Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1888 — Rich Men's Beginnings. [ARTICLE]

Rich Men's Beginnings.

Chicago News. Instances olio w’y beginnings are not rare in the list of Chicago millionaires. J. W. Dome, the .president of the Merchant’s Loan and Trust Company, began his commercial career in Chicago a very small dealer in peanuts. W. H. Hoyt, the wholesale grocer and founder of the immense tea trade between Chicago and China, in his youth Kept a little apple stand at the door of the old Richmond Hotel on Lake street. L. J. Gage’s first work was as a carpenter in his father’s box factory on the West Side. The Libby Bros-, the immensely rich packers, started as working butchers. Jacob Rosenburg, the capitalist, and Levi Rosenfeld, who died last summer, whose great fortunes were largely increased by their share in lhe Michael Reese $11,000,000 estate, were both peddlers and carried packs about the surrounding country. H. A. Kohn, the head of the big wholesale clothing house on Franklin street, was also a peddler. N. K. lairbank boasts that be cm lay a brick now as well as in his youth, when he worked as a mason. C. H. McCormick and'Lsander J. McCormick were foundrymen. The first shop they owned was a small shed on Nonh Water street, east of Rush. B. P. Hutchinson earned his youthful wageeTas i shoemaker. Nelson Morris blacked boots and did chores around a small inn in the old Sherman Stock Yards. Afterward he began trading in lame hogs. C. B. Farwell’s first employment in Chicago was as the smallest clerk in George Smith’s bank en Lake street. Conrad Seipp, the millionaire brewer, was a common brewery hand, and his partner, Lshmann, was a carpenter. Jerome Beecher was a common workingman. John T. Lester was a clerk in A. G. Down’s dry goods store.