Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-28
DIT RIAL s
When the Call Came
He Was Ready

Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey
is today chairman of the boarc
of directors of that gigantic corp
Grafton, with a salary said to b,
SIPS, 900 year.
There's inspiration for ever,
boy-and girl for hat matter -
an the upward bound of this maj
who has achieved success through
his own initiative. His name i
George Jones and here are som'
# the stepping stones in his re
narkable career:
George Jones, a keen-eyed rud-
dy-faced siX-footer, who does not
look at all like a grandfather, be-
gan with no advantageous heritage.
AS a boy in Carthage, N. Y, where
he was born SO years ago and
where his mother still lives, he felt
the pinch of poverty. In grammar
school he studied the books of his
companions, for he had none of his
own.
And when the other boys were
splashing in the swimming hole oc
hunting birds nests George was
spending his afternoons, Saturdays
and summer vacation earning tri-
file toward the family living ex-
penses. His first regular job, after
finishing grade school, was in
chair factory. Then he worked
in a knitting mill from 6 a. m. to
6 pm. at a wage of 35c a day.
At the age of Is he was open
ing an insurance office at six in
The morning and firing the stove
that the place might be warm when
his boss arrived. During the rest
of the day he acted as office boy
and clerk, delivered policies and
collected renewals. He received
So week and after a half-year
was granted IS week for the next
six months.
He put in his evening calling on
prospects and sold some insurance.
This so pleased his employer that
the generous soul called him in at
the end of the first year and said:
George, l paid you So for the
first six months and IS for the last.
Vow I am going to increase that
~ paying you $3.50 for the entire
ear"
George didn't appreciate the of
er. He had saved $40 an in his
spare tine had picked up a smatter-
ing of shorthand as we'll as a two
fingered dexterity on a battered
typewriter. he decided to go to
business school in Oswego. There
his eyes failed from o2er-study
and he had to get into the open.
He took the road as a salesman
for the old Caligraph typewriter.
The machine had 72 keys and
weighed So pounds. George had
to lug it around in one hand and
carry personal belongings in the
other. Business men proved not
at all anxious to buy typewrters
and at Is he gave up.
About that time the National
Transit company, of Oil City, Pa,
a Standard Oil subsidiary, sent a
call to the Oswego school for a
stenographer. George heard Of it
and got the job. In his evenings
hes tudied law, receiving the oc-
casional assistance of NJ. f. Elliott,
who later became counsel for the
Standard Oil Company in New
York. In 1897 he was transferred
to New York as secretary to Dan.
iel O'Day, a Standard Oil official
He made maps and charts Of ev
cry pipe line in the country, show
ing the location and capacity CT ev
cry pumping station. Later HI
mastered all the details of the nat
ural gas business. HIS detailed
knowledge, remarkable memory
acquaintance with law and abilit,
to take notes in shorthand mad
him an important figure in pre-
pairing the company's defense Il
the governments dissolution suit
From that time he was marke
man and his advancement compare
lively rapid. He was made direc
tor in 1917, and treasurer in 1919
A year later he became a vice
president with a salary, as brough
ont before a senate committee, o.
100000 a year. For six years h
has been his company's chief au,
tnority on financial matters.
There's always plenty of roo
AZ the top of the ladder and Jon
IS there because when the nee
of a man was eminent he w
ready to fill that place. No soon
had he mastered one position tn;
Re began preparing himself f
another one little higher. ion
was never afraid Of doing a lit
more than he was paid for. I
Enew no six hour days nor was
sye on the office clock. Succe
omes from hard work and pre-