The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-10-30
James Fisk, Jun.

James Fisk, Jun, is the son of Yer
mont peddler. At the age of seventeen he
obtained employment of a very humble
character in Van Amburgh's menagerie,
his occupation being to assist in the cree
ton of the tents and to sweep out and keep
clean the cages of the animals. His en-
ployer, noticing his capacity promoted him
to the position of ticket collector. In this
capacity he accompanied Van Amburgh in
his various tours through the United States,
the Canadas, and Europe-a service ex-
tending over period of eight years.
Leaving Van Amburgh at twenty-five
years of age, he determined to pursue the
calling of his father, and returned to his
native State of Vermont for that purpose
He commenced his career as peddler by
selling small articles, such as pencils, pens,
etc, on the sidewalks of the different towns
of the State. In this way, by dint of per-
severance, he saved little money, and
having succeeded in. raising small addition
al sum, he purchased horse and wagon,
and made a fresh start in life as a peddler
of dry goods. He visited all the principal
towns and villages of Vermont, and sue
ceeded in gaining so large custom in the
places to which he travelled that his humble
one-horse wagon was no longer capacious
enough for the conveyance ofhis goods
He discarded it, therefore, and invested in
n ,oucb larrar ono drawp h1, forr borcac
By-and-by he extended his field of opera
tons, and travelled through Massachusetts
and Connecticut as well as Vermont, until,
finally, the gross amount of his sales at
whom he was in the habit of buying goods.
In 1860 they made proposals to him to join
their house, to which he assened and
James Fisk, Jun, became a partner in the
But the firm do not appear to have been
so well pleased with James Fisk the part
ner as with James Fisk the customer, for
at the end of two years they paid him down
the large sum of $64 900 to leave the firm.
1t so happened that at this time some par
ties in Boston were anxious to purchase
the Stonington line of steamships, then
owned by Mr.. Daniel Drew James Fisk
was aware of this circumstance, and think
ing he could turn this knowledge to good
account, he came, in 1868, to New York
Obtaining an introduction to Mr. Drew, he
managed so to ingratiate himself into the
favor of that gentleman that he employed
him to conduct the negotiation for the sale
of the steamers. In this he was eminently
successful. The sale was completed en-
tirely to Mr.. Drew's satisfaction, and the
ability and shrewdness which Fisk hadd
played throughout the negotiation gained
for him Mr.. Drew's goodwill and patron
age, and an introduction to Wall Street.
Fisk now commenced to operate on his
own account; he entered into variety of
speculative transactions in government
stocks, gold, and other securities. Success,
however, did not attend him in Wall Street
as it had done when peddling through the
country; the greater number of his specu-
lations were disastrous in their results. and
in two years time James Fisk had lost
every dollar he had in the world. He had,
however, a friend in Mr.. Daniel Drew, who
in 1865 assisted him to form the firm of
Fisk, Bedding, & Co., for the purpose of
carrying on the business of stock brokers,
and gave them substantial aid by putting
business into their hands, and employing
them as brokers in many large undertake
ings.
In 1867 Mr.. Fisk, in connection with Mr..
Jay Gould, succeeded in making large
sum of money by operations in Erie stock.
They got control over stock to the amount
of SO, 900, 900, and were thus able to de-
press the general value of Erie stock from
70! to 50. Mr.. Fisk's share of the profits
resulting from these operations amounted.
it is said, to s1,3OO,OOO.
Mr.. Fisk's next operation was to pur-
chase the whole of the block of which
Pixies Opera-house forms part for the
sum of $4,000. This transaction was
highly profitable one. He leased to the
Erie Railroad Company small portion of
the property for 10 years, at an annual
rental of $780, This was in itself very
handsome return on the gross amount in
vested in the whole property; but Mr.. Fisk
retained to himself the Opera-house, all the
large stores, and great number of private
houses. He has also bought the building
formerly known as Brougham's Theatre;
and having somewhat unceremoniously
ousted that gentleman and his company, he
installed there Mademoiselle Irma and a
French troupe of opera singers.
Harper's Weekly.
GOOD ADvICE.-At the installation of a
Baptist minister, in Lower Canada, quite