Show john shermans Sher mans first chiem Ir erald joan shermans Sher mans first speculation turned out badly it warthen he as a boy of about 16 he had been acting as a surveyor or rather as an engineer for the og ham improvement he had started in when a boy of 14 at 25 a and was thus engaged for two years during the latter part of which time he was receiving 40 a month and lie was at one time superintendent of an important part of the work during the winter he bad to lie idle aa work upon the canal could not be done in such weather it wile at this time that he attempted his speculation salt was very i OW 01 i the muskingum ngum river and it was very high in cincinnati he om eluded to buy a lot of salt and send h down the river he did go and loaded it on a scow the salt started I 1 but aben the SCOW got one days float of the ohio river abe thermometer went down below zero and shermans Sher mans boat was frozen up tight the cold c on united and the boat remained there two months he lost instead of gaining by the speculation |