Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-10
TEDDY, JR., ON THE JOB.
Presidents Son Wool Sorter at SIS
Week.

Week.
When Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., be-
came wage Garner the other day he
toiled ten hours and a half in the
works of a carpet company situat-
ed at Thompsonville, Conn, with
$500 others. For FIVE hours and a
half he wore overalls and jumpers and
bent his back over piles of dirty, smelly
wool.
'Wool sorter' is the name of his
| job-the lowest, hardest and most dis
| agreeable about the works, also the
most poorly paid. Young Teddy earn
ed by his whole day of labor exactly
So 1-3 cents. He is on the payroll of
| the corporation at the fabulous salary
Of So a week.
"Tired? Yes. / am" he admitted as
he passed out of the gates at night
when the whistle blew at Gas. at
caught me in the back" That's what
all new wool sorters say.
The presidents son reached Thomp-
sonville in the evening and went for
dinner to the home of Alvin II. Hig-
gins, general manager of the company.
L.
gins he went to the small dwelling ad-
joining the latter's home, where he is
to live with married couple who will
act as housekeepers. He turned in
early to bed, for he had to be up be-
times the next morning The starting
whistle blows at o'clock.
The house where young Roosevelt
will live is owned by Mr. Higgins and
until Teddy juniors" arrival was
known as 1.-The little white house."
Now it has achieved the new title Of
1.-The little White House"
Promptly at 6:45 o'clock in the morn
ing. when the streets were filed with
mill workers starting YEARLY for their
toll, Teddy Joined the throng. He got
into the Office of the carpet works at
five minutes before 1. Mr.. Higgins
and other officers made him acquaint-
ed with the clerks and department
heads. At O'clock he met the steno-
graphic staff-twelve typewriter girls.
some pretty, some otherwise, but all
eager to meet the young man. He
bowed and smiled diffidently when pre-
{ sented to them.
: During the morning young Roosevelt
: was shown the office system and was
, taken through the works. AT noon he
was allowed forty-five minutes for a
hurried luncheon at the Higgins home.
T He was attired In a dark gray, ready
made working suit" which he had
purchased to begin his career in. At
1916 he returned to the works with a
package under his arm, which con-
tanned his overall suit. He put this on
r when the whistle blew and got on the
r job of sorting the wool-just as ii
comes TO the mill. without any cleans
ing or deodorizing. There he stuck,
, without intermission. until 6:15.
Neither he nor Mr.. Higgins would
discuss the first days work. II have
my eye on him." the manager said
with a chuckle. ''and if he doesn't be
have I'll use the big stick on him. All
have to say is that he has a splendid
appetite"
1t may be stated that the verdict OF
> the working population of Thompson
Vile is that young Roosevelt is "the
goods" and in no sense an interloper.
Among the various departments
through which the presidents son viii
E pass, provided he likes the work anf
v decides to stay and become full
a fedged carpet maker. will be the films
s room, shading room, designing depart
l. ment and dye house.
o He will also undoubtedly study othel
lines of mill work, including the vari
GUS kinds of carpets and rugs and how
). such large manufacturing plant Il
S managed, but this win altogether de
: pend upon himself
r All the town saw Teddy during hi.
l. trips to and from the carpet mills. HI,
d saw all the town, too, for there ar,
e few persons in Thompsonville excep
y mill workers. The only social diver
Y sions he will have will be the Enfielt
j., Country club and the Calumet club
g which are patronized by the not nu
merous wealthy citizens of the town