Evening star., 1937-05-24
Magllate
Continued From Page A-5)

absorb In six weeks all that they could
teach about bookkeeping and business
theory.
In the middle Of August, 1855, he
began to look for work. From am.
until 6 pm. every day for a week he
tramped the hot streets. The only
answer he got was no." but he began
morning and kept at it for six weeks.
On September 26 Hewitt g. Tuttle
hired him to be assistant bookkeeper
IN their produce warehouse on the
lake front. He celebrated the ami
yersary all the rest of his life.
He did not know what his pay would
be when he took the job. At the end
Of the year he was handed $50 for q
little more than three months work.
The next year he drew SIS month,
and the following year $50.
From the day he drew his first pay
he kept an exact record Of every cent
received and paid out. The famous
Rockefeller ledger A." an account
book kept by the future multi-milnon-
aire at about that time, revealed his
early habit to distribute wealth as
well as to accumulate wealth. En-
tries showed such items as 80 cents
to a poor woman" and "25 cents to
Door man."
For his employers he worked hard,
audited scrupulously every bill that
was paid or collected and succeeded
In collecting some balances that had
been regarded as hopeless.
Denied Raise In Paw
When he was 18 years old his pay
was raised to $500 a year. He asked
for $500, but could not get it. He had
saved nearly 1000, SO, after a care
full look around. he invested his saw
lngs, plus 81 1000 borrowed from his
father, in partnership with Maurice
3. Clark, an Englishman 10 years his
senior, and they opened commission
business.
I'VE were prosperous from the be-
ginning" Mr.. Rockefeller said later.
1--WE did a business of $45 900 the first
year. Our profit was not large-I
think $4,000"
Although he was the junior partner
and under age, he thoroughly organ
lied the business. He practiced the
most rigid economy, drove close bar
gains and liv> as frugally as ever,
putting most of his profits back into
the business. Ito grow"
Young Rockefeller daringly assumed
large financial obligations to carry
the firm through business deals. He
borrowed all his father could lend.
needed more and, summoning all his
courage, asked banker for a loan Of
$4,000. The banker let him have it
on his own warehouse receipts. The
lad Of 10 walked out of the bank
elated. He felt he was a man, full
grown. Indeed his fellow merchants
called him Mister Rockefeller" long
before he was 2l.
A bank president warned him one
day that he had borrowed nearly all
the money in the bank.
Our directors want to see YOU and
talk with you" he said.
I'll come right down." Mr.. Rocke-
2eller replied. It'll come right away
Tor I want to borrow a great deal
more"
During these early years he became
known to the business community AZ
z self-contained, frugal young man.
Tree from bad habits, reliable and a
steady attendant at church and sun
day school.
In his 18th year he had Joined the
Erie Street Baptist Church In Cleve-
land. A
When the pastor announced one
sunday that the house was to be sold
TO pay the debt, young Rockefeller
stood at the door and begged a con-
tT1bution from every one who nassed
Some could give only 10 cents a week
Few As much as 81, but he begged
for months until he raised the fS am
ana saved the church. Later he be-
came superintendent Of the Sunday
ccnool. position he held for more
than 80 years..
A Bible class for men which he
organized and led became one of the
largest Of its kind In the country, It
attracted young and old Of every de-
gree Of aniuence.
The religion Of man IS his most
important possession" he said. There
Is nothing in the world that can
compare with Christian fellowship:
nothing that can satisfy but Christ" I"
When Drake struck oil in Pennsyl-
van1a In 1859, there was q rush to
the new field Of wealth from all
parts OF the country. But the young
merchant stayed out, questioning and
studying, more than two years. Then
he and his partner joined with Sam
: uel Andrews, who had learned the art
OF cleansing and refining petroleum
Under the title Of Andrews, Clark Il
co. they organized separate flrm
to refine oil, and built q small re-
nnery on the bank of Kingsbury Run,
near Cleveland.
This business, by mutual consent,