The Republican journal., 1883-02-08

co, and so got rich because he couldn't
help it. He is parsimonious, eXacting,
| and one of the most unpopular men in
the city, and his calling and habits,
which he can never be induced to change,
have made him so. Mr.. Mills is very
different type of man, but his vast fortune
was acquired by much the same methods.
He began his career in California as the
keeper of a kind of thread and needle
store in Sacramento, but he soon doomed
out as a money lender and gold-dust
dealer. He made money fast and finally
started a bank, and by the most cautious
business methods added to his store.
Then he met the dashing Ralston and
with him and others started the Bank of
California Ralston carried things with
high hand. He made money by the mil
lion for himself and his chief associates
Mills and Sharon-but he couldn't keep
his own share. The Belcher- Crown Point
bonanza was nearly all the property of
these three, with Senator Jones added.
Mills knew but little of the inner work
ings of the bank which controlled these
mines and their operations. He trusted
Ralston and Sharon for that. He con
tented himself with taking what came to
him and asking no questions. But he
held on to it rehgiously He never spec
ulated knowingly; never engaged active
ly in anything he simply sat, sleek and
fat, in the presidents chair of the bank
and signed his name in a pertunctory
way to everything brought to him. Mr..
| Mills did rouse himself once, when some
| body told him that RalstOn owed the
bank nearly $1,000 000-had scooped all
its surplus and half its capital. The sleek
old gentleman turned white for moment,
but he was equal to the occas on. He
closed the door, called the directors, de-
manded of Ralston a statement, which not
coming as promptly as he thought the
occasion required, demanded further Rails
tons resignation. 1t was given on the
spot, and the dsgraced nabob went out
of the door and threw himself into the
! bay. Mr. Mills has a fortune of perhaps
| SIS, 200, 0O0 and how he acquired it is a
mystery to most CaifOrnians to-day
"Nobod, ever saw him do anythng' is
remark one frequently hears concerning
Mr. Mills.
There was less mystery about the meth
| DDS by which Jim" Keene accumulated
the millions with which he went to New
York and started Wall street. He got
them by cool ettrontery, brazen courage,
and an energy and dash that were mar
velous He got them by an up-and up
stand-up. single handed fight with James
G. Flood and bis Bonanza associates
When keene went to San Francisco he
was a bright fellow, and it didn't take
him long to select his way of making
living, He had been teaching school and
editing weekly newspaper at Shasta,
Cal. and the lire didn't suit him He
often says himself that he was the poor
est editor that ever grabbed ii shears. 50
greatly did the petty annoyances Of an
editorial room impress themselves upon
his memory. that years after, in the wild
clamor Of the stock board, when fortunes
were being made and lost in a minute,
keene has said frequently that above all
that din he could yet hear his Old fore
mans howl for copy He began bis San
Francisco career as d cuTbstone broker. |
and used to execute orders ON the street
for bigger brokers in the board Ills adj |
vance was rapid and his luck prodigious |
He soon had a membership, and in the
great excitement of 1872 became known
as the bOldest and most dashing operator
in the market. He was generally bear,
and as such became thorn in the side Of
RalsJon and other heavy bulls. When
Flood came upon the scene he was the
first to throw red flag in the face Of
that tauro and draw bis lance Flood
hated keenew wi han aweinspiring hatred.
He possessed money enough to crush
him, but he hadnt the brains, and with
no bnlN aIHnl RI = aInAtc
bank account. The latter began bearing
the Bonanza stocks at almost their high
est figure, and he never stopped until he
left the street with S4,00O,0OO in gold.
| fully three tourths of which came from
the Golfers of his mortal enemies. keene
seems to have got more conservative and
cautious since he went to New York.
| But then, as bis friends say, he is rich
and Indifferent, and wants now to enjoy
| life.
James B. lIaggin is a California mill
| ionaire, who furnishes an example Of
| what can be done in mining without the
| aid of eXcitements and IDEALS" and stock
| boards and speculation. He mines for
what is in the ground solely, and has
| been the most fortunate man in that re-
spect the Pacific coast has ever produced.
When Mr.. Haggin hears of a ''prospect'
be sends trusty agent to look at it. II
approved, he buys it, and the most mar
Vicious thing of all is he 50 rarely makes a
mistake that it is exceptional. 1t was he
that developed the Black Hills mines,
which have yielded millions and seem in
eXhaustible. The Ontario of Utah. a
property which has paid millions in diyi-
dends, is his. The Jocuatista mine, of
Mexico, is yielding 100000 month 1t
is Mr.. lIaggins. He conducts d mine as
he would every other business enterprise
on strictly business principles. He
never buys stock and never sells any. If
it were not made necessary by certain
laws, he would not incorporate a mine
and issue stock. Mr. Haggins wealth is
prodigious, but 50 quiet are his methods
and exclusive his operations, that no one
could form a just estimate of it: it runs
away into the millions In person Mr..
! 1aggin is the most distinguished look
ing of any of the California nabolS. He
is dark and swarthy dignitied in bearing
and naughty in conversation. He never
smiles, never tolcrates the slightest ia
miliarity or levity, and never bows to
any one but close acquaintance He
drives four-in- hand to an English mail
coach, and sometimes tandem to a dog
cart. His family carriage is invariably
accompanied by c0achman and fOotman
in gorgeous livery and top boots, and the
whole life and surroundings of the man
are aristoclatic to the extreme. He be
longs to type of millionaire of which be
IS the sole representative in California.