The Newtown bee., 1908-07-10

rather be first sergeant under Hawk
 ins than colonel in any other comand.
 Shortly after the muster out of the
 survivors of the original Zouaves in
 1863, steps were taken to form new
 regiment to be known as the Second
 Battalion of Hawkins Zouaves. The
 young sergeant was rendered con-
 mission as captain in this regiment,
 but, owing to an insufficient number of
 volunteres in time to promptly form
 the organization, those that were en-
 rolled were transferred to another reg
 iment already in the field.
 Returning to civil life at the age of
 twenty, it seemed to him that the offer
 of his former employer, Henry A.
 Kerr, presented insufficient opportunity
 for the expansion of his energies. His
 destiny was, in fact, curiously shaping
 itself. He advertised for employment,
 received three replies, and discarded
 two The reply which it pleased him
 to notice was from the New York Con-
 densed Milk Company, as it was then
 entitled. William J. Rogers became a driver of Route No. 7, for the enter prise which Gail Borden had then but recently begun to popularize. The public, slow to comprehend a new idea, had not yet been properly enlightened as to the need of a pure milk product, which to-day it regards as an essential of civilized life. This necessity of a campaign of education and enlighten ment dawned upon the mind of young William J. Rogers besides, the ex-ser- geant of Hawkins Zouaves found the work of a driver for one route decided ly insufficient for his war-hardened en- ergies. He first complained to the secretary that time hung heavily on his hands. Some time later, upon re- ceiving slight encouragement from this quarter, he invented for himself the employment of soliciting, with an ex- tra horse and wagon. for Borden's con- densed milk by personally visiting pos sible customers and leaving free The plan succeeded. Bus mess increased so materially that three more routes were very soon add ed, and at the close of the war the po- sition as driver of Route No. 10 was taken by hls brother, George w. Rog- CTS who, like himself, had served in the Ninth New York and who also, to his credit, like his older brother, has since continuously remained in the em- ploy of the company.
 The first youth of William J. Rog- CTS was now past. He had learned in war as a non-commissional officer in a first-rate regiment lessons that were to be of the highest importance in the de- of a peaceful commercial en- terprise-the art of handling men, the of incessant watchfulness over details, the importance of pushing the charge we'll home, the inestimable value of creating new business and conforming to new and improved con- 1itions, in all of which the we'll being of the consumer must first be cOnsid- cred. These qualities helped to make the company what it is to-day, but there were others which undoubtedly formed sympathetic bond between young Rogers and his employers. It must have been recognized from the first that this young mans fundamental principle in dealing with others was that which the current talk of our time has named "a square deal.
 Like Borden, William J. Rogers was not satisfied to gain customers by giv- ing them their just dues; he perceived the necessity of convincing the farmer. who supplied the raw material, that he, too, was receiving fair and honor- able treatment. Again he deemed it essential to success that all important positions in the company be filled only by tried-and-true men, recruited from the ranks. Every unit must contribute to the upright. progressive methods of business maintenance and extension by this gigantic organization, which IS not trust in any sense of the word. Competition is met by hon. Orable, open methods, and the letter of the law is scrupulously observed on all sides.
 In their compliance with these prin- ciples, among others, the Borden's Condensed Milk Company to-day occupy a position unique in the commercial history of the world. The universal commendation of the members of the vast army of people supplying the enormous quota of raw materials and supplies and those consuming the vast