Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1884-05-28
KEENE.
A Free-Hand Sketch of the California Opera

friendless boy and owes his name and
fame to his own efforts. He came to
California early in the 5O's and for
some years drove milk wagon in the
town of Shasta. 1t has been said that
he edited newspaper in that town,
and he has never contradicted the
rumor to that effect But no vestige
of his editorial work remains and it is
extremely unlikely that the man ever
mounted the tripod He came to San
Francisco, alone and unheralded, after
the best days of placer mining were
over and soon took to dealing in min
ing stocks. His first operations were
as
A CtRB-STONE BROKER
In the early Comstock excitement.
when the San Francisco Stock and Ex-
change Board was at No. 411J Cali
fornla street, large portion of the
stock business was transacted on Cali
fornia street, sometimes in front of
the Board building and again on the
northeast corner of California and
Montgomery streets, in front of an
office occupied by George w. Smiley.
Stock to the value of half a million
dollars changed hands in these street
transactions on the simple word of the
broker and the whole town was apop
with excitement Keene was shrewd,
dashing and fearless. He soon became
a power in small way. His quick,
incisive style attracted the attention
of such operators as Mills, Sharon and
the old Bank of California crowd gen
orally, and from that element, then
the dominating financial power of the
large street orders. In a little while.
about eighteen months, say, Jim Keene
was elected member. of the San
Francisco Board and became full
tledged broker.
LEADING STOCKBROKER.
Jim keene was the one prominent
figure in the board in a very short
time. He was so prominent and so
often mentioned that for the sake of
convenience his name was cut in two.
People spoke of him us Keene. He ac-
quired Il fortune by bull operations
during the bonanza excitement and
then doubled that fortune by riding
the stocks down. He gave up the com
mission business prior to the bonanza
hurrah, but continued to operate in the
board on his own account. He became
president of the board, patron of the
turf, etc, etc, and grew more eXclu-
sive and stylish He never affected So
ciety and was not fitted, by inclination
or instinct, to whisper soft nOthings in
to willing ears. He had the natural
instincts of a gambler, man desirous
OF taking chances, man utterly lost
without the excitement of speculation.
RETIRES FROM THE CALIFORNIA MARKET.
AT last there came a time when the
mining stock market of San Francisco
had no speculative features. Several
large operators retired and others
were thinking of retiring. c. w.
Bonynge, successful, though not
specially bold operator, went out of
the market and took trip east-to
clear his brain, he said. After his re-
turn he studied the market for a few
days and then called upon Keene.
Look here, Keene," said he, ''you
ought to get out of this stock market
You cannot buck against the bonanza
firm. You have your choice of two
courses-clean up everything and 90
out OF the market like gentleman, or
wait and be kicked out. Keene gave
the matter some thought, consulted
with eastern acquaintances and, in a
few months, left San Francisco for
New York. He made money at first
and then lost his winnings and the
bulk of his principal. He settled Gov
ernment bOnds-to the value of $780,
600, it was said at the time-on his
wife before beginning operations on
Wall street, and to-day, though ruined
as an operator, he probably has little
81 "A A nt tn