New Britain herald., 1929-07-08

7 present Although he was forced to -- work his way through High school, 70 he was graduated when he was IA e years old. By dnt Of hard work,
 he manager to complete q year m .-. normal school. After that he was ~- compelled 10 give up his search for ~ hn higher education.
 But that does not mean that Mir, - Sloper gave up all claims on the -- higher things of life when he was ~ forced to quit school. His eyes con-
 stantly turned up and up. Account .. ancy was 10 his tastes. but he was -- not in a position to wait for an " opening His first real job. then, was ' in a photogra pher's establishment ~ After a year of working with chem 2. icals, he went 10 work in a dry % goods store conducted by the late
 Darius Miller In less than a year -- he was offered a place in the New - Britain bank. then just in the pro- Y cess of organization.
 From Lowest Point to Highest .s That was the beginning Of a sr career Although his position was :" that of messenger boy-the lowest ' in pay on the payroll of the insti- -- tution-by hard work and constant ~ application to his duties, he won the
 admiration of the late Cornelius B. ]. Erwin, who at that time. was the = president of the bank, and won his z right to advance.
 ~ On the eve of the assassination ], of President Abraham Lincoln, -e stockholders of the bank decided to ~ incorporate it as national bank. ' When ketcham, Son &5 Co.,, failed, se owing the bank S60.00U, the capital - of the institution was increased to " S310,000 It was just about this 7. time that MT. Sloper entered the '. banks employ. During MT. Erwin s s illness, which occurred few years '7 sfer MT. Sloper became connected ! with the bank, he was given many :. important assignments, and showed . his mettle.
 His rise from messenger boy to an 1, official of the bank was a rapid one. .4 In 1888 he was director of the in e stitution. and in 1895, when Mr. Er- ~ win died. he was elevated to the
 !. presidency. Two years ago he re- :. tired from the presidency and be- ~ came chairman of the hoard.
 ~ Has Had Many Public Offices
 !, Although best known as a banker. -- MT. Sloper has had most interest ~s ing public life. He served two terlrs = as councilman and was an alder GO man for one year. For one term he -- was a member of the police con- '~ mission, and he was on the park
 =. board during the development Of -- Walnut Hill park Republican 70 nominee for mayor he was defeat ~ ed by the late Robert J. Vance In '. 1901 and 1902 he served as mem- -- Der of the general assembly as a - senator from this district.
 The dean of New Britain bankers. - MT Sloper also has helped the city -- to advance in many other ways. He ~ was directly concerned in the build ' ing of the Russwin building and the
 City hall. The Russwin Lyceum was ~ organized and the LyCeum built un- ~ der his supervision He was on the '. New Britain Institute and the Bap- - tist church building committees and t~ also erected the Erwin chapel at
 Fairview cemetery The National O. bank building on Main street was go erected under his supervision. In ~ his banking capacity and as admin . istrator of estates he has negotiated ., loans for hundreds of other build ~ ings in the city
 The builder Of New Britain" they - call him. Mir. Sloper. however, ao-
 credits the late Cornelius R. Erwin. ~ Philip Corbin. Charles R. Smith of 70 Landers, Frary &, Clark and Howard g. C. Noble of North & Judd Manufac- ~ turing company as the men who
 have done most for New Britain. .- Aside from being president of the - New Britain Gas Light company and % chairman of the board of directors .. of the New Britain National hank - Mir Slopcr is q director in almost ~ every manufacturing plant in tho = city, being on the boards of tbr - American Hardware Corp, landers. - Frary x Clark. North X Judd Mfg, -- Co.,, the Union Mfg Co., the Trum-
 bull Electric Co. Of Plainville, and -4 the New Britain Machine Co.,