The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-11-27
LUCKY BALDWIN" )"
THE NOTED CALIFORNIAN TELLS
HOW HE MADE HIS MILLIONS.
Beginning Businsss In . Little Store In
Racine, WISCONSIN, A PeriIou Trip
.- ATTACKED by the Indians
Brick Making-stocks
louisville Courier Journal. ]

louisville Courier Journal
Room $50 at ths Gait house Is occupied by
. medium size white haired man, who Is
usually attired In plain dark suit, with
coat OF the doubls breasted sack cut There
d nothing fashy about him. The man Is
z. J. Baldwin, familisrly known Us @Lucky
Bald win." the noted California millionaire.
Mr.. Baldwin related to newspaper
representative much Of his early experience.
how he rose from poverty to millions, and
what danger and labors he passed through
before he reached wealth. He was born
near Cincinnati, Ohio, but in 1853 was
running q small store in Racine, Wis,
endeavoring to take care Of himself and
young wife.
For four years the fame OF the golden
California coast had traverssd all parts Of
the east and the Mississippi valley. Stories
OF how men, one day the posssssors OF moth
ing. on the next the owners Of fortunes.
were common, and all were believed. In
that same year, 1858, Mr.. Baldwin sold out
his little store In Racine, and he and his
wife Joined o wagon train to make their
perilous way across the plains to the now
El Dorado, where fortune bid fair to smile
on all Indians were the great danger to
the emigrants. and during the year that Mr..
Baldwin chose for his journey they were
worse than they had ever been before or
since.
FIGHTING THE INDIANS.
"When we came to Humboldtiriver. In
Colorado" he said, "our party separated,
about thirty. among whom were myself and
wife, going to the north, in order to pass
around the wells. or headwat Of the
Humboldt river. We left the main portion
~ he tr.f fnr md haI
around the wells, when we camped one
evening near q spring Of fresh water in .
little valley, with high bluff on one side.
The night passed away without trouble. but
early the next morning, just after daylight.
shots were fired at Us from the bluff.
A party Of Indians had concealed them
selves amid the thick shrubbery on the top
Of the cliff and were beginning a lively fire
upon our party. We had placed our wagons
In kind Of semi-circle, and, barri-
cading behini them, we returned the
fire. Our People were not all well
armed, for they had only q num-
ber Of old guns that could not be depended
on, and thus little damage was done on
either side. The Indians sent part Of the
mon around, and they came down in the
valley, opening q fire from our side.
Things grew too hot and we had to take
flight We hitched up our horses and took
our course through a kind Of canyon that
led through the hills.
3The Indians followed US with yell, and
and soon overlook our wagon The could
have killed Us. but evidently thought they
had q sure thing, AMI preferred to sport
with us awhile l was driving the wagon
in which lay my wife, who was i'll Two
Indians each with q cooked revolver,
seizsl hold of the brides Of my horses and
ran along by their side. Igavs myself up
for lost, but the Indians did not shoot
A FORTUNATE ESCAPE.
aOur good fortune saved u. Just at tho
| head OF the canyon was encamped . large
OK train. embracing party OF about
seventy five people. They, too, had been
attacked by the Indians, but by building
| fortification held them at bay. Both our
party and the Indians who were attacking
US ran upon this train before We knew it,
snd the Indians were afraid to pursue us
further. We at once joined forces with the
other crowd, while the two parties OF In
dians did the same They surrounded OUT
camp, and crawling around the tall grass,
| fired upon US whenever q man exposed hin.
self, yet they were not sufficiently str ong to
storm our Notifications We remained In
that spot two weeks, when the Indians
finally left us, and we made the remainder
Of our way to California unmolested. The
band that attacked us belonged to the
Apache tribe"
| Mr.. Baldwin's fortune did not come to
him by some sudden streak OF luck. as his
nickname would indicate, but was accumu-
lated gradually. When he reached San
Francisco he obtained possession OF q small
hotel, but run il for only two weeks. A
friend whom he had known In the east was
Interested In a government contract Tor
making brick. Mr.. Baldwin obtained g
share in the venture, although be knew
nothing in the world about making brick.
aBut was determined to learn" he said,
afor man can do anything. and bought
a book on the art OF brick making. sat
up at night and studied it. mastering the
details.n
VENTURES IN STOCKS.
The brick making venture prospered. and
the emigrant began to mako money, clear
ing about 81 800 month on his contract
From that kind OF business hs passed g.
some other, and turned his hand to almo
everything as be himself has said. Finally
be driftsd to the stock market and began e.
make money rapidly. Mining stocks were
the kind he traded in and keen eye for
business caused him TO rarely lose
THAT u the way mdao my moheys NC
said, afor never had any great stroke ol
luck like some other men. The Chronicle
gave me my name OF Lucky for some suo
csssful venture that had made In stocks
worked hard and Iexamined the mines thai
bought. ] crawied through tunnels and
went down shafts and labored for year
like a slave.
II have made some big deals" said Mr.
Bald win. AIN 1875 cleared "a, soc, 600 o
one time out of-ths Ophir mine ut Virginia
| City. New had all the dealers on TN
coast and the California bank against me
but outwittsd them and broke the bank o.
rather that was what led to its break b.
the way the history OF that bank beer
rather remarkable. Il broke in 1870 To-
GA, 900, 900, but 1t paid of everything AM
its stock Is now worth double the par value
When had the bank and Its friends out
witted ! could have made elS OoO, Ooo
Somsbody might have shot me, but stin
could have done IL :.
aAll that have told you," hs said, =
only q very vague outline Of the real facts
A detailed history Of these things woul'
exceed the tale of Aladdin's lamp. and poe
ole would not believe what they rssd, for
would be hks dream"
In his capacity a. millionaire Nr. Bald
win has, Of course. rubbed against the othe
millionairss Of the Pacific coast and Is 10
timately acquainted with them all
| says that the railroad rnsn are the ricnss
/ ha ss.raxvd