Random Reminiscences of Men and Events | Page 6

mean to criticize this sort of friendship; for sometimes it is a
matter of temperament; and sometimes the real necessities are such that
the friend cannot do as he would like to do. As I look back over my
friends, I can remember only a few of this kind and a good many of the
more capable sort. One especial friend I had. His name was S.V.
Harkness, and from the first of our acquaintance he seemed to have
every confidence in me.
One day our oil warehouses and refinery burned to the ground in a few
hours--they were absolutely annihilated. Though they were insured for
many hundred thousands of dollars, of course, we were apprehensive
about collecting such a large amount of insurance, and feared it might
take some time to arrange. That plant had to be rebuilt right away, and
it was necessary to lay the financial plans. Mr. Harkness was interested
with us in the business, and I said to him:
"I may want to call upon you for the use of some money. I don't know
that we shall need it, but I thought I'd speak to you in advance about it."
He took in the situation without much explaining on my part. He
simply heard what I had to say and he was a man of very few words.
"All right, J.D., I'll give you all I've got." This was all he said, but I
went home that night relieved of anxiety. As it turned out, we received
the check of the Liverpool, London & Globe Insurance Company for
the full amount before the builders required the payments; and while
we didn't need his money, I never shall forget the whole-souled way in
which he offered it.
And this sort of experience was not, I am grateful to say, rare with me.
I was always a great borrower in my early days; the business was active
and growing fast, and the banks seemed very willing to loan me the
money. About this time, when our great fire had brought up some new

conditions, I was studying the situation to see what our cash
requirements would be. We were accustomed to prepare for financial
emergencies long before we needed the funds.
Another incident occurred at this time which showed again the kind of
real friends we had in those days, but I did not hear the full story of it
until long years after the event.
There was one bank where we had done a great deal of business, and a
friend of mine, Mr. Stillman Witt, who was a rich man, was one of the
directors. At a meeting, the question came up as to what the bank
would do in case we wanted more money. In order that no one might
doubt his own position on the subject, Mr. Witt called for his
strong-box, and said:
"Here, gentlemen, these young men are all O.K., and if they want to
borrow more money I want to see this bank advance it without
hesitation, and if you want more security, here it is; take what you
want."
We were then shipping a large quantity of oil by lake and canal, to save
in transportation, and it took additional capital to carry these shipments;
and we required to borrow a large amount of money. We had already
made extensive loans from another bank, whose president informed me
that his board of directors had been making inquiries respecting our
large line of discounts, and had stated that they would probably want to
talk with me on the subject. I answered that I would be very glad of the
opportunity to meet the board, as we would require a great deal more
money from the bank. Suffice it to say, we got all we wanted, but I was
not asked to call for any further explanations.
But I fear I am telling too much about banks and money and business. I
know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes
all the waking hours of the day to making money for money's sake. If I
were forty years younger, I should like to go into business again, for
the association with interesting and quick-minded men was always a
great pleasure. But I have no dearth of interests to fill my days, and so
long as I live I expect to go on and develop the plans which have been

my inspiration for a lifetime.
During all the long period of work, which lasted from the time I was
sixteen years old until I retired from active business when I was
fifty-five, I must admit that I managed to get a good many vacations of
one kind or another, because of the willingness of my most efficient
associates to