Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-07-02
JAMES L1oK's CAREER.
Tho Enterprise by which tho PRtlan-
throphist Accumulated His Millions.
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From :" First Steamship Pioneers"
James Lick has been among the most
noteworthy of all our earliest pioneers.
Naturally modest and, reticent to the
last degree, nearly all the acts of his
eventful life have remained unneticed
until recently. We first find him in
the interior of Pennsylvania, young
married man, quietly pursuing course
OF operations, e7incing great enterprise
in their planning, untiring energy in
their execution, and promising great
advantages in their results. We next
find him in the pampas of Brazil and
Bueno5 Ayres, with his thousands Of
horses and cattle, in the capacity of a
great proprietor, from whom the gov
ernments of those countries derived
their supplies for the cavalry and their
commissiariat. Again, we find him on
the other side Of the continent, oper-
atlng IN the commercial metropolis of
Chill and Peru everywhere and at all
times, so quiet and so unobtrusive, that
none save those with whom he had
transactions in business, ,,and those who
observed the external improvements
wrought by his enterprises would be
aware of his existence. His mode, in
all departments of life, has never been
raiso he was not only doing new things,
but doing them in his own way. And,
strange as it may seem in such quiet
man, he was always reaching into en-
terprises in advance of others, "tnking
time by the fore-lock." When the news
of the gold discovery in California
reached Valparaiso, he was in business
that would have taken an ordinary man
series of months, at least. to SO close
up that he could leave it with any sort
OF consistency, yet he put doubloops
enough In his trunk to make $4,000,
besides the expenses of the trip, en-
trusted his business to confidential
friend, and stepped on board the first
vessel leaving his place for San Fran
cisco. Arriving here he found exactly
what his sagacious mind had predicted
from the moment that tho golden news
reached him, viz: splendid opportu-
nifty to invest in real estate. He scan
ned the situation. foresaw the growth
of the town, selected his " corner lots"
with great good Judgment, and invested
his money. The property he then pur-
chased with $4,000 is perhaps to-day
worth many millions. In the first few
years he built sparingly and with great
cares afterward, literally and magnifi-
Gently. In 1853, John B. Weller, U. s.
senator from California, said, in his
place, would not give six bits for all
the agricultural lands in California"
Atsthis very time Mr.. Lick was prepar-
ing the foundations for Touring mill
in Santa Clara county, which, with its
massive foundations, fine burr-stones
and interior fnishings of solid mahoga-
ny, had, before it was completed, cost
him half O million of dollras. This
done, he took fifty acres of adjoining
land, reduced its surface to a spirit
level, and set, by the square and com
pass, with his own hands, the whole
with the choicest varieties of pear trees.
These operations, and numerous others,
proved very remunerative. He subse-
quently erected the magnificent hotel
in this city which bears his name. Re-
Gently his acts have placed him in the
front rank of philanthropists of this
or any country. He gave to the society
of California Pioneers the lot on Mont
gomery street, on which Pioneer hall
stands.
Mr.. Lick has been for many months
in poor health, bnt has devoted all his
attention to the arrangement of plans
for the disposal OF his wealth in man.
ner to secure the greatest amount of
good to the coming generations of his
fellow men.