Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-08
The Story of Pat Walsh

or who will proudly relate how he got
his start" as a foreman on one OF Pat
Walshs construction jobs.
He's all to the good, Pat Walsh
is" one will hear Hes got to the
top of the ladder himself, but he amt
never jostled any poor devils on the
lower rungs a-doin' it. No, sir! His
scheme is to help others up while he's
a-climbing."
In these days, when fortunes are
amassed under the slogan, Each for
himself and the devil take the hind
most" such testimonies from the men
he has lived among and the men he
has employed, are pretty active trfb-
utes TO Mr.. Walsh's character. They
show that his head has never been
turned by success-that he still can
remember that he was once at the
bottom himself.
Pat Walsh started life as a stone
cutter and worked at that trade until
some time in the SOS. Now it is
doubtful if a man OF Mr.. Walsh's cali
bre would have remained a stone-cut-
ter all his life in any event, but it is
probable that Pat Walsh himself
would have been one for a great deal
longer. If the stone-cutters Of Daven-
port and thereabout had not decided
to make him their leader in a strike
for an eight-hour day. The strike was
won by the stone-cutters, but Pat
Walsh was branded as an agitator,
and was "black-listed." Not only did
he lose his job at the Rock Island ar
senal. where he had been working, but
he was persona non grata every place
in the vicinity where there was stone
cutting to be done. Accordingly, there
was nothing left for him to do but to
look out for another job
Thus he was practically forced into
contracting. He began humbly, at dig
gng cellars, running drains. digging
sewers. and at small street jobs, but
at last he found himself on his feet
and gradually rose to the success that
is his today
Mr.. Walsh likes to look back on the
triumphs and the reverses Of those
early days. He tells of one occasion
when he was troubled by not being
able to assimilate his food Having
collected a small outfit, he decided
to go to Texas in the hope that a
change would do him good. He got
to Texas all right. but contrary to
rumors he had heard, he didn't find
whole lot of paying jobs lying
around waiting TO be picked up. He
was forced to sell his outfit piece by
piece, and at last. when he came to
the end Of his rope, he turned his
back on Texas. and started to "hoof
II" back TO Davenport.
BY the time I got there" says Mr..
Walsh, Il didn't have any trouble as
Stimulating any food could get hold
Of"
At present Mr. Walsh could ride
from one end of the country to the
ether in a private car if he wished
70. He has a finger in a great many
more construction pies than those of
The main company that bears his
name, and all of the lesser companies
which he has organized have made
money not only for him but for his
assistants. The little fellow Just try
lng TO get a start in the contracting
game regards his achievements with
something that approaches envy. and
wonders where lies the secret OF his
success. when, as a matter of fact.
the secret OF his success isn't any Sc
cret at all. The foundations of Mr..
Walsh's prosperity are two sterling. if
oldfashioned virtues. honesty and hu.
mainly.
1t is said that a Walsh company new
er turns out bad piece of work Peo-
pie point with pride at the Western
Hospital for the Insane, built AT Wa
, tertown. Ill. by the Walsh Construc-
Ion company, as one Of the few pub
lie buildings in Illinois in connection
with which there were no extras g"
no scandals. no hint Of corruption A
railroad engineer who was connected
with Mr.. Walsh for a great MANY
years, says Of him:
He is white clear through You
never have to watch his work for
you are always sure that he will live
up to his contract"
/. And he will, too. There is a story
still ripe at the Burlington offices.
concerning a dam that Walsh built for
the company down in Illinois. 1t was
an expensive dam and difficult to con-
struct. but II was built with the usual
Walsh fidelity and honesty. so that it
would Withstand a torrent. The wear
following the construction of the dam
was an exceptionally dry year. There
was but little snow during the winter
and the spring rains were unusually
light, But when April l came around
just because there was nothing less
probable TO write about. a wag on a
local paper wrote a fake" story OF
cloudburst and the failure of the dam
he put in all the grewsome details
about drowned parents. and innocent
orphaned babes floating down the tur.
oulent stream in their cradles. and nj.
together made story that would be
enough TO excite anyone who hadn't
built the dam. The Burlington people
or course, were not long in finding
out the truth OF the matter. but some
one. wishing to have a Joke on Pat