The Washington herald., 1921-10-02

n0 tot ny Ooaro, buy my own eloene9 o0d
pay my own tuition At schooI. found that
could do, an this on s25 month and have
20 to put away. Later when earned SIS
"ontn, spent $50 and put away $45; when
e.rneo 500 a month. spent $40 and put
soo and when earned $50 q month
'p.nt 800 and put away $780,. The part
VI 'nis money which I did not spend for
cuucsuon purposes invested In Cook
County municipal bonds. Thus Il was not
..ss until 1 became youngster With con-
siderable resources.
AT the age of twenty seven I was vice
resident of the quarrying company. draw
ing $500 q year. At this time ne .,cured
contract to build the Chicago terminals
on .ne Northern Pacific Railway and in the
.our'e OF performing this work came to
1now Henry Willard, president, of that rail-
roed, quite well. he saw much Of my work
ano hked it and in the end offered to make
ING one OF the vice presidents of his railroad
a1 $io,eOO year. This offer declined be-
cause l hoped soon to become q partner in
TINS quarrying business and because I felt
tnat me seventeen years that had devoted
70 STUDYING quarries would be largely wasted
M LEFT that line Of work and took to rail-
roading.
Il still believe tbs. my Judgment was good,
Tor 1t was not long after this that was
given partnership. was allowed to reor-
ganize and expand the company and develop
1t into a very productive property which
soon made me independent.
"How did you get into politicsr' l
wanted TO know.
II was one of the early settlers out in
that part Of Chicago known as the South
Side beyond Thirty first street" he e1-
planned, (which later became one of the
best residential sections of the city. As the
city grew different improvement districts
were organized and I became interested in
developing the district in which I lived
Being an engineer, naturally became
active in this development. followed my
old theory Of studying the problems Of the
task and mastering them. We developed our
community into the star district of the Chi
cago suburbs and this fact called attention
to it. When this part of the town became
entitled to q member in the City Council
l found that my principle of the mastery Of
a job had made me the logical candidate for
that post. and, while could ill spare the
time from my business. was virtually
forced into taking this Office.
"As q new man in the city government,
was made chairman Of the Committee on
Wharves and Public Grounds, which com
mitee ! found to be virtually defunct, but
which / soon revived to such an extent that
ever since it has been one Of the important
committees Of the city government Of Chi
cago. had applied to it the old idea of in
tensive study. The next year ! became
chairman Of the Finance Committee, which
made it necessary for me to dig deep into
municipal affairs and there 1 served for
seven years. The period Of my service on
the Chicago City Council was from 1889 to
1897, which was q period Of great develop
ment in Chicago, the period during which it
added to the thirty seven square miles Of the
city limits 160 square miles Of suburbs.
built its water system without the issue Of
bonds, paid OF 81, 900 900 of its indebted
ness When left the post of chairman Of
the Finance Committee there was but one
unpaid debt against the city and that was a
$500 bend held by some one whom ! could
not find. 1t had been q splendid eight years
Of opportunity for service and an eight years
which had given me a very unusual expert
epce in applying my theory of study to prob
lens of public welfare.
81 went back to my business, devoted
eight years to it. built it up, prospered. The
city of Chicago had always credited me with