Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-05
Farm Boy Who Started Career at SIS
A Month Heads $1O,O00,000 Firm

From $15 a month wages to the
presidency of concern Cap1tallzeu
been made by Augustus e. Staley,
North Carolina boy who was born on
a little farm just at the close of the
Civil war during the extreme poverty
of the Reconstruction period. Until
he was sixteen the boy assisted his
father on the farm, walked four
miles to attend a country school for
two months in the winter, and, most
important of all, developed the idea
that ne wanted to become business
man.
When he was sixteen years old
his father died, and the lad decided
it was time 10 start out in search OF
his opportunities and a fortune. He
had no shoes and no good clothing
to wear on his great trip, so he
joined a section gang on the railroad
long enough to earn money to buy
pair Of shoes and a suit of clothes.
linen he went to Greensboro, N. c.,
and secured employment as clerk
in a hardware store at S15 a month,
of which he paid 9l0 for board and
room. That was iE!ny, many years
ago before the nign cost OF living
stead of dollars.
His first experience was anything
but satisfactory to him, and endeu
with a diScOUru ging fact OF his be-
ing discharged with the remark by
the manager that he had no tai
emf tor business"
But" said MI Staley a few days
ago as he sat surrounded by the eV-
loenc6S OF his business ABILITY and
success il a $10,OO0,O0U plant, that
manager had put me. to work unload
ing and stacking heayy hardware in
end OF the business. That was the
most crushing blow l had ever re-
celved put 1 told him that he could
not crush my ambition to become a
business man, ard that some day L
would prove to him that l had a
Ten years later A. E. Staley was
covering the United States ana Can
ada, serving the big buyers, Concili-
ating dissatisfied customers and
was one Of the most expensive to
buy and difficult to sell in the gro
Gerry business, but his dealers had
absolute confidence in him, trusting
his judgment where they distrusted
their own.
With a cash capital of $1,000. a
personal equipment of d2untless self
confidence, an obstinate purpose
which refuses ever to recognize de-
feat, and a wonderful knowledge of
human nature, Mir Staley decided to
begin selling for himself. He Io-
IL
loft for a store room, purchased a
quantity of cartons and packing
cases, and began to sell corn starch
He designed bright attractive
wrapper with a captivating name,
| and started out to sell directly to
housewives from door to door Soon
his business grew so much that he
had to hire girls to do the packing,
while he continued to sell. He es
t2bliShed a reputation both for him
self and his starch and sent out a
| number OF men to sell it while he
devoted long hours to the business.
After he had built up a big bust
| ness, he was suddenly confronted
with the possibility of being unable
to obtain the quality OF starch he
desired.
'In business as well as in military
campaigns" declared Mr.. Staley, the
best defense is q strong. bold, unex-
pected attack. | determined to make
my own starch
Millions OF dollars were required
to build q factory. Financial ex-
perts declared there was no possible
way by which he could secure the
necessary capital to finance his en-
| terprise. MIR. Staloy incorporated his
company for enough stock to cover
the cost of the new factory. Then
| he sold the stock to the retail eroc