The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-25

Fisk, but they lacked that one great es-
sential to gamblers-nerve. He would
allow millions to hang upon contracts
he had made. Even the trembling
words of caution from his timid part
ners had no influence upon him.
These speculations were not confined
to the legitimate business of the firm.
They included everything which Fisk
cOuid, as he thought, ''see money IN. -
The following will serve to give the
reader an idea of his management.
He had occasion to visit Worce ter,
Mass, one day, and after finishing his
business, a friend said to him, "Fisk, !
have a large machine shop on my
hands, and would like to sell it; ride
down and see it." He rode down and
bought it for 81, 600.
This machine shop was building
more than 200 feet in length, two sto-
ries in hight, built of concrete, and was
without machinery at the time of pur-
chase, with the exception of a station
ary engine.
Fisk returned to Boston, informed
his partners of his purchase, who said,
"Why, Fisk, that building has no roof
on itp'
81 don't know anything about that"
replied Fisk; ''it was cheap enough and
l Sought it."
"What are you going to do with it |'
"Well, we'll see."
He Immediately put it i'm repair,
made additions, filled it with machin-
cry, got up stock company, sold it in
shares at an enormous advance, and it
is now the "Adriatic Mills"
Fisk went to New York one day,
thinking something might turn up in
his line. It was no less this time than
the StOniugton line Of steamers, which
he bought for $3.50, 900, paying down
$l5O, 900, the balance on time. This,
mind you, for the firm. To his part
ners' circumstances, he replied, that
there was nothing like patience and
nerve, and then the redoubtable adven-
turer went to work. The result was
another stock company, which paid
Jordan, Marsh & Co. 81 ,OOO, 600 for the
line. I
A great many other ventures were
made with the same unyarying success,
until the close of the year 1854, when
the more conservative members of the
firm began to feel uneasy. rL
Such a succession of bold strokes
must some time meet with failure; they
therefore dissolved the firm, paying
their dashing partner the sum of $3.50, :
600 as his share of three years work.
He then took building at the corner
of Sumner and Chauncey streets, BOs>
ton, known as the pOstoffice building,
and the 1st of January, 1885, commen-
ced business for himself as cotton and
wool broker, commission merchant,
and dry-goods jobber. Here the tickle
goddess seemed to turn away her smil-
ing face, and at the end of three months
he retired with a loss of $50, 900. TAX
ing the balance of his money, he start
ed for Savannah, where he invested the
whole i'm cotton. The Government
stepped i'm and claimed it. 1t was sent
to New York by Simeon Draper, Where
it was sold, and poor Fisk's $3.50, 900
went "where the woodbine twineth."
He returned to Boston about the 1st
of May, penniless, sought out Mr.. JOr-
dan, told him his tale of woe, and re.
ceived as gift a check for 81 900.
With this he threw himself into the
whirlpool of Wall street. commenced
by selling gold short, and by the lst of
July was worth handsome fortune.
His subsequent history is known to
every newspaper reader.
have thus hastily sketched, in an
imperfect manner, perhaps, but none
the less true, some of the leading events
i'm the life of this extraordinary man
for he is an extraordinary man, let who
will sneer at his idiOsyncracies and &C.
centricities. Success is, and has ever
been the test of a mans capacity, and
surely he has his measure of that. In
his fiippant and seemingly careless
testimony before the Congressional
committee recently, at Washington,
we can see his utter want of reverence
for mere names. He has made money
paramount, for with that he believes he
can buy men. If we are to believe re-
ports, he is far from being miserly with
the immense means at his command.
He may continue to prosper, or he may
retire with surfeit of the worlds goods
or turn of the wheel may leave him
again penniless, but no accumulation
of misfortunes, no financial blow, how,
when, or where delivered, will ever
PROSTATE or cause to tremble the iron
nerves of James Fisk, Jr.