Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-13
LUCKY RAf.DWIN.
He Talks about some OF His Lucky Hits
and tits Hard WORT

From the LouisofRs Courier -,Eourisal.
Room No. $50 at the Gait house is occu-
pied by a medium-sized, whlte,haired
man, who is usually attired in plain,
dark suit. with a coat OF The double
breasted sack cut. There is nothing
fashy about him. The man is f. j. Bald
win, Familiarity known AS SLncky Bald
win" the noted California millionaire.
Mr.. Baldwin has been here for several
| days attending the tall races with his
/ string Of runners.
/ Mr.. Baldwin's fortune did not come TO
! him by some sudden streak Of luck, as his
nickname would Indicate, but was ac-
cumulated gradually. When he reached
/ San Francisco he obtained possession Of q
small hotel, but ran it for only two weeks
A friend whom ne had known III the East
was Interested in a government contract
for making brick. Mr.. Baldwin obtained
a share in the venture. though he knew
nothing in the world about making brick.
But I was determined to learn"
he said, ''fOr man can do anything,
and / bought a book on the art OF
brickmaking. | sat up at night aud stud
led it, mastering the details" The brick
making venture prospered, and the emf
grant began to make money, clearing
about $1,000 month on his
contract. From that kind OF business
he passed to some other. and turned his
hand to almost everything, as he himself
has said. Finally he dufted to the stock
market and began to make money rapid
ly. Mining stocks were the kind he ira
ded in, and keen eye for business caus-
ed him to rarely lose.
THAT is the way | made my money"
he said. "for never had any great stroke
OF luck like some other men. The CbrOH-
tcie gave me my name Of Lucky for some
successful venture that | had made in
stocks. / worked hard and examined the
mines that | bought. | crawled through
tunnels, and went down shafts, and la
bored for years like a slave.
Il have made some big DEALS" said Mr..
Baldwin. ''In 1876 cleared $4,500,000 at
one time out Of the Ophit mine, at Nir-
GINA City, New. | had all the dealers on
the coast and the California Bank against
me, but | outwitted them and broke
the bank, or rather that was what
led to the break. BY the way, the his
tory OF that bank has been remarkable
1t broke in 1875 tor $4,000, 900, but it paid
of everything, and its stock is now worth
d luble the par value. When / had the
bank and its friends outwitted, could
have made S1S,000,0 Somebody might
have shot me, but still could have done
it,"
In his capacity as millionaire, Mr.
Baldwin has, Of course, rubbed against
the other millionaires OF the Pacific coast,
and is intimately acquainted with them
all. He says that the railroad men are
the richest Of the crowd. Mackay made
bis fortune out Of mines, and be and Bald
win have crawled through many
miles of tunnel together. Mr..
Baldwin puts his wealth at 20,000,-
900, and that of Flood and O'Brien at
$4,000, 600 each. Fairs he estimates at
$4,000. 900. The railroad people go above
that. The estate Of Mrs. Mark Hopkins,
he says, is worth over $50, 000,0 900, and
that OF Croker about SAC, 100000. Leland
Stanford is also worth S40,000,000 San
Francisco Mr.. Baldwin estimates to be
the richest city Of the world IN proportion
TO its population. There are plenty Of
millionaires there whom one has never
heard OF.
"All that l have told you" he said, sis
only very vague outline Of the real facts.
A detailed history Of these things would
exceed the tale Of Aladdin's lamp. and
people would not believe what they read,
for 1t wuOld be like a dream"