The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-03-16

three to seven millions of dollars, on
of the most striking examples of self
made men in a city of Midases. Hi
residence in Wilmington is of com
paratively short duration, inasmuch a.
he is a product of New York, having
been born at Lockport some thirty
odd years ago.
While just as short in years as he Ii
in stature, Mr.. Roskob is long on ex
perience and--milions To quote hin
there is no school so thorough as tina
of experience, and from all / coult
gather Mr.. Roskob was a close ant
apt scholar. While his rise has beer
little short of spectacular, yet one
loses sight of this after a chat with
him, for he leaves no doubt in his in
reviewers mind that while wealth
has come to him in showers, he never
theless toiled long and YEARLY for II
and that he, as far back as he can re-
member, took advantage of every OPP
portunity that presented itself.
To begin with, Mr.. Roskob is a man
slightly below the average height.
From his name-one would judge he is
foreign born, but this impression is
only short lived, for he Is justly proud
that he first saw the light of day in
the Empire state.
Enter Stranger.
Now to begin with, Wilmington is
immensely proud Of John Roskob. In
fact, he is held up as a model by am
bilious fathers and mothers to aspir-
ing sons. Follow John Roskob's
footsteps and you will be of some ac-
count" is almost a household admon-
ition.
Wilmington's pet story and Will
mington will not be denied, is that
John Roskob began life as street car
conductor. As the story goes, Roskob
was making one of his daily runs in
Lorain, Ohio, when the car was board |
ed by stranger That was evident !
for this passenger rendered five dol /
lar bill in payment for his faro, and
while Roskob was trying to mcke the
change the stranger abruptly rose and I
left the car. Most certainly none liv-
ing in Lorain would have done such
an utterly reckless thing as to leave
his four dollars and ninety-five cents I
in the hands of an unknown street car
conductor. You see, Wilmington's
prodigality had not extended to Lo-
rain
Despite his protestations, Roskob
could not induce the stranger to delay
his Decentralization until that change
could be made. A year elapsed, so
the story runs, and Roskob was still
collecting fares on the same car, Of
the same line in the city of Loroin A
stranger entered the car A second
glance from Roskob identified him
the very man who had left the car and
his $4.95 cents in the conductors keep
ing year ago.
1t did not take the conductor a mo-
ment to decide what to do. Carefully
out $3.50 he made his way to
the side of his fare and thus address
ID him:
81 bog your pardon, sir, but here is
$500, your fare for this ride is paid. :
You NAY recall that year ago you
eft my car before receiving your
,hange for five-dollar bnl?"
The stranger readily recalled the }
thanked the conductor and l
eft the car. The gaping passengers, ,
who had heard the conversation, re- y
marked: We'll, what do you think IL
bout that? Gets all that coin back y
nd never offers to tip the conductor II
or even a nickel! There are lots of u
heap skates in the world" o
Well, according to the Wilmington /"
ersion, the passenger happened to be u
Or. T. Coleman du Pont, then head of u
he Du Pont clan. Instead of leaving IL
he city at once he made inquiries W
bout the honest conductor, looked up W
is record and when he left for his ar
ONE In Wilmington John j. Roskob /"
ccompanied him. Upon his arrival in IN
Mr.. Du Pont introduced Is
ne newcomer as his private secretary. at
Spells a Good Story. ''
But, as good a story as it is Mr.
oskob does not vouch for it, unfor-
inately. His version differs in many
aterial points. NJ
l was fairly burning with eagerness
} ask him about this yarn, because
| with whom l had discussed Mr..
oskob prior to meeting him had re- tn
ted it to me practically as / have sci
stalled 1t here, so had to lead up to He
as gingerly as | could We were wi
scussing men who had attained big Idi
ings, When | asked him how he VIC
I'd started in life Mr. Roskob said: wi
rather suspect what you are lead its
6 up to and l hate to spoil a good req
DRY, but the facts are these. There en-,
fanciful yarn going the rounds be
at | started out as a street car con- div
ctor. Truth is l was a stenograph- I
had left Lockport and got po- tan
ion In Lorain (Ohio) bank as the div
ivate secretary to the president. ! Ro,
isn't altogether pleased with the loc,
tlook there, for l had visions of do mil
: big things some day and i didn't the