The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-05-28

bough, land. had revers.s. and th'
Nettletons were very poor
A wealthy man. whose son wal
Clark Ne,tle,on's chum. put Clarl
part way thru college. Amons
other things. Clark learned short
hand.
He came 20 Seattle In 1890 Ills
first Job here was with n short
hand agency.
lie started RICH, in looking fol
opportunities TO grab. Present.,
one came along
In those DAYS Leigh Hunt owned
the P.L Hunt was cranky. No
body could iake his diciation bul
Netiictons employer. n man NAMED
Castle. Castle called on Hunt ever
Wednesday. took hts dictstion and
wrote his letters
One "Wednesday CaSti. was sick
Nc,tle,on'E opportunity He called
on Hunt and said: I'm as fast
and accurate as Castle. Hes sick
and can't come"
Hunt grumbied-but Nettleson
took HIS dlcsation. And later be
came his private secretary.
TIE NEXT grabbed an oppor
tunity 10 become a reporter
on the P-i. staff. lie made
the acquaintance OF a number OF
rich men. among them President
Farrell. OF the Oregon. Washington
railroad. and Jacob Fur,h.
The Seattle Bridge c.. goi into
financial difficulties. and Nettlcson
grabbed tho opportunity 10 be tn.
administrator and wind up its
affairs.
Thus II came about that he
met J. IA. Bruce, "the man In
the field" for the company. the
engineer who superinterosd
the actual construction.
When the Seattle Bridge Co.
was thoroly dead and efficient
~ buried. Setsieson ssid 20
Bruce: Lets be partners"
Bruce said: "Finei lets,"
or words 20 that effect.
THE PARTNERS WERE
BRokE--ABsolurELY.
Nevertheless, they put In
bid 70 build three bridges at
tnterbsy. Theirs was the low
bid.
Nettleton went 20 Jacob
Furth and asked for $500.
Furth gave him the money.
Nettieton a Bruce built the
bridges. They are good bridges
and stu In service.
Now the firm IL the Nettleton
Bruce EschbRch Co. with offices IN
the American Bank building. They
built the Green rtver dam. They
built the Grand Trunk dock. TO re
place the one destroyed by fire.
When Nettleton. travelling about
the country on business. IN on a
train, he can look out OF window
anywhere. almost. along the way
and see cuts and fills. bridges and
tunnels which he and Bruce and
Eschbach have made.
NJ ETTLETON Is disinclned "a
IN take credit to himself for
his achievements.
AS n reporter" he says, II had
opportunities TO make friends who
helped me later on. Let the world
say what II will OF Jacob Furth,
shall always revere his memory
He gave me, pcnniless reporter
my chance.
Il remember. az tho II were YES
terday. the queer. qulzzical look he
gave me when ! asked him. point
blank. for $4,000 in cash.
Well. Nettleton, he said
you've been to me pretty often for
news. and you always played
square. You can have the money.
That was all.
Well. as a reporter. ! did play
square. That is. tried always 10
keep to facts. and | never violated
condolences. There Is nothing OK.
traordinary In that. From my ex.
perience as a reporter. and, later.
with reporters. I know that report.
era. as class. are square shooters.
III there Is anything remarkable
in my experience. II there Is any.
thing that can be OF use 20 younger
men than !. II is this: I thought /
was poor, and was rich. | had no
money, no negotiable securities.
Ny assets were my friends.
i do not mean TO suggest that
man should use his friends. I
mean that, underlying the fabric
OF business there ia n solid founda.
ton of trust and good.fetiowship.
sometimes men In business are
inclined ~ be cynical. Business Is
business seems TO them to epIto.
mize the business relation They
sometimes regard dog eat dog as
the safest rule
1T isn't true!"