The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-29

NOFFICIALLY, the proposition was
laid before Joseph Paterno the
~ other day, that If he would return
to Italy and give to the land OF ms plr.n
the benefit of his energy and aeiiity' ne
would have the support of the govern
ment and the favor of the King
Palermo gave only a few minutes OF
Thought 10 the tender. He pictured in his
minds eye some of the amazing changes
he could make in Naples. Genoa, Flor
ence, Rome. Palermo and Milan; how he
could transform the business. and resi-
dental sections of those cities and intro
duce into them some of the comforts and
| conveniences only Americans know. but
hardly appreciate, in their housing, and
/ then he asked himself what would be
| the use lie had plenty to do on the
island of Manhattan and Italy was a long,
long way from Broadway.
The man to whom this proposition was
made is % years of age.
Less than 90 years ago he was news
boy in the streets of New York.
Today he is perhaps the greatest builder
in the United States. The structures he
has put UP are the homes of 15.Oo0 per-
sons. He is soon to build two apartment
houses that for luxury and magniicence
will surpass anything in the world. The
residential buildings which thus far he
has erected represent an outlay of S2o,-
100000 In active times his pay roll runs
about $4,000 a week. An army, of men
works for him. lie does not think he is
busy unless he is kept hustlins Is hours
day No wonder Italy would like to
have him back.
Giovanni Paterno. the father of Joseph.
had been contractor in the old coun-
try. He did fairly well until one day an
earthquake destroyed some buildings on
which he had lot of men employed. That
earthquake almost bankrupted him. De-
spairing of ever doing much good in his
business in the land where seismic dis
turbances were liable at any time, he
determined to come to America. Like most
Italians. he had big family.
For some years after his arrival here
he had a hard struggle to make living.
He was very ambitious for his boys. He
wanted them to have collegiate educa-
tions and to become professional men.
There were four sons, Charles, Joseph,
Michael and Anthony. The elder two had
to do what little they could to help sup
port the family. While Joseph was 60
ing to school he put in his spare hours
selling papers lie was very bright. When
he gave his whole heart and attention
to the newspaper trade, he made lot
of sales, Park row was his working
ground. He was very small and active
He could spot customer block away.
Joseph had one habit, however, that
interfered sadly with his succeeds. Con-
structon work seemed to have strong
fascination for him. He loved to stand
in front of building in course of erec-
ton. He would watch steel workers with
rapt attention. Skyscrapers were just
coming into favor at that time. The
cowboys OF the air were heroes in the
eyes of the Italian lad Nothing thrilled
the boy more than to see the steel work
ers high UP in the air, walking along
the steel beams surefooted as cats
He longed to be one of them. The build
ings they were putting up seemed to be
of amazing height
One day his father came along ana
found the boy standing before the skele-
ton of what is now the Park Row build
ing. The boy had been there nearly all
hour. A lot of papers were under his
arm. The lad was unconscious of time
or duty. The father, who had an in
tense love and admiration for his black
eyed boy. chided him mildly, telling him
his duty was to do whatever task he
was engaged upon properly and not to
idle his time away Then he asked him
what he saw in the building to interest
him SO deeply.
The boy didn't answer, but instead
asked question. 1t was. Father, why
do they put up buildings SO high? The
father explained in detail. Land was
very precious on Manhattan island, he
said There were many peopve. The
space was limited. 1t was cheaper and
moro profitable to have buildings high in
the air than to have them cover lot
of ground space. So 1t was that down
town for office structures the men built
the slyscfapers. They had elevators i'll
them which carried the people up to the
offices, 10, Is, 90, % stories or more above
the street. The light and air We're bet
ter the higher the tenant went. IN no
other place in the world were conditions
the same as in New York. The city'was
growing rapidly. There seemed to be no
limit to it's growth. More and more big
office buildings would be erected.
Father and son stood in front of that
Park row structure several minutes. Then
the small boy asked his father this ques-
tlon why don't they have skyscrnpers
for people to live in the same as they
have for men to have offices in?'
oh, that's different" said the father
"'rhey don't need tall buildings for
homes. It's only for Offices.
This answer did not satisfy the boy.
He could not understand why. if a sky
scrAper was an economy down town, 1t
wouldn't be an economy up town; why
II land on Manhattan island was so pre-
cious the same reasons as to space did
not obtain In one place as In the other.
He kept his thoughts to himself how
ever.
Soon after this, the family fortunes inn
proved little. The father formed
partnership with Scotchman named Nc
Intosh and the firm got some contracts.
Joseph Paterno didn't have to sell pa
pers He got job in a dentists office
end his elder brother was sent to Cor.
nell For several years the family did
very well. but then the father became