New-York tribune., 1912-07-14
THE WAYS TO SUCCESS
How One Man Became a Famous
Realty Specialist.
GOT $1,000 FIRST YEAR
Earning Power of His Firm Is
Now Many Thousands Annually
and Is Still Growing.

MARKET Earned 1heT present ItdceS.'
Names and addresses ioiH be omitted, so as
not TO embdTTGSs the persons WhoSe bNSi-
ness career Is the subject Of the articles,
The JOlIotoin0 narrative 'oGs told last
toeek to Tribune reporter by big buyer,
toho is an intimate friend Of the man toho
i1aS first a netoSboy and is ao,o the head
of one of the most prominent realty firms OF
specialists IN the central district Of old Neto
York:
"If I were to go about town to-day tell
ing everybody who would stop to listen to
me that there were more chances in the
real estate business for young man than
ever before I'm certain my acquaintance
would say I had lost my mental balance.
But their opinions wouldn't change the situ-
alton.
"The rewards for successful endeavors In
the real estate market are larger than they
were when I made my first commission.
about twenty years ago. More valuable
properties are being created, and as the
average commission is 1 per cent Of the
value Of the parcel sold, the fees will be
richer
"I was thrust into the real estate bust
ness by my craving for being the owner of
a newsstand. That is strange coinci-
brothers and two little sisters in our fam
fly. Father had met with a serious ac-
cident. SO mother had all she could do to
keep house and nurse father
"One day I noticed she was very gloomy,
and asked her If there was anything
could do for her. She told me she didn't
know how she was going to pay the grocery
and meat bills, and she was afraid that
some one of the children would have to go
TO work.
THAT day l went to a man knew to see
IL he would not help me to find employment
with some one who had a large afternoon
paper delivery route was unusually large
for nv age 1 was then nineteen and as
strong as I was big.
You can't make much money in deliv-
ering papers he said, as he smiled at me.
It's no job for a big husky boy like you
Why don't you try to be plumber or
nachinist or something?
"'But it takes a long time to be a good
plumber or machinist murmured. half
afraid to speak to him as I suddenly real
lied that was almost unfit to occupy even
small menial Job All right he said as
he thought over what had said. I'll get
you on the longest newspaper route that /
can find
1.-TWO days later I was delivering papers
to some Of the most influential families In
New York, and about three weeks later
had a newsstand OF my own and, besides
being busy building up the biggest delivery
route I've ever heard of. I was occupied
mornings as a clerk in little dingy real
estate Office.
IT got the real estate Office Job by letting
the head Of It know that had overheard
servant Of one OF my rich customers say
that the lady Of the house was thinking
of buying suburban home IN the Hudson
River Valley district
THE boss Of the office made me feel as II
] were worth my weight in gold by greet
ing me as If had been a hong lost heir TO
big estate. This was ab0ut the way he
showered me with promises: You've got
a great eye for business. Your father and
mother must be very proud of you. II
won't be long before you have your own
horses and coachmen and like as not you'll
be calling on me in such style. I'll lose no
time in seeing Mrs. -. and II sell her
home in the Hudson Valley region I'll give
you $50. Is that satisfactory
AT first thought he was one Of those
sarcastic creatures was wrong however.
He was one Of the most affable gentlemen
that 1 ever had the pleasure to meet.
He knew every foot of the Hudson Val
ley region. He was born there. He was on
speaking terms with the majority Of its
owners and tenants of houses. Their social
and business standing was like an open
book to him.
ITO him there was no lovelier suburban
territory He had been a weakling in his
teens, and had serious physical infrmities
up to his iftieth year Then his physicians
permitted him TO go TO New York and en-
gage in business. That is a pretty late
day TO open a business, which you have
been hoping to do and planning to do for
twenty-five or more years.
Three or four days after l gave him the
tip about the lady of the house she had
contracted to buy through him one Of the
most valuable country estates In the Hud-
son Valley region. The following Saturday
night had the so, as promised. l couldn't
get home fast enough to give the money TO
my mother 1t seemed If l was many
hours in telling her how had earned 1t,
and she was so amazed and overjoyed that
she cried.
"The following Monday morning the real
estate man sent for me and asked me If l
would do some clerical work for him
81 a week / took off my hat and went ~
work on that job instantly.
over the desk at which l was placed
was frame sign, the letters done in bright
'colors, which read Know Thy Wares 1t
reminded me Of that familiar quotation,
know Thyself' The boss saw me looking
at II and my inquisiuve stare made him
talkatiye.
If you get a fondness for this business,
he said, L hope you'll never forget that
motto. Never offer a property for sale or
to lease unless you can enumerate hs
realty attractiveness and also its imper-
lection when compared with other proper
ties of the same class
".sorne brokers think they know their
wares II they can tell what they Wouio
bring at auction in normal market, no"
the building on the site could be altered 30
as 10 net the owner more rentals. But
what about the changing character or
neighborhood? Isn't that worth knowing
tooT
BY this time the boss was so wrought up
about the essential things to know about
real property that he was swinging MS
hands as If he were delivering political
grafton. and shouting the answers to MS
own questions.
The Office, too. must reflect the man.
was another one OF his pet expressions ana
notices. When first heard him say that
wondered why he did not put it into
practice A short time afterward carpen-
ters and painters invaded the Office. and
soon IL was about the most inviting place,