Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-02
u,s SECRET OF SUCCESS
c.,oad Houston's Experience >--1hree
Fortunes in California.
~..htng Clothes and Keeping Hotel
In the Gold Mines BACK fro"
state.-The Last Fortune.
New York Sun.

New YORK sun.
a man can always make money II b
lie wants to-" said Col. James Hous
lea N the Leland House, as we talked
Wv 18th and its uses. know wha
o. he continued, for / have mad.
80 fortunes myself, and would star
W.. for fourth. il had single in
ou n.;ve bot what difference does il
80 20 a man Of my age. without p
1.r,;lv whether he is rich or poor
a, content, bu. / repeat nv original
oo,osiiion. if man does not get rich,
y his own fault. To keep money is
-, more difficult than to get it,"
think | could manage 10 keep il if
Ionce got IT," replied.
Won think so: but it's far more OF a
,,;snca than YOU think. All your friends
"a epe,nies conspire to rob you, and a
"aan who holds i: tight must make up
- ,,;,d IN bs a curmudgeon. The rule
Tor getting rich is easier TO learn than
the rule for keeping 80. lhefe Is out
one for the former and dozen Tor Ia"
latter. III tell you how MADE three
fortunes, and you will see FOR youfseii
the principle. ,s
TO look at the speaker no one would
have dreamed that be was a man upon
whom the Goddess Of Fortune was
frowninp. He puffed Il Havana cigar
and watched It's smoke cur! into
wreaths.
When people talk Of seif-made men
thew talk of what never existed" he
said. IF ever a man could be called q
self-rnade man, I am the one: yet can
see distinctly the combination of cir
cnmstauces that helped me to my sue
csss. and to those owe thanks Just as
much az if some one had started me by
Getting me up in business. Yes, more;
FOX these helped me to help myself,
vhile the latter might have made me
weak and indolent. 4. is the man who
knows how to use the adverse circum-
stances Of his life that Is sure To VIII on
the bomestretch. Most boys think work
an evil and hate it. was brought up to
work, aad though 1t Is some time since
these hands were soIled by labor
clancing at his well formed hands,
have never forgotten to be thankful for
tue farm life that made il = necessity.
A box of tools locked up is not half az
useless AZ a mans hands when I'M
trained to labor. Boys hate a logging,
bat il had no. bad one Just when
did should now be blowing IN the
fields. plling up stones, and living on n
farm in the western part Of this State
II came Just at the right time, reused
every energy into action, and nlads me
leave home at IL to seek my fortune.
had read Of hundreds of boys who had
done the same thing. Why should
stay at home. and be- the slave OF An I'M
patient man! / worked nv way to this
yery city, and found myself in the same
condition of all | had read about, foot
sore, alone, and without cent.
80 be in the wilderness among wild
animals, alone and unprotected" he
continued, sis not a desirable position,
but it is delightful compared with that
of being in a crowded city without
friends or money, found myself after
few hoars opposite the Asior House.
Guests were Just leaving the dining
room and sauntering on the piazza. |
was terribly hunery,and tho o tors from
the kitchen drove me wild. ! went to
the office and asked for work eni some
thing to eat. now SEQ what small
chance had of being successful, but
then did not know enough to realize
my good luck. l STAYED there two years
asp0rter, sometimes III the laundry. at
others as general help. Learned many
things which afterwards made me q
rich man. Best of all, learned that |
must save my money, and cent never
left NV hands unless il brought q useful
equivalent. When had saved enough
to take ne to California bought sec
ond class ticket and started. had no
longing for the old home, though my
mothers face was ever before me.
know that she was happy in my free
dom and the knowledge | sent her of
my well being.
After long, tedious VOYAGE we
landed in California. San Francisco
today and San Francisco twenty nine
years ago are two entirely different
cities. IL was then place of fabulous
possibilities crude, energetic. undevel-
oped. /. Is now finished CITY. already
having left its first stage Of develop
ment. and far on toward the ripeness
that brings art. learning and culture.
As walked up from the wharf | WAS
struck with this aspect of newness.
EVERYTHING had the Al pearance OF being
.iy done until the time might come
H. the finishing up might be done.
NO one seemed to stop 10 speak. but
walked as though the avenging fnriel
were Watching. The spirit of the place
suited ME. | felt that had found my
proper field, and already ooald see
myself working as fast MS the rest AT
the building of future fortune. Htd
l been asked how or in what WAY
could not have told. but | felt my sue
cess IN my bones. | walked up the
street, looked ut the new buildings going
up, and wondered whether | should
meet any one / had ever known. No
sooner had the thought passed through
my mind than | heard my name shout
co from little wooden building III pro
cess OF erection. | looked again. A
Young fellow had stopped hammerinl
and was coming toward me- He was a
boy who had left home year before
me. | have been glad manv ;imas in
nv life. bnt never ~ glad "a then.
shook his hand rs though | could neve,
stop, until he broke away, saving
Over there's NV tent. Come touigh,
aud we'll talk. Can: stop now. gel
ZIG a day for driving nails IN thes.
boards. Try hand ?
"'Not today. Jim. Thanks all the
4 ~
Il found my WAY to his tent last
night. II was a rude affair. t.ut hs in
sisted upon my sharing it with him
and carried my truak there. What's
tue reason no one wears clean liner
hereY' asked.
"'No one has the time to wash b.
replied. Do you know what it costs {.
have billed shirt washed. withou
touching An iron to it?'
"'Can't guess. Mebhe twenty fiv
cents
"a dollar.'
jerusalem"
Il should say So
"1'm going for bit Of a walk. IL
be back presently
"'All Eight. You're dead broke o
course. Every one is when be ee's here
lake these till you get started ant