The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-03-01
THE RISE OF A
MESSENGER BOY
How BeIVIdere Brooks Became
Western Unions Manager.
TELLS HOW HE SUCCEEDED.
Feels Responsibility TO Big Telegraph
Company That Employs Him and
Does His Duty as Well ss He Can.
Full Pledged Operator at Twelve.

Company That Employs Him and
Does His Duty as Well ss He Can.
Full Pledged Operator at Twelve.
From messenger boy carning So a
month TO general manager Of the whole
Western Union Telegraph company,
with a salary said to equal that of the
president Of the United states. Is the
span just crossed by Belyidere Brooks.
at took forty years to climb that
ladder, but reached It by telling the
truth and always having in mind the
interests of my employer" said the
new general manager in his office, at
New York, the other day.
So unaffected is the new head of the
$4,000 men of the Western Union that
one would think him still telegraph
operator and ready to send a message
for you for quarter. His rise Is all
the more remarkable for the reason
that when he was eleven years old he
had to go to work. and his only edu.
cation was the teachings of his mother
and what ne picked up from the oper,
ators
Mr.. Brooks Is now just past the fifty
year mark, but he still maintains the
round, boylsh face TINT is known from
California to Maine. He is ever smiling
and apparently getting the best out OF
life that he can. Even as he talks
aud he doesn't say mueh-his face 10
wreathed In smiles.
Comes From Texas.
I'm long horner," said Mr. Brooks,
having been born IN Robertson coun-
~, Tex, nearly fifty-one years ago.
When little more than eleven years old
got place as messenger boy for the
Western Union company at So
month. Ii was not much money, but
was prouder of that than am now Of
my place. After working six months,
Turing which time | studied telegra,
ply day and night with the aid of the
operators, could send Il message, but
II took longer to be able to take one.
got over that difficulty, and, though
was a bit slow ut FIRST. picked un
enough to do tho work when he oper
ator was away, aud when was
twelve years old was Il full tiedged
operator.
''1n those days telegraphy was little
known away down 10 my town, and
when walked home at night | re
member the neighbors saying: There
he goes. He can use that darn thing
that you can talk through with yolr
fingers. | tried to explain II to my
friends, but they looked upon 1t as
something very mysterious. One day
[ was showing n FREUD how II worked,
and be got shock. OF course 1t did
not hurt him, but he never touched
another telegraph instrument as long
as he lived. He said the devil was In
1t was then operating In EavGsota,
and from there went to Waco as
manager of the office, aud soon after
that-to be exact, In 1881 was mar
ried. Then | went to lei Paso. thence
TO Galveston and finally to Denver.
where ! Was nude a general manager
Of the western district until 1890,
when was transferred to New York,
and on May l. 1902, was made gen.
eral superintendent Of the eastern d.
vision. and today the board OF direct.
ors nained me general manager. /
am very proud OF 1t, and | owe most
of my success TO Colonel Robert q.
Clowry, our president. whom have
known almost since became identi.
fed with the company.
Felt Responsibility.
1T was on April that / flrst went
to work for the company, but.it was
no April fool joke. had to do 1t. and
| did ii well. From the flrst day ]
felt responsibility TO the company.
aud the feeling has always been my
guiding thought. Work first and play
after, but always get enough sleep.
has been my motto. | have been a
hard worker. and my new responsible.
lty, though far greater than any
have previously assumed. seems no
greater than when first went to
work as messenger boy. am re-
minded Of those days every day go
home. for the first one to greet me Is
my mother She is now eighty three
years Of age, aud we often speak OF
those days down In Navasota.' 2
MIR Brooks has four sons-Geraii
Belvldefe junior. Bruce and Joseph.
Mr.. Brooks Is a member of the New
York Athletic. the Lawyers'. Railroad,
Columbia Yacht and The I4otos clubs.
He lives at f25 Riverside drive. New
York.