CHARLES A. WEBB.
His first venture was teaming and making gravel streets and alleys. After a time, a new field was opened, and he began buying and selling wood in car lots to the large pork-packers for smoking purposes. Being successful thus far, he established a coal and wood yard to supply small consumers. Little by little the business grew, and in those days when the winters were more severe in Indianapolis than they are now, and natural gas was unknown, the coal and wood business was a busy one. So much so, that after the business was run a few years, and the borders of trade extended, it became necessary, in order to supply the demand promptly, to employ a steam-splitter and saw, instead of men who usually performed this work, and two to four teams, instead of one. The business up to this time had increased from $500 to $5,000 per year.
MOVING A HOUSE.
Still broadening itself, heavy draught and lumber-hauling were added, which required more teams and men to do the work, until now this branch of the business, which belongs to Mr. Webb individually, amounts to $10,000 per year.
All radical changes in the life of a city bring about changes in established business, and cause new ventures to spring up. In 1887, natural gas having been discovered near Indianapolis, all was excitement. The general topic in the papers and at the fireside was cheap fuel, which of course meant death or a meagre existence to the coal and wood dealers.
Whenever natural gas was mentioned the brow of the coal and wood dealers became clouded, but this could not remove the difficulty.
About this time J. W. Davis & Co., one of the oldest house and safe moving firms in the city, desired to retire from business, and here the light began to shine.
The opportunity was presented and accepted to purchase the outfit of tools and appliances commonly used in that branch of business.
The outfit as stated together with the good will and name of the firm were purchased for $1,000. The company at that time consisted of C. A. Webb, Walter Jameson and Samuel Smith. The firm as such did not have a dollar to start with. Mr. Webb, who had been long in business, and had broad acquaintance, assumed the debt and according to contract, within eighteen months after the firm began under the name of Webb, Jameson & Co., they were able to settle the debt besides living off the net earnings of the business at the same time.