Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-05-29

ego and who arterward married Or
ben II BroughtOn Of Chicago. and
Mae. who also married twice
Mr.. Rogers New York city home
was at East Seventy-eighth street.
The social organizations TO which be
belonged included the Union League
club. the Metropolitan. Lotos. En-
gineers'. New York Yacht and Seawan-
Gka-Corinthian Yacht He was also a
member Of the American Fine Arts
and New England societies. the Amer
lean Museum of Natural History. the
Municipal Art Society and others.
Here is the sort OF talk that Rogers
gave to young men:
Don't be a pessimist Believe in
yourself and your country. We are
entering upon an era of Development
and prosperity unparalleled in the his
tory Of the world. The young man
who realizes this fact is the young
man who will succeed"
Mr.. Rogers was a handsome man.
Tail. 1.-THE. straight as an arrow. he
lowered far above the crowd any
where. His face was lean and clear
cut, the strong protruding jaw OF the
fighting man attracting attention to
him at once. But the severity OF his
lower face was relieved by a twin
king. merry blue eye and n lofty. be-
nevolent forehead
i have been hammered for years"
Mr.. Rogers said recently. Every one
takes a shot at Rogers at some time or
other I'm his life. or course ! don't
like It The man doesn't live who does
not covet the esteem OF his neighbors
But what can I do2 Nothing that I
could say would stop the torrents Of
abuse. SO | say nothing.
The resources OF this great land
have only been scratched. The next
fifty years will see wonders In the way
OF development that even we do not
dream Of That's why l say TO you
young men, don't be pessimistic. Get
into the fight and do n mans part.
There never were SO many Opportunl-
ties as there are today The great
trouble with our boys IS that they
don't like work. They like 60 sit on a
high STOOL wear a high collar and ogle
the girls. The way 10 get along is 70
work with your hands. No man ever
learned business In the office.
what does the president OF a rail
road do with his SOM Does be get him
a job In the officer Not much. The
boy goes into the shop and learns how
TO do things worth while Then after
he has shown that his hands viii sup
port his head-that is. TO feed him-he
IS given a chance 20 show that his
head can support his hands.
"And another thing-get married
There's nothing like n good wife TO
make a man hustle. Just look around
you. and you'll dnd that nine out Of
ten successful men OF affairs have mar
ried early In life"
When Mark Twain. the great Amer
lean "umorlst, awoke one morning
nine years ago. following the failure OF
a publishing house In which be was
interested. he found himself $4,000
In debt. That Henry H. Rogers came
70 his assistance aud. violating a pre-
viously unbroken rule OF his career.
acted as his trustee and benefactor in
recouping the Twain losses is one OF
his shining monuments.
a story Is told OF Rogers which IS
worth repeating.
A young man In New York who had
the same name and initials as Mr.
Rogers frequently received through
the mall letters which were intended
for the Standard oil man. One day
he received a bill for a new flag fur
nished TO Mr.. Rogers yacht, which be
mailed 10 him with the following note
Dear Sir received the inclosed bin In
tended for you. as / am not fortunate
enough TO own yacht However. / will
pay your bin n you viii tell me the best
time 10 buy Standard on.
He received the following reply:
Dear sir-Your note at hand 1 will be
glad 10 pay my own bill The best time
10 buy Standard OH Is between 10 and q
One OF the traditions AT the stand
ard oil building was that Rogers ar
rived and departed exactly at 1890 in
the morning and $50 In the afternoon.
One morning the veteran Waterman
who stood al the Broadway entrance
10 the building was seen to take out
his watch when Mr. Rogers hurried
IN. look at II and confidently set IL for
ward ten minutes. for among the dis
tinguiShed characteristics OF Mr.. Rog-
ers was n regard that almost amount
ed TO a reverence for time.
MT. Rogers rounded out his life work
by constructing the Virginia railroad,
which is 442 miles in length and cost
$4O.OO0OO0 The road. which tops the
vast bituminous coal fields Of West vir-
ginia. was almost entirely bunt with
Mr.. Rogers own money.