Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-29
ROOM AIT THE TOP"
THE BUSINESS MOTTO
OF THE MAN WHO WON
Energy and Good Judgment
as Lemon Merchant De-
yeloped Traits T h a t
Crowned G. G. A. Baldi's
Career With Success.

Many persons downtown remember q
Iittie italian boy who sold lemons in a
basket which was almost as big as him
self. They were good lemons-blg. juicy
and sold. Before starting on his route
each day. the boy saw that there we're
no "specks" or seconds In the lot, so you
couldn't pick out bad lemon II you tried.
The lemon was more respected fruit
IN those days than It ls now, and no one
would dream of speaking about It in n
sighting tone
That there are worse things in the
world than lemon is shown by the little
vendors path to success. Let us follow
him.
Business increased In q very short time.
and very soon he had tho lemon contract
with most Of the Philadelphia hotels.
The cellar OF his home. then at 1908
South sth street, was used as headduar-
ters. and he found It necessary TO press
his two younger brothers into service to
help supply the trade. One day he bought
every lemon in the city at the rate of
st.26 box. Two or three days later the
fruit jumped in va'ue by leaps and bounds
and the youthful lemon merchant sold the
lemons at the rate OF 81 and IS a box.
Then he and his brothers rented a stall
in the Farmers Market 22d and Spring
Garden streets, and this was the Official
start Of c. C, A. Baldi q Brothers. who |
have since branched out in many other
lines Of business.
wIDENED SPHERE OF ACTIVITY.
When the lemon business was well un-
der way Charles who Is now better |
known as c. c. A.. became ambitious to |
broaden his experience and accepted a |
position as interpreter and tmekeeper |
with contractor at Pottsvile, Pa His |
hours we're long. He was the first one |
at work in the morning ana the last one |
. leave at night. He ate when he got |
the chance.
One day young Baldl had charge OF a
job to open a pass through the bottom !
OF mountain The blasting uneartheo |
many tons of coal. Bald was told to |
f1ll several big excavations with the coal,
but realizing It's value, he used dirt for
the I'LL and made arrangements to put
the coal on the market Jumping to this /
city. he rented n coal yard at 18th and
Washington avenue and launched into the
coal business on a small scale.
The customers who bought his lemons
also bought his coal, and the other two
Bald brothers also helped out In this
new venture The coal business soon
grew to large proportions and Charles
Bald then gave his sole attention to II.
While collecting bills one day Bnldi met
an undertaken, who spoke slghtingly of
the Italians and boasted Of the fact that
he had a corner on the burial business
Bald reminded the man that 1t WAS
bad business policy to speak so OF his
fellow countrymen, and finally told him
there would be another undertaken In
the italian colony within 60 days. In less
han that time a sign was displayed, &C,
u A. Baidi & Bros. Undertakers," in a
Iftop on sth street below Christian.
The same spirit which dominated the
loN who sold lemons was more emphatic
n Baldi the undertaken. Things reached
such VA stage, it is said. that the estnb-
had eight or nine funerals in
a single day.
When the coal and undertaking busi-
ness was in a fourishing condition, Baldi
entered the real estate business and
bought number of properties. which he
improved. His spirit OF speculation did
not end there. Near his office on sth
offensive odors. Bald bought II and
it into general office building
and stable.
Later he became interested In
-'Oplnione, the italian newspapers and is
now said to be the largest stockholder.
This publication is quartered also In the
building which succeeded the offensive !,
,
The banking and steamship business ,,
are two OF the latest ventures into which :
he energetic Italian has entered To !
,onduct a funeral in the morning look !
after the real estate in the afternoon and
ipehd many hours in his banking and =
steamship Office is a normal days pro-
Iram.
HoNoRED BY ITALY's KING. C
incidentally. Bald is the father OF a :
is family, He found time 70 journey to ;
italy In June 1907, when he was made a u
'hevalier of the Crown of Italy by King ,
'ictor Emmanuel. i
During the days Of the lemon business
e found time to go 10 night school and o
lRo to business school, but he acquired Y
lost OF his information In the school of h
xperience "
These various interests must be a r.
reat tax 10 your strength" a caller o.
lggested. CT
Il get plenty OF rest; I sleep four or Il
We hours a day" Mr.. Baldi replied.
nv On pHGRnJAEF tn KITT -