The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-31
Terminal Railway of Buffalo.
United States Steel Corporation.
Waikiki Valley Railroad Co.

United States Steel Corporation.
Waikiki Valley Railroad Co.
West Shore Railroad Co.
| Western Union Telegraph Co.
Lake Shore and Michigan South
ern Railroad Co.
| Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris
Railroad Co.
Taciturn and Gruff.
John Pierpont Morgan was so tact
turn, so gruff to those not acquainted
| with him, and so opposed to being in
terviewed that little of value for a
depletion of his personality was ever
secured. He talked by his deeds and
| by his deeds he was measured in
| type. And SO often was hemeasured
in this manner that it was difficult to
| tell new things. Only the most care
| full perusal of all available records Of
this captain of captains of finance
made it possible to shape a founda-
ton for the story of his life.
Mr.. Morgan, when he first saw the
| light of day in Hartford, was even at
that time destined to be a rich man
He was to the purple born, and while
he was a mere ordinary schoolboy a
great fortune was being accumula ted
by his father as starter for the son.
| AS a boy, Morgan did not concern
himself with anything more than
studying at school, which he did in a
plodding fashion, and having a good
time. He laid the foundation for
splendid health and great physical
strength by hunting md fishing, swim
ming in Hog river, a dirty little stream
which skirted his home, and building
RATS, upon which he ventured upon
the broad bosom of the Connecticut.
| When he plugged his way through
the grammar school he was packed off
to Boston, where he went through the
same routine in high school. This
finished, his father without emotion or
enthusiasm, informed him that seat
in the University of Goettingen, Ger
many, had been prepared for him.
And the son, with no more display
of feeling. went to Germany. When
he finished his studies he returned to
this country to find a desk awaiting
him in the banking house of Duncan,
Sherman & Co.
Trained For a Banker.
| He already had considerable techni-
| cal knowledge of banking matters and
a keen knowledge of affairs of the
world, for he was a close student of
conditions. His father had been a
banker and he possibly regarded it as
certain during his school days that he,
as a matter of course, was to follow
the same course.
Right here may be described the
most remarkable of all traits in Nor
gan's- life. That is, that he was a
worker. 1t was not necessary for him
to become clerk, full-fledged bank.
e: at once, or anything else than a
gentleman of leisure. He could have
been a rich loafer had he liked, and
his entire life time would not have
been long enough to allow him to
spend the millions his father had
amassed for his benefit. But this kind
of life did not appeal to John Morgan
AS a clerk he paid strict attention
to the firms business, and he minded
his own business, not speaking unless
he had something to say, and not
wasting time to listen to others who
told something not worth while hear
ing. He had set out to be a builder
not tearer-down, and he needed ev
cry minute licked away by the clock
He evidenced remarkable ability as
a clerk. Here his training stood him
in good stead. 1t soon became appar
ent that he was fully capable of acting
as the agent in the United States OF
the London firm OF Peabody & Co.
bankers, in which his father was in
terested. This was in 1860, a period
when a level head was necessary in
the banking business.
Enters Banking Firm.
Four years later he became a mem
Der of the banking firm of Dabney
Morgan & Co, investment securities
and his name became known to finan
cial people in New York. AS a matter
of course, it always was familiar will
people of business because of the
great Morgan fortune, but John Nor
gan was now recognized for another
reason-his business ability. In 1877
the firm of Drexel, Morgan & Co.
bankers, was founded which after
wards became J. P. Morgan & Co.
the firm of the present
1t is needless to say that the firm
is the greatest in the country ant
that its branches in European center
are powers in the money markets o
those places. ]. P. Morgan is a nam
. that is instantly associated by old ant
young alike with money-great stack
of gold And then the feverish. 81
perficial nature of people busy wit
their own affairs considers neithe
} the name nor the man any further.
! This estimate of the man never di
him justice. 1t often caused advers
criticism, for his methods were ofte
!, attacked. His organization of gian
, corporations has furnished the mos
strenuous examples of bitter attach
; both on political platform and in tn
! public press. This is all a matter c
: opinion and at this time is CAREFUL
q excluded
! Morgan did organize giant corpor,
, tons. He extended railroads he opeI
: ed new territories. he made possibl
: commerce, which in all reason had I
. be enlarged by some man consister
4 with the growth of the country an
population. Curious as it may seen
Il however, the more clamor there wa