Sam was the eldest son of Heinrich & Mary (Forster) Blanc. His father sent his away to 'reform school' when he was a lad for being 'incorrigible.' He only got out because his mother needed him at home after his father's death. He took correspondence school classes in electrical engineering and worked as a lineman bringing electricity to towns and villages.
During the Great Depression, Sam invented a machine that cut through the roots that bedeviled water and sewer lines. He was by then in his fifties in Des Moines, with four children. His wife Lettie named the machine the Roto-Rooter and he got patents for the machine and cutting blades. Soon he was making a nice living with it. Instead of selling his machine, he decided to lease it out to other fellows in other cities and towns so more guys could make a living. It was one of the first franchises across the country.
During the Great Depression, Sam invented a machine that cut through the roots that bedeviled water and sewer lines. He was by then in his fifties in Des Moines, with four children. His wife Lettie named the machine the Roto-Rooter and he got patents for the machine and cutting blades. Soon he was making a nice living with it. Instead of selling his machine, he decided to lease it out to other fellows in other cities and towns so more guys could make a living. It was one of the first franchises across the country.
Sam was the eldest son of Heinrich & Mary (Forster) Blanc. His father sent his away to 'reform school' when he was a lad for being 'incorrigible.' He only got out because his mother needed him at home after his father's death. He took correspondence school classes in electrical engineering and worked as a lineman bringing electricity to towns and villages.
During the Great Depression, Sam invented a machine that cut through the roots that bedeviled water and sewer lines. He was by then in his fifties in Des Moines, with four children. His wife Lettie named the machine the Roto-Rooter and he got patents for the machine and cutting blades. Soon he was making a nice living with it. Instead of selling his machine, he decided to lease it out to other fellows in other cities and towns so more guys could make a living. It was one of the first franchises across the country.
During the Great Depression, Sam invented a machine that cut through the roots that bedeviled water and sewer lines. He was by then in his fifties in Des Moines, with four children. His wife Lettie named the machine the Roto-Rooter and he got patents for the machine and cutting blades. Soon he was making a nice living with it. Instead of selling his machine, he decided to lease it out to other fellows in other cities and towns so more guys could make a living. It was one of the first franchises across the country.
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