The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-13

Now Earns His Living on a Steam
Shovel Gang.

New York.-N. Sture Mattson, son
of former Governor Hans Mattson, OF
Minnesota, after squandering an in
heritance of $1.OOO,000. turned tramp
for years. but is now earning an honest
living with a steam shovel gang in
New York and likes it.. In relating his
experiences young Mattson said:
I've spent a million dollars.
life.
I've been a millionaire.
I've been a tramp.
1--WE been down and out-as low
down, as helpless, as hopeless as a
healthy man can be.
But I'm on my feet again. I've got
job. For the first time in my life I
know what it is to work-to earn with
my own hands the bread 1 eat.
And I'm happy. I'm hopeful. I
get more pleasure now in buying a
glass of beer with cents that I've
earned than 1 used to get in blowing
in a hundred for champagne
Happy in His Work
Colonel Hans Mattson. father of this
characters of Minnesota in the early
days. He made a fortune in lumber
and wheat. He was one of those
hardy Morse settlers who built Min
He became governor of the state and
served with distinction and when
Presidena Garfield was elected in 1880
he was sent to India as consul general.
There he made a record for sound
common sense, business Judgment and
general excellence.
Young Mattson was reared in Min
neapolis and went through Yale. He
dissipated his money in the usual
manner of the gilded youth, including
a disastrous bout with wall street.
In relating his after life, Mattson
said:
October 20. 1900, was my wedding
day. 1 married Emma Carus, the ac-
tress. She is still on the stage. You
can see her any night at the Jardin
de Paris. She was a good little wo-
man to me.
Finds Fortune All Gone.
'I remember the finish, all right. 1
thought I had about $4,000 in bank
and 1 sent in my book to have it bal
anced for I wanted to make a little
investment. I had just s175. You
see, 1 never kept any stubs. or ac-
counts. That was when my wife and
I separated. She went her road and
1 took my balance and started west.
IT got as far as Butte, Mont. and
it was only few days until I was
completely broke. I had to do some
thing or starve, so 1 went to work as
'mucker' in the Never Sweat mine.
1t was the first time 1 had ever
worked in my life. and I lasted just
one day.
II had to get somewhere and do
something, so 1 beat my way to Seat
tie. i finally landed again in San
Francisco. L had made raise of 10
cents one night and put it into a bed
in cheap lodging house in Mission
street. We were all sleeping soundly
when there was rumble and crash.
Then we were dumped out of our
beds and, running into the streets. we
found San Francisco in ruins. That
was the awful morning of April Is,
1906.
After the fire had burned itself out
and the citizens began to get over their
excitement the army soon Strengthened
things out. The orders were to put ev-
cry man to work, and the hobos had to
join with the rest. I stuck right to 1t,
and by the time the wreckage had been
cleared away 1 had saved enough money
to fit me out with clothing and pay my
way back to New York.
Finds Plenty of Work.
There doesn't seem to be much need
of any fellow loaf1ng in New York If
he doesn't want to. 1 got job out here
In the New York Central Terminal For
a few days I worked in the mud as
Then they picked me out for
foreman, and you wouldn't believe