New-York tribune., 1908-12-27

What kind of boy were your" asked.
GUST an average youngster OF the American sort
went to the public schools in Detroit then to the
Michigan Military Academy, and was prepared Tor
college at the Charlier Institute. IN New York. At
the age of twenty-one I was graduated from the
scientific department Of Yale University"
Had you any particular career in view when you
left college?"
II expected TO be a business man. After travel
ling in Europe returned home and entered my
fathers office that might become familiar with
his many personal interests He was Ill with the
malady that caused his death two years later. l
also took clerkship in the office of the Michigan
Car Company, that might learn bookkeeping.
''It is said that you an expert accountant
''I know all I need TO know to protect myself
Every business should be competent book
keeper. 1 think 1 could living as an ac-
countant II It became necessary TO do so. My next
employment a new road which my father
and Russell A. Alger building along the east
shore of Michigan, from Bay City 70 Alpena l
was assistant paymaster and then paymaster, and
was on the line throughout the constructive period,
living part Of the time in tent and spending an
entire winter in the wilderness. Later I was pro-
NOTED TO the Office general freight and passenger
| agent and transferred to Detroit
MY fathers death occurred in 1887. and at the
age of twenty-five I found myself at the head Of
his family, charged with the whole responsibility OF
managing his estate. l continued 10 live and do
business in Detroit until 1905. when became As
sistant Secretary Of the Navy. l resigned from
ths banks and manufactures in which was q dt-
rector because I had been active in all Of them
and purposed to give my time entirely to the work
| OF the public
You were interested in iron lumber. drugs.
telephones elevators. sugar, automobiles and many
/ other things?' 1 said.
THE mining company in which I was director
and in which Samuel Mather, brother-in-law OF
the late John Hay. is large shareholder, owns
and operates of the greatest mineral and
manufacturing enterprises in the United States or
! anywhere else, for that matter We have IRON ore
/ lie o,da Hcla nd EriVp
over to all the wild life natural 10 Northern Michi-
! gan including moose and caribou The owners OF
! the island free to go there, but we nave TO
| leave our guns behind. Indeed, the island which
is ten miles wide. perhaps. and about twenty miles
long is a perpetually closed game preserve.
! .I also gave some of my time to beet sugar
factory in Michigan. but most OF my attention for
| two years previous to my acceptance OF puDlc
| Office was devoted to an automobile manuIactorE
! IN Detroit. If each workman hasn't rsom or MS
! o,,p with hot and cold water and southern eX-
posure he has the next thing to IL; learned early
in NV life that welfare work is not only rlght ouI
ia proatable to all concerned. Our automobile fac
| tory {. a model institution, and persons in all
narts of the country 60 Detroit for the purpose
| Of studying It."
what influenced you 10 take deep interest
! I'm marine matters the Great LakesT
| At think my liking for water and ships was IN
! hsriiea NV father was an admiralty lawyer, as
have said and grew up On the banks or the De-
| troit River. I often spent my vacation on DoaFo
| my fathers vessels. going INTO the engine
room fraternizing with the hremen and learning
| rsyigstfon from the pilots and captains 1t was
| fun 10 SAIL but 1t greater fun to learn now 10
! sail No part of a ship is mystery to me- MY
! father also had a yacht, and made It my busi-
ness with the help OF charts books and practical
teaching and experience, TO learn how to naVlsaus
! a ship all over the Great Lakes.
| Eighteen years ago ! went before the board OF
| government examiners and qualified as pilot and
master I successfully passed seven otner annual
| examinations. The law then changed, and
since then examinations are only necessary at the
end OF fve-year periods I have taken two exam
nations of that kind and there on the nlanelpieee
gou will see the license obtained last October,