The Denver Jewish news., 1921-02-02
Solomon M. SchatZkin
Successful Immigrant.
Important Figure of New YOrlS's Com
n,ercial World Tells Of Early Strug-
giles.
BY WILL JOHNSON.
for Universal Service.

Written for Universal Service.
New York-The story of the immi-
grant girl who ascended, learning the
Language word by word,> the first two
Of which were venal cuss words, be-
came a waitress in IA cellar restaurant
in New York and later PARKED her car
ON the leading avenues of the town is
fictional drama.
The story of the immigrant youth
who did the same thing is naked
truth; he learned two words as a
sUrt-"coai" and wood he de-
scended to begin his ascent in GER
lar, he sold coal, he saw the profitable
edges of crude efficiency and kicked
them off, and now this Russian jew
ish immigrant has formed an ice CON-
pany consolidation with total value
of S12,O0O,OO0.
His name is Solomon NJ. Schatzkiu
and his story is the familiar one Of
the yellow PACED Juvenile success
novel. He arrived in thc United
States tEirty-three years ago and his
net cap1tal was SiUO.
Castle Garden, back in 1883, was
the gate of the nation: it is now Man
lnttan's aquarium. 1t was thru this
gate that Solomon NJ. Scha tZkin twci-
ty-five years old, native of Il small
Russian country town, came to the
land of promise.
For days he wandered about the
city, cropping helplessly thru foreign
customs and a foreign tongue. In
cvitably, he drifted toward the East
Side and the first two words of the
new language which came most read
lily to his lips because of their affinity
to words he knew in his native tongue
We're 'coaF' and wood" and these
two words were the scars to which lie
hitched his successful future.
The immigrant came TO the United
States by way of Germany and his
first shock upon crossing the frontier
was n glimpse of the husky, well-fed
workers. They were big men COM
pared with the ill-fed peasants of Rus
sia and Judging from what he saw in
Germany. Mr.. SchatZkin said today, he
thought the men in America must be
giants.
Il sought my opportunity on the
Fast Side" he related, and decided
on coal cellar. ! started in by agree
ing to pay six dollars ii month rent
for a basement trap door cellar aC ca
Cherry street and made my home
there. l bought an old couch from the
German landlord who could under
stand me and for provisions l bought
stale bread and crullcrs from bak
er These. with chicory, salt and
sugar composed my larder.
Il bought coal and wood, and
started. Some mornings when l got
scarcely grasp an axe to split the
wood for home consumption. And j.
wasn't very profitable business: many
did not pay me. taking advantage OF
my ignorance of the language.
But, somehow / manageI it and
kept my 500 intact. The only time
l took to myself was late at night
when / walked the streets. but ! re
member discouragement almost over
whclming me only once.
THAT was when 1 saw II man with
a dog. The dog was carrying a parcel
in his mouth and the m1n followed
with his hands folded behind his back.
] thought to myself that dog has Il
friend and l have none Tears came
to my eyes.
Il struggled that way Tor eight
weeks and chen hit upon the idea of
having all the coal cellars in the
neighborhood buy from tho same deal
cr. | thought tho dealer would give
Inc something for getting him this
trade. He did--bc gave me ten cents
ton. / managed to do pretty well
until I secured 100 many orders for
the deaIcr's limited supply. He
couldn't deliver until past the prom
ised time and when ton was reject