vides that a person shall not take
more than one deer during a season.
A bill providing that persons using
vehicles with tires three inches wide
shall have one-half of their highway
taxes RENTED, was passed.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Labor Asks Augmentation.

The committee on manufactures
and labor has introduced a bill in the
legislature providing for an annual
appropriation of $1,000 for the bene-
fit of organized labor of the state.
This bill was introduced at the sug-
gestion of Fred Brockhausen, who
claims that inasmuch as the various
grower" associations of the state re-
ceive annual funds from the treas
ury the labor unions are also entitled
to a similar appropriation.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Manager "CaIled Down."


The house may be 500 or 1000
miles out of Chicago The manager,
counting upon the distance from the
home Office and the possibility of the
head of a great concern scarcely
knowing of the poultry department of
that particular branch, receives the
personal call of the corporations
head in sublime optimism.
BrusQue but pleasant interchange
Of conventional greetings lead up to
the business talk. The weather may
be touched upon. The health of the
manager may be inquired after. No
words are wasted, however. Sudden
~, like the explosion of a shotgun,
the head of Armour e Co. touches
upon business.
THAT overstocking in poultry just
before Thanksgiving, Mr.. Jones. 1t
wasn't a good business move. Loss of
five cents pound on 5000 pounds of
soft stock. 1t mustn't occur again"
The manager stammers a little. He
has an excuse, perhaps, and the ex-
cuse is listened to respectfully. Talk
may drift away from the subject
little. Then, as suddenly and un-
expectedly, the head of Armour & Co.
comes back to the topic from a new
angle. 1t is an explosive recurrence,
but in the inevitable low, even tones
of the dictator. 1t is disconcerting to
the degree that it is unexpected
and a disconnected employe is regard
ed as one of the inspirations of Og
den Armour. Before he is done with
the department head he may have
come back three or four times to
the unpleasant subject. But when he
has gone the manager has the lesson
of his mistaken judgment firmly i'm
pressed upon his mind. He will not
offend again.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
For Election of DeIeuates.

The bill providing for the election
of delegates to national political con-
ventions at the April election proceed
ing such conventions and for the APP
pointments of alternates by the state
central committees was ordered en-
crossed by the assembly. 1t also pro-
vides that if a person votes for more
than four delegates from the state at
large and two from a congressional
district, the ballot shall be thrown
out.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20

rifle. And, once spoken, they are ir-
revocable.
In j. Ogden Armour the man asso-
ciated with him in the business of Ar
mour & Co. finds in this head of the
concern the master of details. In the
famous hearing of the beef trust be-
fore the federal court in Chicago,
there is the Armour testimony that in
the matter of rebates of 100000 or
so, Armour considered this a detail
a mere something which had been
delegated to a Mr.. Armstrong of the
concern.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
No State Park Board.

The assembly claims committe rec
commended for indefinite postpone
ment the Estabrook bill creating a
state park board of three members
and appropriating $500 for their ex-
penses, and also the Harrow bill pro-
viding for pensioning members of the
state militia who are wounded or dis
abled while in the service of the state.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Teachers Employment Agency.

The assembly passed the Ainst-
worth bill appropriating $1,000 for a
school teachers employment agency
to be established in connection with
the state bureau of labor and indus
trial statistics, the Schauer bill in
creasing the state aid for graded
schools from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year, the Ties bill authorizing spe-
cial terms of the Green county court
to be held at Brodhead, and the COM
mittee bill providing that the entire
building in which a bank is located
shall be taxed.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Insane Asvlum aim kilIed.

lUSdIS Asylum DltA Nilieus
Among the bills killed were the
Whitehead measure appropriating
100000 for the erection of state
hospital for violent and criminal in
sane, two bills requiring street cars to
be heated between Oct. l and April
Is, and the Smith bill providing that
the war claim" money received by
the state from the federal government
be transferred to the school trust
funds.
When the university appropriation
bill came up for consideration, Sena-
tor Browne offered an amendment re-
storing the appropriation of $4,000
annually for college Of medicine and
100000 annually for woman's build
ing, which were cut out Of the original
bill by the claims committee, and then
had consideration postponed until
Wednesday.
The committee on transportation,
through it's chairman, Senator Hud-
nall, introduced a bill authorizing the
state board of control to convey to
Waukesha for waterworks purpose a
small piece of state land occupied by
the State Industrial School for Boys.
Owing to the fact that only few
senators were present many of the
important bills on the calendar and all
appropriation bills were aid over.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Express Rate Bill Killed.

The senate killed the Smith bill
providing for reduction of SO 1-3 per
cent in present rates for express serv-
ice. The vote was 16 to g. The state
railroad commission is now investi-
eating the matter of express rates to
ascertain if they are excessive, and if
it finds that they are, it will doubtless
order them reduced.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Two Bills Killed.

Among bills killed by the assembly
was one prohibiting minors from be-
ing in places where intoxicating
liquors are sold unless accompanied
by their parent or guardian, and one
requiring that the stone used in con-
struction of the new state capitol
shall be of Wisconsin.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
For Constitutional Amendment.

The Schauer joint resolution pro-
viding for an amendment to the con
stitution requiring full naturalization
as a requisite to the right to vote
after 1912 was amended by the as
sembly so as to agree entirely with
a similar resolution passed two years
ago and as amended concurred in by
the senate 1t will be submitted to
the electors of the state for approval
at the next general election
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Measure Projects employees.

Among the bills passed by the as.
sembly was the Glen measure provid-
ing that an employe of corporation,
firm or individual, may recover dam
ages for personal injuries sustained
in the course of his employment If his
negligence be of slighter degree
than that of his employer.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Concur in Senate Bills

The assembly concurred in the sem
ate amendments to the Durley COM
parative negligence bill, the Thomp-
son child labor bill, the Nye sleeping
car berth bill, the Henderson bill au-
thorizing cities to purchase property
for railroad terminals and lease it to
private parties, the Thompson bill pro-
yiding that railroad trpins shall not
be run without full crews, and the
Harrass bill providing that sidetracks
and spurs shall be laid in accordance
with regulations prescribed by munich
palsties in which they are located
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
XII District Attorney Measure.

The assembly without discussion
killed bill No. 981A, providing that a
district attorney shall not be required
to disclose IN any court or judicial
proceeding any information he may
have acquired while assisting a grand
jury. The judiciary committee of the
assembly recommended that the bill
be killed and the recommendation
was followed.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
No Action in Dietz Case.

In the assembly the Weber resolu-
ton providing for the appointment of
a legislative committee to investigate
and report on the case of John f.
Dietz, of Cameron dam fame, was
recommended for indefinite postpone
ment by the committee on state af-
fairs.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Publicity on Contributions.

The assembly committee on banks
and insurance reported for passage a
bill requiring insurance companies to
report to the state insurance commits
sioner all contributions made by
them to political committees or paid
for services of legislative agents.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Of Few Words in Business.

There are men high in the employ
of Armour & Co. who never have seen
this man of the home environment.
Thousands would not recognize him
in the position. To thousands of
these he is man to stand IN awe of
to fear, even.
Ogden Armour in business is the
man of the fewest words. In utter
ance he is of the steel trap speech.
His yes" or mo" is not to be an
ticipated. They spring out of his set
fixed inscrutability like the crack OF a
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Two Appropriations Endorsed.

The claims committee of the as
sembly favorably reported the Nor
cross bill appropriating $1,000 annual
ly for two years to the Wisconsin To-
bacco Growers and Dealers associa-
ton, and the Jackson bill anpropri-
ating $4,000 annually to the state
university to carry on educational ex-
tension and correspondence teaching.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
NE CHRPET

poultry. He may buy 10000 pounds
of fowls when the market proves to
justify only 5000 pounds. There is a
consequent loss Of two to five cents a
pound on the stock
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Home and "The Game.

Homeland ''the game" of business,
measured by tens of thousands of
miles and tens of millions of money
would you ask more of flesh and
blood? "The game" is at once the
mans diversion and his toll; home is
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20

In the assembly the Roycroft bill
appropriating $125,0O0 for the estab-
lishment Of a binding Irvine plant at
the state prison was ordered en-
crossed and read a third time.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Master of Details.

Master of Details.
One may find stories among former
Armour employees. told not with
view to contrast with this testimony
but with due recognition of the mans
capacity and mastery of the routine
of great business, which are in con-
fiict
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20
Appropriation Reduced.


The assembly committee on claims
recommended that the bill appropriate
ing money for improvements on the
state fair grounds be passed with an
amendment reducing the appropria-
ton from $67,5OO to $62,5OO. The cut
was made in the amount provided for
a new cattle barn, the reduction in the
sum for that purpose being from $780,
900 to $4,000. The Thomas bill APP
propriating $125,OOO for the establish
ment of binding Irvine plant at the
state prison at Waupun was reported
without recommendation. The com
mittee recommended for indefinite
postponement the bill appropriating
$500 annually for clerical work for the
state. livestock sanitary board and the
bill providing for II additional deputy
factory inspectors.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-06-20

! the patent feathers, the gloves, the
silk hat, tie, and few other of the
evidences of a night in the company
of dressy friends. He bowed to the
head of the Armour business. who
had been filling in the time looking
through an office ledger.
1t was nice morning, according to
the Armour weather report, apropos
of the cashiers silence.
The cashier admitted that in his
chiefs meteorological observation the
chief had beaten the weather bureau
by ten degrees.
Mr.. Armour had been waiting for
some time. he said.
The cashier hadn't doubt of It,
The ease, and composure, and pains
taking care with which the cashier
laid aside Overcoat, hat, and gloves
were little irritating at best. just
when the cashier was removing his
gloves, careful of the wrinkles, the
head of Armour's brought hand
down upon the open ledger.
'Mr. Jones, that's a bad ex-
ample of bookkeeping, if I know any
thing about what a set of books
should be-"
"Mr. Armour and the cashier
shook the desk with the force of his
clinched fist, that's - - -
creditable ledger, and know what
I'm talking about"
p11+ a
Boston branch had new cashier
within a week or two. Which was no
surprise to the cashier, either.
Enemies are Mary.
j. Ogden Armour is A years old.
He has made enemies-bitter ones
in his time; men who have fought
him at "the game" and nursed defeat
in vengeance They have fought him
fairly and unfairly.
They have called him the head and
shoulders of the beef trust" hs
is credited-or discredited-as the
leather trust" he owns $4,000 shares
in one great railroad in the central
west, huge blocks of stock in other
lines reaching to the Atlantic and to
the Pacific; owner of lines of huge
elevators that have strangled compe-
tition; owner of street railway stocks;
arbiter in the destinies of almost
countless aggregations of capital; de-
PENDANT of the privately owned refrig-
orator lines, and pleading innocence
in the matter of huge rebates that
have been in violation of federal laws.
Only few years ago he was a sick
/, man, Frustrated by the publicity which
came of his aggressiveness in "the
game"
But he is millionaire many times.
He has power, which is compensation
in 'the game" Who would not have
it if he could? He gets up at six
o'clock in the morning and goes to
work at seven. He has few friends
that are intimates in the sense that
men have friends, tried and true. He
has one child, who sees less of him.
perhaps, than most children see of
their fathers who are day laborers.
Yet this is success. Who disputes
it?
The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-09-16

The Buckeye lntortncr has the fol-
lowing to say on the matter of selling
what the newspapers have for sale:
1T would be poor policy for mer-
chant to refuse to sell snols to a per-
son simply because that person lives
ielrer some other store n the same
line, 1t is Just as foolish if q publish
er refuses advertising from out of
town concerns because t.1ey compete
With the home mer!lnnt. Take all the
Advertising you can get at your rcgu-
LAY rates and don't be silly enough to
make an excuse for 1t when you sell
space to some entprprising firm in q
nearby city. If your home merchants
c.nlucl their business along the righl
lines, they need not fear out Of town
competition. If they fail to do that,
you are not the one that ought to slf-
fer for it"
The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-09-16

In answer to the West virgtnian's
prediction that Auditor scherr would
lose some of his antItax reform friends
by his recent utterances, the Grafton
sentinel says:
"why should Arnold lose friends by
declaring his purpose to stick by the
Dawson tax plan? If the Auditor
wants to keep company with the big
crowd he must stay by tax reform.
Arnold evidently knows that reforms
do not work backward and he is wise
to move with the great procession"