CHARLES U. McMANUS.

 


	It has been the good fortune of Charles U. McManus to attain a re-
markable degree of success in his line of business at an early age. Al-
though he has not yet reached the half-way stone in his allotted number
of threescore years and ten, he has built up a business as a contractor
that might be the envy of men considerably older and more experienced.
Born in New Brunswick, in 1889,"he is the oldest child of Samuel E. and
Catherine (Cutler) McManus, both natives of that province. The father
is a contractor by occupation and did a great deal of important struc-
tural work in the east before coming out to Battleford, where he and his
wife now make their home. lie is a Liberal in his political affiliations
and a Roman Catholic in his religious faith, as is the mother of the
family.  There were twelve children in the McManus family.  Charles
U., the oldest, was educated in St. Joseph's College at Memramcook, New
Brunswick, following which he went to work as an assistant to his father
in the contracting business. During the four or five years he was asso-
ciated with the older man he learned all the aspects of the business and
demonstrated by the efficient manner in which he handled the jobs as-
signed to him that he was gifted with a marked executive ability that
could be well employed in this field of activity. In 1909 he came west to
Battleford and two years later located in Moose Jaw, which has since
been his home and business headquarters. He specializes in the work of
putting in sewers and installing waterworks and is now operating in all
parts of the province.
	In 1913 Mr. McManus was united in marriage to Miss Gertrude Mc-
Clarty, who was born and reared in Ontario.  They have six children:
Charles U., Jr., who was born in 1914; Basil Vaughan, born in 1915;
Catherine, born in 1917; Donald, born in 1918; Geraldine, born in 1920;
and Joan, born in 1921. The religious faith of the family is that of the
Roman Catholic church and they belong to St. Joseph's parish of Moose
Jaw, while Mr. McManus is also a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Like his father he gives his political support to the Liberal party.
	Mr. McManus concentrates his efforts solely upon his work, in which
he has been remarkably successful.  There is probably no line of work
in which the success or failure of a project is more dependent upon the
ability of the executive in charge than in the contracting business. He
must not only plan each step of the work, anticipate every difficulty and
unexpected occurrence and see that the work of his subordinates is prop-
erly performed, but he must also so coordinate the activities of each
branch that one does not interfere with the progress of another.  Ma-
terials must always be on hand when needed, but they must not be de-
livered too soon, or they will get in the way of the workmen or, in some
cases, deteriorate from exposure. That Mr. McManus has forged ahead
so rapidly is due to the fact that he possesses this administrative ability
to a high degree, in addition to his capacity for hard work and a thorough
knowledge of his business.




	
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