, 1875-08-29

many 1uck1ess qui1}-driver on the Coast the,t
il who is indebted 10 Raiston for petiv loan,
and douccars Of which tho banker kept no 10
count
Wrhal Ra!ston vas was most puncti1Iious
in oil thar ,,arsai:ed to business. uo entertained
ike Prin CO. trt te
A1rxSD1D 70 BUSINESS LIKE THE vEEHsr oFr1ca
DRUDGE.
Though his house were filed NTH company, hs
st !, took bath, and had his valet
6enters in training; held the ribbons himself
while he drove to the CITY, IS miles, which 10 did,
f..i.u reuy OF horses on tho ,oute}, with his
fcur-u hand in tue time made by the train on tic
San Jose Railroad. Arrived ut h.s elesaat pri-
.yate pnr:ors at the bank he dispatched business
with marvellous precision, ACCURACY spd maa-
tsry OF details He was daily beset by
hundreds OF yisltors-people with projects which
they wanted him to promote people WHO want
ed to share in his rejects, who sought his ad-
vice as to Investments and, OF course, innum-
erabta borrowc1s He disposed Of all rap,dl7.
but not q one cid he dism:ss without hearing
and many poor devil did he set on the high
road to fortune b7 extending, to him his (R.'s)
aIl-powerful Endorsement and support. His ofica-
boy made fortune BY operating on Ralston's
advice Miss H, upon 3 time Ralston'B
mistress (he was 2 man who wAs vain OF the
reputation of gallant, though really never half
"A dissofute as has been charged), made 500. QUO
q
The lady Ia 81 actrees well known in Chicago,
aud now residane OF San Francisco. He wss
in truth
MAN or WONDERFUL EXECUTIVE ABILITIES
and comprehensive grasp OF mind; daring with
al ths daring OF the e1persnced gambler;
generous with the magui6cence OF one who
makes money easily, and unbounded con
6dence IN bis .ablity to go on making money I'D
intuitum. Though no wRs far removed from
the coarse vag'rsy and 4o 10" ra xsea 10 Of inch sneh
display, enjoyed society in which he
as host not only did, but received the
hoAors. His role was that Of vertabla Monte
Cristo, and night sell did he live up to it. At
bottom he had unbouuded confidence IN every
project for tue development Of the State, and
especially Of the City Of San Franciaco. But
above ali, his ambition was that the
BANK SHOULD ABsoLuTELY RULE BUSINESS AND
POLITICS,
and tc1p both to account for the banks
profit. Ho made Governors, and SEN
ators, aud congressman, and Mavors OF
San Francisco, partly from love Of po1er,
more as an investment out OF which to multiply
the banks dividends. For the same reason, he
expended thousands Of dollars in subsidlzins the
sly,-of which it may be added that,
with marvctously few exceptions, a more
corrupt press never di53raced this
country. The very audacity OF his
schemes, which elsewhere would have excited
alarm, but stimulated the admiration OF the
Californians. His successes land with the CAP
ilal at his command successes wero oft-tifnes
easy) won their confidence; the end was what
must hare been foreseen, but what every one evi-
dcntly supposed WAS far of. The tragic termina-
ton OF his career is in soms Sort according to
the California point OF view, fitting final to the
whole. It will oiBarm criticism, and, in the
yeare to come, old Canfornians will cherish his
memory as that of "a genuine trump" who was
game to the last and, when the gams was up
paa5ed in his checks.