The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-06-01
INDICATIONS POINT TO SATISFACTORY
PLAN IN ROUTING OF TAN|AN| TRAIL
EARNS SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS
A WEEK AND IS TOTALLY BLIND


ed in a current issue of How To
SELL" a popular monthly maga-
zine published at Mount Morris,
ILL.,, and written by Sam Spalding.
relative to w. 4. Christensen, for
merly of Key West, but who is
now division salesmanager of
Los Angeles. Calf.
The article in question describes
Mr.. Christensen "as salesman
with bank presidents income,
who lost his sight in 1915 but has
won everything else since"
Mr.. Christensen is the son of
Mrs. Frank Hayes of Key West,
who resides at the corner of Eaton
and William streets, being one of
the outstanding figures among the
many Key West young men who
have made good in various parts
of the country since leaving the
Island City. The article in ques-
tion is reproduced herewith in part
for the benefit of Key West read
ers:
about three years ago, | at
tended convention of statesmen
in Oakland, Calf. The most in
spring figure at that convention
was William A. Christensen, of
Los Angeles. a highly successful
divisional sales manager who is
totally blind. And the most in
spring address at that convention
was Christensen's simple talk.
"A few days later down in Los
Angeles, it was my happy lot to
come to know Chris and his wife
better, and to he entertained by
them. Closer contact and furth-
er knowledge deepened the inn
preston made upon me. We have
kept in touch since. Aud now |
am making good the pragaise |
made to myself that time. to share
Chris story with the Big Family
some fine day.
christensen has never capital
izcd his blindness. ] am not going
to capitalize it for him. | sought
this interview primarily because
he is a success. and only second
arily because he has won success
in spite of one of the greatest of
physical handieaps.
<"As for the measure of his sue
cess.-well, he has about one hun
dred and fifty salespeople under
him in his selling rrincipality out
there in Southern California, and
has made more than 500 a day
at times. His income for 1924
and 1925. dare say. was bigger
than that of many railroad and
bank presidents.
"W A. Christensen was born in
Key West. Fla, in 1895. His was
a proud and well-to-do southern
family, and his blindness did not
come upon him for many years.
His boyhood was passed under OK
ceptionally favorable circum-
stances. His bent was toward
selling. nevertheless, and he re-
calls some Of the amusing clashes
with parental authority caused b.
that tendency.
Il asked him how he began his
selling career. He replied, "My
father returned from a pleasure
cruise to one of the Bahama
Islands with a load of sea-gull
eggs and left me--a very small
boy-for a time to mind the eggs
at the landing. Cults eggs were
considered a luxury and a rare
treat. but | overheard someone say
he would be willing to pay thirty
cents a dozen for them. Not know
ing their value, | jumped at this
sales opportunity. Furthermore.
l conceived the idea that by giving
what / had heard was called 3
bakers dozen. .'-thirteen instead
of twelve,-I could dispose Of a
lot more. | did--using the buy
ers' hats as containers. But when
my father returned, his disgust
was loudly voiced and couehed in
anything but Biblical terms. And
it wasn't only "a tongue -lsshing ]
got. For the next few days I was
compelled to stand up TO cat mT
allotment Of what eggs were left
Another determined effort 10
become a salesman was made when
was about twelve wears old, ~
the time If the Spanish-American
war. I then engaged in selling
newspapers aboard the battIe@hips
in the harbor Of Key West This
youthful enterprise b1ing consider
ed little. If any. better than the
distribution of guils' eggs Ia the
eyes of the family. II wa decided
that & trip to my grandparents, in