The Washington critic., 1885-07-29
LUCKY BALDwIN's LUCK.
An ola Miner Tells How the million.
airc Made His wealth.

LUCKY BAEDWIN'S LUCK.
An OLD Miner Tells How the MILTON
aire Made His wealth.
"Timcs had got little dull and stocks |
were low, and so Baldwin, who was al
ways studying up some wild scheme or
other TO make money, concluded to go |
to China on some racket, and as he hap.
pened to have 1000 shares OF Crown
Point, which had cost him three dollars |
a share, hc WAS mighty anxious to real
ize ON them. The price being of sew
eral points he raised the wind some
other way, and, feeling that the time
would come when he could get even on
his stock, he left it with friend of his
to sell when the price rose To three dol
lars share. and of he went to China.
Soon after his departure the Comstocl
got into bonanzs and prices began TO
fly up. Baldwin's frend-who, by
the way, was carpcnter--also
watched the market closely, and when
his three dollar limit was reached he
rushed down 10 broker and told him
to sell 1000 shares OF Grown Point at
three dollars. where's your stock?'
asked the broker. Here IL is, said the
carpenter.
"'rhe broker examined it and then
said: 'lIave YOU power of attorney to
| sign Baldwin's nameY Not power
replied the carpenter. well, them
said the broker, i can't sell this stock,
nor will any one osc.' You see, Bald
win, In accordance with his customary
carelcsness, or rather ineorance Of busi-
ness methods, had gone of without
transferring or endorsing the stock
IN ,dc out in his name. OF course, his
business trip to China was II failure, as
were all his deliberately planned enter
prises, and he arrived in San Francisco
strapped, but soon found that instead
OF having $1,000 waiting for him IL had
swelled to an even million Of dollars"
mo wonder they called him Lucky
Baldwin," said Chicago tonderfoot.
"llold momcnt, pardncr," re-
marked the old Californian, "nobOdy
thought Of giving him that name then
for little lucky turn like that. Wait
till get n little further along with my
story, and yon'Il see better reason fol
the name.h
rs there mere coming? Great Scott
Wasn't one million enough on such g
scratcl?'
ave didn't give names those days il
, California unless men earned them
you can bet your bottom dollar on that
| Baldwin cashcd in his stock, and as h,
, was considered rather fresh the boy pm
,, up Il Job TO divide the million among
7 the gang. Jim Kecne was Baldwin
broker and he and the rest concluded
that they would saddle big block o
Ophir OH Baldwin at from SO to $li
per share, which they proceeded to do
thus tapping him for more than hal
his pile. No sooner had Baldwin go
this bundle of Ophr into his possession
t than the big bonanza was struck il
Consolidated Virginia and California
+ adjoining the Ophir, and that stocl
/ doubled mp in sympathy.
"'Rah for Baldwin," cried The Chi
, cag0 tendrrfoOt.
, Keep cool, parl, that was onl,
ordinary luck" growled the old Califor
nian.
"Thunder and Mars, another milior
: and you say only ordinary luckn'
: "rhat's what | said. Ophir KEEP
. right on doubling up so fast that tn,
e gang wanted to get Baldwin's stock
n and so they put up another job or
him. You see, the Bank Of CalfOrni'
e held most OF the balance Of Ophi
q stock, and so Ralston sent for KeenO
: and sized him up to vote Baldwin
stock at the annual election so that th
= bank wOuld have control OF the mine
a lkeene, being still agent for Baldwin
pocketcd his plum and stood in will
=, the bank outfit and went square bac|
. ON Baldwin. Lord, bnt wasn't Bald
win mad. The stock kept going up an,
= Baldwin, knowing that the old assess
n ment dodge would be played on him
g showed his stock on the market, jus
u exactly as the conspiratOrs eXpectet
and wished he would, until he hadn't
!, share left, obtaining the highest prices
2, which were fom $3.50 to $500 pc
:, share. No sooner had he unloaded o
a the gang than the stock began to tum
bile as rapidly rs it had risen, aud
# busted the Bank Of California; bu
h Baldwin had over $4,000, 900 TO hi
:, credit, aud the name 'Lucky Baldwin
d was duly earned and accredited I
him.
is "lIoly smoke, $4,000, 900 did yo
II say?" broke in the Chicago tender
Is foot.
II "rhat's about the size of it, and yo
- see there was not bit of sense {
smartuess from beginning to end so fl
as 'luCky' was concerned. He bln
IL dercd onto the first million, was trappe
J. into bad Investment and was angere
" into selling ont in the nick of time, :
:, luck, stupid nigger luck, made him IL
y straw which broke the back OF the grei
institution known as the Bank of Gal
,ee iornia and transferred its gold into h
II own private pocket"
IT "What became Of Lucky Baldwin?
~ son, lie built n big hotel, got a b
l. farm and plastered his money aroun
% without any business Judgment, but !
had such n stack of gold that he couldn
fool it all away, and probably he HI
an odd million or two left yet. N
a boys, don't pretend to say that lu'
+. Is q chief factor in mining, but
/. rather have heap of luck than n he's
q of sense without luck. - Denver Il
I'd publican,
,1 --------- O.
OF Drunkenness, or the liquor Habit, Ca
~ hn GnpaI NV ~ ri N nr Hpinf