Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-17

thing more than name. ne Ma.
the Bank OF Celifornia, and a banK az VIZ
ginia City, and his financial aouity III M.
srolled bSth for years of their success. ne
wss = hold operator, and on that rock ne
split. Had his friends been - true TO nun
az he was to them he might nave
tided over the shoals, and lived 70
;nsnire other capitalists of this city
with something of his own zeA
for the creation and enlargement OF It's
manufacturing industries, at which, ior
wears. he was q liberal patron: MacSay
and Fair began their California ire Is
hard-working. practical miners SONS
financial ability they must have 70 nave
accumulated their large fortunes ana oe
able to keep them. Flood and y bren
were known as the proprietors Oh once
popular public house on Washington
sfreet between Sansome and Montgomery.
n is said of them that after their BONANZA
fortunes were well assured, they, kindly
and gratefully gave valuable points 70
persons who had befriended them, nom
which tipoints" such friends were enabled
to realize large sums OF money on
Certain Miniug stocks.
These four gentlemen have done something
toward the improvement OF the city oy the
erection of private properties; and Flood
is the owner of grand establishment IN
San Mateo county. II any of them has
money invested in manufacturers, nave
not heard of it. If any of them has ever
given much, considering his ability to give,
Toward the support of schools, colleges or
other public institutions, I have not heard
of that. Huntington and Hopkins, two OF
the original principal stockholders in the
Central Pacific, were hardware store
keepers in Sacramento before they
became railway proprietors. Hopkins
died in 1879, leaving fortune supposed TO
be of the value of 10000, 900, but probably
twice as much. Huntington, who is worth
as much. resides in New York, and has the
reputation of shrewd and indefstigaole
political manager of the vast affairs OF the
railway corporations he represents al
Washington and in the eastern mon
ey markets. He came to this State IN
1S49, with barely sufficient money TO pay
his passage by steamer. Charles Croker,
fffst vice-president of the Central Pacihc,
began business life in Sacramento as dry
goods merchant in a small way; stepping
from that into the railroad bonanza,
of which for years he represented the
Push and Energy
in construction, as Stanford did and still
does the brains. Charles Croker has the
faculty that, with the interests he now con-
trolls, will probably make him the richest
man in America, if he lives for fifteen
years. I am told that this is his ambition.
Judge Z. C. Croker, the elder brother OF
Charles-dead for some years-left for
tune estimated in cash and United States
bonds at s., 100000. He was a Sacramento
lawyer of not much practice, poor, and by
the resignation OF Stephen J. Field from
the Supreme Bench Of this State, succeeded
to the vacant position in 1853, appointed by
IN
opinion that Judge Cookers death was
caused by voluntary overwork in
the railroad Office. Leland Stan
ford began his California life, as am in
formed, as a merchant in a small mining
town in Placer county. He had business
capacity, and soon drifted to San Francisco,
where he was associated in a large whole
sale firm. He had political talents, and
soon drifted into politics on the rising Re.
publican wave OF 1860. In 1861 he was re-
garded as a man Of sufficient political char
acter to secure the Republican nomination
for Governor. He was lucky in having
Democratic party divided nearly equal
against itself to combat He was elected by
a plurality vote, and filled the Gubernato-
rial Office for two years with satisfaction to
his party and the State. / have never heard
any serious charge against his adminlstra-
ton. His position as Governor, and his
natural abilities for large affairs, made him
a leader in the management OF the Central
Pacific, and the same qualities have kept
him in that position
For Nearly Twenty Years
His position as Governor for two years gave
him a practical insight into local politics
and certain skill in political management,
and in Judging men Of their true worth,
which have been Of great value to the cor
poration he represents. 1t is risking moth
ing TO say that Stanford has been for twelve
wears greater person in the politics OF
California than any other man ever was.
A Republican from principle, when it has
suited his purposes-or those of his cor.
poration, which is the same-he has man
aged Democratic conventions and elected
Democratic Legislatures. When it has suited
him to trust the Republican party he has CIV
Ell them his favor. When it has suited him
to remain neutral he has done that, too,
with mastery inactivity. He has played
with politics and with the ablest politicians
with a skill and a success that would hon.
or the genius of Machaivelli, and always
with all apparent contempt for them and
their trade He is the one next 10 Ralston,
OF all the country's rich men, who appears
to be most attached to California. With q
mansion on Mob hill, a palace in San Mateo,
a house at Sacramento, and an office in the
city, lie manages to put in most Of his time
here. and to wsste less money on Paris and
Europe than any of them. But il he has
ever put dollar in manufactures, or any
considerable sum into the revenues OF q
college, school, university, or public be-
nevolence, do not remember il.