Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1875-08-29
SOMETHING ABOUT WILLIAM c.
RALSTON'S LIFE AND
CHARACTER.

Ii a rather treacherous memory serves
-, William c. Isalston was native Of
Pennsylvania. Be this as it may, he
went West. a poor boy, in search OF
fortune and adventure. and began life as
= steamboat cabin boy. He reached his
ayade Of passenger clerk under Captain
". K. Garrison. In the early gold e1-
element. Garrison and Fretz established
! bank in Panama and RaIston was
their clerk. He came to San Francisco
With Captain Garrison, in 1851 or there
about, and had lived there ever since.
All these twenty odd years he had been
IL the banking business in one capacity
s2i another He was the moving spirit
il organizing the Bank of California and
vas the Cashier of it until about one
wear ago when he became its President
These are briefly the rough outlines of
Lis manhood's career. He married,
several years ago. a niece of Col. J. D.
Erv. They have four children, We
lelieve. Two of these have lately come
from attending a school in Nassachu-
Its and have been travelling through
the eastern part OF this State, the pre-
sslt summer. accompanied by a tutor.
But Ealston's beginnings are of but
Ll;!s consequence save as a setting for
! portrayal Of his character and per-
!urmines.
The impression left upon the mind.
alter good look at the man and an in
;,rcl.arge of ideas with him was that his
.-ot;ous and his way Of doing things
vs:e not at all in accord with tie con-
veutional ideal of banker. He had
lone Of the stiffness and unapproach-
able manner of purse-proud men; no
reserve; no caution. He was all frank
i.ess, freshness and contagious energy.
His vigorous, healthful restlessEess i'm
parted itself TO everybody who came
cca- him. The further impression con-
veved was that he was a lavish and
enthusiastic money-speuder rather than
money getter. His head seemed full
c: grand and glorious schemes of build
i-5 AID Improvement. In all this,
Tough there was good deal that was
E-iuceiy. there vas nothing suggestive
=. tie fast man or the spendthrift. He
Lad an irresistible impulse to make
1-o-ey Do The service of creating mag
I.5ceut buildings and of carrying on
iig, beneiceat enterprises He WIS the f.
:lal TO break Il bank and bui.d mp Il
city. N3Ge-, ui;.. him. was only the .
riable servant o: enterprise. Men, his
associates. whose motto is the converse |
c: this proposition and who hold that |
t.;erpIise is but the servant of money |
cane afraid Of him when they got |
away from TIE influence of his personal |
v.gor and magnetism. BUtfor the inspira- |
ton which he shed about him into all |
Learts the Bank doubtless would have |
gore down long ago. This high courage of |
reck,essness, it is called by men
v 40 will die with their millions and who |
VII be forgotten when Ralston's name
: ershrined in fame and splendor-is !
i-agnifceutly emphasized with results. |
He carried the colors and led the van /; |
AID see what his scattered wealth has |
55Ie for San Francisco. Ealston's fate |
; that Of inventors and the pioneers of
enterprise. the world over. There are
70 adequate rewards for these. Column
b-s died in Spanish prison; De Soto
discovered his grave when he found The |
atLer Of Waters; Fulton's reward was
the rane among his neighbo-s OF being
tie hapless author of '.Fuiton's Folly"
Elias Howe and Charles Goodyear died
with the stain of the debtors prison
Upon them, and lsalston seeks the hearts
case OF the tomb under the unaccusing
waves which wash the piers that have
50 often groaned with the weight
os a commerce of his own upholding.
He came with cleaner hands and larger