s
built and which was held on a lease from John Irwin, whom we both knew
well. Mr. Irwin drew the contract for the purchase of this land on the
back of a large manila envelope that he picked up in the office. The
description of the property ran as such contracts usually do until it
came to the phrase "the line runs south to a mullen stalk," etc. This
seemed to me a trifle indefinite, but Mr. Flagler said:

"It's all right, John. I'll accept that contract, and when the deed
comes in, you will see that the mullen stalk will be replaced by a
proper stake and the whole document will be accurate and shipshape."
Of course it turned out exactly as he said it would. I am almost
tempted to say that some lawyers might sit at his feet and learn
things about drawing contracts good for them to know, but perhaps our
legal friends might think I was partial, so I won't press the point.

Another thing about Mr. Flagler for which I think he deserves great
credit was that in the early days he insisted that, when a refinery
was to be put up, it should be different from the flimsy shacks which
it was then the custom to build. Everyone was so afraid that the oil
would disappear and that the money expended in buildings would be a
loss that the meanest and cheapest buildings were erected for use as
refineries. This was the sort of thing Mr. Flagler objected to. While
he had to admit that it was possible the oil supply might fail and
that the risks of the trade were great, he always believed that if we
went into the oil business at all, we should do the work as well as we
knew how; that we should have the very best facilities; that
everything should be solid and substantial; and that nothing should be
left undone to produce the finest results. And he followed his
convictions of building as though the trade was going to last, and his
courage in acting up to his beliefs laid strong foundations for later
years.

There are a number of people still alive who will recall the bright,
straightforward young Flagler of those days with satisfaction. At the
time when we bought certain refineries at Cleveland he was very
active. One day he met an old friend on the street, a German baker, to
whom he had sold flour in years gone by. His friend told him that he
had gone out of the bakery business and had built a little refinery.
This surprised Mr. Flagler, and he didn't like the idea of his friend
investing his little fortune in a small plant which he felt