Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1913-01-19
PAGE TWELVE


twenty minutes until he began tell
ing me about Battle Creeks best
known product--C. w. Post-the man
who makes Postum and several well
known brands of breakfast food. That
afternoon he took me across the car
tracks 10 see how Postum and Grape
Nuts We're made, and that is how
met Lena Stark, stenographer; but
that is getting ahead OF my story.
Caught under the brow OF hill .
the first building that c. w. Post.
when forty-two years old and in Ill
health, used in making Postum. lie
used a skillet and a peanut roas er.
That was All he had, except belief ~
himself and a square chin. But when
a person has those two things, a joes
not make any difference if the bulls
ing is a barn.
He rolled bran and wheat over and
over in his peanut rooster, testing and
testing until he found a combination
that could not be told from coffee with
a bandage over your eyes. he had
something that tasted just as gDbd as
coffee, named Postum. a drink that
don't keep one kicking around nalt
the night All he had now to 10 was
to sell 1.-THE just had TO carry the
bricks up TO the top OF the building
where somebody else would do all
the work of laying them. There is
a lot of difference between having
something 10 sell, with the accent ON
the 40. and getting il on hal. the
breakfast tables in me land. But,
ANYWAY il did sell. so that today the
man who came 10 Battle Greek sew
enteen years ago now owns ten acres
OF factory buildings, hotel, an office
bui.tinl, a theatre and town site.
Ny Battle Creek frie I'D Whispered III
to my ear that his income, whether
he sal at his desk with his sleeves
roiied ~ or played al.ud.c-board n
his yacht, was $4,000 a week.
The OFFICES didn't look Ike offices,
didn't smack of the treadmill where
most employees have TO stay six days
week to get an envelope on Satur-
day afternoon at three. Coming up
the hill, they looked like houses
where a man of means lived whose
hobby was his lawn. Colonial arch
itecture, vines and home air that
set you looking for the hammock. In
side, il was still more OF home, and
Yet an office-beautiful rugs, big
leather chairs and an art gallery. In
the midst of the Office ] found Lena
stark. as CHEEKY as a hostess and as
busy as a bee. In moment we were
chatting as though at a reception.
How long have you worked here?
/ asked.
Seventeen years
And you own three houses
She smiled.
Seventeen years ago she started 10
take course in a business college,
bat did not finish it. One night she
went 10 c. W. Post, who had just
started his business. and applied tor
a position. Coming there before the
supper hour. Mr.. and Mrs. Post in
sisted that she eat supper with them,
and aiterWard Mr. Post took her 0d.
90 the little office and dictated two
letters 10 her TO see her work. AS
she saws now, he dictated them very
slowly and carefully, and even a be-
ginper could have taken the letters;
but he was satisfied with her work
and started her in his Office the next
Monday morning at S. per week. The
second week her salary was advanced
10 Sc. At that time the Office force
consisted Of Mr.. Post, a bookkeeper
and herself The office at that time
Was in one OF the cottages on the pro
perty which has been purchased BY
Mr.. Post. Her duties, besides tire
stenograDhio work, were TO sweep and
dGst Ire room ana ill the LAMPS, as
al t,Ia Tins they had 20 gas or eicc'
tricity. Nj SIS stark was the first ston'
,ygfanher employed by the Postum ;ce'
real Company. where today they nu'..'
ber INTO The hundreds She Vas an
absolute stranger in The city, and al
first lived in a boarding house. where
she maid $3.50 per week for room and
soard AS the business increased, heI
salary was raised in proportion.
When Mr.. Post advised his EN-
Moves that he would build, then
homes and sell TO them On the easy
payment plan, Miss stark purchase
double lot for S195 and paid To-
it. Then Mr. Post built her housf
on IL which cost her $1OO, and sh'
rented il at once al So per month
turning the rent back into the Postum
Company, together with what she say
ed each month toward the paymen
for her bone.
In 1899 Mr.. Post built her the sec
ond house on her double lot wnici
cost her about $500 more 10 ouiii
than the first house. on account
the increased cost OF material. s.
that the two homes cost her a0ou
sf.75G. They now rent for slz
month each and have had desirabi'
tenants in them ever since they wer'
built
In 1895 Miss Stark purchased W.
more lots on Post Avenue. held then
year and sold them al an increase Q
$50 over the cost. In 1905 she bongn
her present property. At 20 scat
Avenue. and paid for the lot. Sh
,hen borrowed money from the Pos
u,n Company and built her presen
home, which cost her $500. I'm
Htfle home Is on a lot 80 feet IRON
nv leo deem and is finished 10 bar