The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-16
From Errand Boy to Hardware King

By B. c. Forbes, in Leslies.
 Don't you want boy?'
 ''What can you do, my lad?'
 'T can do as much as any other boy ot my age-where shall I hang my coat?"
 Well, my boy. if you work as quick as you talk, we can use you.''
 The boy was Edward c. Simmons; the place, hardware store in St. Louis; the time, the last of 185o.
 The boy did work--worked so effectively that he made St Louis the greatest hard ware center on earth, doing more business than New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston combined; worked so success fully that his house now sells three axes. two pocket knives, and several saws every minute of the year.. supplying not only the United States with hardware aud cutlery, formerly almost wholly imported from Europe, but disposing annually of thousands of dollars worth, in cutlery manufacturing Britain, as well as in France. Germany, Russia, the orient, Australia, South Africa, South America. and other civilized and semi-civiiizcd parts of the globe; worked so intelll- gently that before many years passed he was employing more travelling sales men than any other man in America; worked so efficiently that. to handle his output, there was erected. at his chief establishment, the greatest railroad traf- fic station of the kind ever conceived. capable of loading 60 cars at once
 The Bethlehem Steel company is not more exclusively the product of Charles M. Schwab's energy and genius, and the Standard oil company is much less the fruit of John D. RoclSefeller's individual efforts than the Simmons Hardware com pany is the creation of one man. E. c Simmons.
 How did he do it?
 My answer to that would be- With his heart as much as with his head.
 He put hirnself-his personality-into the nursing and developing of the busi- ness He infused humanness into all his activities and into all his salesmen. Among his co-workers he inspired love; among his customers, something beyond respect-affection, even-
 Then, too, he had vision at time-half century ago-when vision was rare among American business men. He was clear-eyed enough to see the buyers side of a transaction as well the sellers. and to grasp the now commonplace ides1 that a satisfied customer is the best ss- set. He was the first to teach the se,ss- man not to let his interest in a customer stop with the question. How many goods can sell hirn?a but to do every tning possible to contribute to that rnorcian success and prosperity. Often 9tnmons men render invaluable ser ;es to retaii- CTS, especially those just arting n ousi- ness He originated the episramA Jobber's first duty Is to help his customers to prosper" which has become rqcog- nized principle of trade He could foresee trends and tendencies of the future-tnd he was optimistic enough. alert enouen. progressive enough to become q pioneer in blazing the new trails called for by the never-ceasing evolution of mankind and of business. :.
 When I asked MT. Simmons who could give me an insight Into his early business methods-the laying of tho foundation Is always the part that most interests me, since it is usually the most illuminating he referred me to. whom do you think2
 A man who served in his employ for many years and then became one of his most aggressive and successful competi- tors!
 Any man who, near the close of life's day-Mr Simmons is 77-can intrust the describing of his character. his methods and his reputation to an old competitor must surely have clear conscience and a clean record.
 MT. Simmons has