The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-01-26
THE aIRoN KINGV
gr DAVID G. HARTLEY.

.C0pTfiEnN lylu uN American AAea5 Anan7
ciation.l
Hooker, the iron king Of New
York. was ga irritable man and
stingy one His business was spec
ulatlng 10 iron and to do this success
fully be was obliged 70 secure infor-
nation from al parts OF the world as
to the production, consumption, stock
on hand and such other items as tend
ed to Ok the price Of the metal
Hooker gave his sisters son, Edward
Earle q position 10 his Office. At TWEEN.
ty-ave. though the young man was
manager Of that branch of The busi-
ness which pertained 70 infornation.
ne was paid bot twelve hundred a year
on this be supported bis mother. q
wife ana two little children. lie
chafed under BIS uncles stinginess and
on one occasion asked for more salary.
He was informed that IL he could do
better elsewhere be was welcome 70
60. The young man appreciated the
proverb "a rolling stone gathers no
moss and remained where he was.
one day Hooker Informed his clerk
that be wished him 70 60 70 England
to investigate the condition Of the
market there. He furnished the young
man with a second class ticket On an
ocean liner aud barely enough money
to pay his board and travel third class
between the principal English iron
manufacturing towns
One morning Earle. who was in
Sheffield, arose and while breakfast
ing with his paper before hlm saw a
notice Of the failure Of an iron iirm
located 10 the neighboring town Of
Birmingham. The concern being a
small one Earle attached little impor-
tanee 10 the failure. bnt during the
day a business acquaintance who bad
an interest il favoring him gave him
a BIT 81 secret information that caused
him to change bis mind It was be-
lleved that the failure would involve
a larger ffm, that iFm would involve
= Number III others. ana Tie whole
community Of iron firms D. England
would &c down IKE card houses. This
would throw a large bot of Iron on
the market that had been held spec.
ulatively FOR q rise, and consequently
the prices would fan considerably
4 There was 40 Atlantic cable in those
days 80 Earle wrote tbe information
he had received. giving his opinion
that q crisis was ait hand and advising
4 his employer 60 sell az once oil the
7 iron be had 90 hand The snip bear
4 ing the letter had 20 sooner sailed
than the second firm In line failed.
This caused Earle to feel still greater
confidence ii the information be bad
f received. and be had no doubt that
ali be had heard would be realized.
\ The young man proved himself all
I mirably fitted 20 assume responsible
+ lty. he took a risk that would make
or break him. In the name of Hooker
\ a co The was not authorized TO sign
the arm name. but It was not known
! he contracted to deliver thousands q
tons Of iron at a figure below the mar.
ket price, the iron to be delivered IN
ninety days This done be took The
4 FIRST steamer that sailed for America
the one that bore the news Of the iron
panic h England
On the morning If his arrival be
went straight 10 the office. There
SAT Mr. Hooker at bis desk with 9
morning paper before him Earle
caught sight Of large headlines en-.
nouncing The tumble Of iron IN Eng
land IL had been sent from Sandy
Hook. Hooker was white as sheet
'sYou worthless scamp cried the
head Of the firm to his employee
''Why didn't you write Of the begin
ming Of all thisg I'm ruined / had
nm immense stock on hand aud. learn
/ ing OF a shortage 90 the continent.
bought more
81 wrote b. the last steamer. giyine
You Information that pointed TO thli
I result and advised You g sch ont a
the stock Won had"
isyour letter never came. You should
I have brought the information your
self
.tAre Won snre about the letter.
e5ames." called Hooker @ clerk
'are there any letters that have no
been delivered 70 me-
There was one came. SIR. g rev aays
ago. You know that you ordered az
letters 90 which tue postage was no
naia ia fun 70 be left az the postotice