Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-09-25
LUCKY eALDwlN's LUCK.
An Old Miner Tells How the millionaire
Made His Uealth-Luck In Mining AZ
Denver Republican j

An Old Miner Tells How the millionaire
Made His Wealth-Luck In Mining AZ
fairs.
Denver Republican,
"Times had got q little dull, and stocks
were low, and so Baldwin, who was all
ways studying rp some wild scheme OF
Other to make money, concluded to 90 to
china on some racket, and as he happened
10 have one thousand Shares of Crown
Point, which had cost him three dollars a
share, he was mighty anxious to realize
on them. The price being off several
points he raised the wind some other way;
and feeling that the time would come when
be could get even on his stock, he left it
with a friend of his to sell when the price
rose to three dollars a share, and off he
went to China Soon after his departure
the Comstock got into bonanza and prices
began to fly up. Baldwin's friend-who,
by the way, was a carpenter-also watched
the market closely, and when his three
1ollar limit was reached he rushed down
20 broker and told him to sell one thou
sand shares of Crown Point at three dol
lars where's your stock!' asked thu
broker. Here it is,' said the carpenter.
The broker examined it and then said:
wins name? Not a power replied the
carpenter. We'll, then,' said the broker,
i can't sell this stock, nor will any one
slse.' You see, Baldwin, in accordance
with his customary carelessness, or rath-
Or ignorance Of business methods, had
gone off without transferring or indorsing
the stock made out in his name. OF course,
his business trip to China was a failure, as
were all his deliberately planned enter
prises, and he arrived in San Francisco
strapped, but soon found that instead of
having three thousand dollars waiting for
him it had swelled to an even million of
dollars"
''No wonder they called him Lucky Bald
win," said Chicago tenderfoot.
"Hold moment, pardner," remarked
the old Californian, nobody thought of
giving him that name then for a lucky
turn like that. Wait till 1 get little
further along with my story and you'll see
better reason for the name."
''Is there more coming? Great Scott!
Wasn't one million enough on such a
scratchp
"We didn't give names those days in
California unless men earned them-you
can bet your bottom dollar on that. Bald
win cashed in his stock, and as he was con-
sidered rather fresh the boys put up a Job
to divide the million among the gang. Jim
Keene was Baldwin's broker and he and
the rest concluded that they would saddle
big block of Ophir on Baldwin at from
ten dollars to fifteen dollars per share,
which they proceeded to do, thus tapping
him for more than half his pile. No sooner
had Baldwin got this bundle of Ophir into
his possession than the big bonanza was
struck in Consolidated Virginia and Cali
fornia, adjoining the Ophir, and that stock
doubled up in sympathy"
"'Rah for Baldwin," cried the Chicago
tenderfoot.
keep cool, pard; that was only ordi-
nary luck" growled the old Californian.
THUNDER and Mars, another million and
you say only ordinary luckw
That's what l said. Ophir kept right
on doubling up so fast that the gang want
ed to get Baldwin's stock, and so they put
up another joO ON him. You see, the
Bank of California held most of the bal
ance of Ophir stock, and so Ralston sent
for Keene and sized him up' to vote
Baldwin's stock at the annual election so
that the bank would have control of the
mine. Keene, being still agent for Bald
win, pocketed his plum and stood in with
the bank outfit, and went square back on
Baldwin. Lord, but wasn't Baldwin mad.
The stock kept going up, and Baldwin,
knowing that the old assessment dodge
would be played on him, showed his stock
on the market, just exactly as TIE con-
spirators expected and wished he would,
until he hadn't a share left, obtaining the
highest prices, which were from $3.50 TO
500 per share. No sooner had he unload.
ed on the gang than the stock began to
tumble as rapidly as it had risen, and it
busted the Bank of California; but Bald
win had over $1O,OO0,OOO to his credit, and
the name Lucky Baldwin was duly
earned and accredited to him."
'Holy smoke, $1O,OOO,O 900 did you saypn
broke in the Chicago tenderfoot.
That's about the size of it, and Won
see there was not bit Of sense or smart
ness from beginning to end so far as
Lucky was concerned. He blundered
onto the first million, was trapped into a
bad investment and was angered into SELL
ing out in the nick of time, and SO luck.
stupid niger luck, made him the straw
which broke the back of the great institu-
tion known as the Bank of California. and
transferred its gold into his own private
pocket"
What became Of Lucky Baldwin,"
J" Oh, he built big hotel, got a big
farm and plastered his money around
without any business Judgment, but he
had such stack Of gold that he couldn't
fool it all away, and probably he has an
odd million or two left yet. No, boys, !
don't pretend tn saw that lncl1 l.. n oh;.t
factor in mining, but I'd rather have a
heap of luck than heap of sense with
out luck"