Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-01
LUCKY" BALDWIN.
low He Started In Lifo-Other
Millionaires.

How He Started in Lifo-Other
Millionaires.
Room No. $50 at the Gait House is
occupied by melum-sized white
haired man. who is usually attired in q |
plain dark suit. with coat OF the
double breasted sack cut. There is
nothing ilashy about him. The man is
L, j. Baldwin, familiarly known as
LUCKY Baldwin," the noted California
millionaire. Mr.. Baldwin has been
here for several days attending the fall |
races with his string of runners.
Last night Mr.. Baldwin related to a
Courier-JournG! representative much
of his early experience, how he rose
from poverty 10 millions, and what
dangers aud labors he passed through
before he reached wealth. He was
born near Cincinnati. o.. but in 1853
was running a small store in Racine.
Wis, cndcavOring to take care Of him
self and young wife.
For four years the fame OF the golden
California coast had traversed all parts
OF the East and the Mississippi Valley.
Stories Of how men, one day the pos
SCISSORS Of nothing, and the next the
owners of fortunes, were common. and
nll were believed. In that same year,
1853. MIR. Baldwin sold out his little
store in Racine. aud he and his wife
joined wagon train to make their
pcrilous way across the plains 10 the
new Eldorado, where fortune bid far
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, although there is much reason
% believe that many OF the robberies
and murders were committed BY tho
Mormons disgu sed as Indians. Mr..
Baldwin's train was not an exception
to the list OF sufferers, and he graphic
ally related how the attack was made.
"When VIC came TO the Humboldt
River. 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 headwaters OF the Humbolt
River We had loft the main portion
Of the train for several days and had
gone around the wells, when we camped
one evening near spring of fresh
water in a little valley, with high
bluff on one side. The night passed
away without trouble, but carly the
next morning. Just after daylight
shots were fed at us from the bluff.
"A party Of Indians had concealed
themselves amid the thick shrubbery on
top of the cliff and we're beginning a
lively iiro upon our party. We had
placed our wagons in kind OF semi
circle and, barricading behind them,
we returned the fire. Our people were
not all well armed, for they had only a
number of old guns that could not be
depended on, and thus little damage
was done on either side, The Indians
sent part Of their mon around and they
/ came down in the valley. opening
fire from our side. Things grew too
hot and we had to take flight. We
hitched up our horses and took our
course through kind Of canyon that
lod through the hills.
1.-The Indians followed us with a
yell and soon overlook our wagons.
They could have killed us, but evil
IDENTIFY thought they had sure thing
and preferred to sport with US for
u while. was driving the wagon, in
which lay my wife. who was i'll. Two
Indians, each with a cooked revolver,
seized hold of the brides OF my horses
and ran along by their side. gave
mvsclf up for lost but the Indians did
not shoot
Our good fortune saved us. just
at the head of the canyon was en-
camped large OK train, embracing q
party of about seventy-live people.
They. too, had been attacked by the
Indians, but by building a fortiiication
held thcm at bay. Both our party and
tho Indians who were attacking us ran
upon this before wc knew 1t, aud the
Indians were afraid to pursue us fur
ther. We at once joined forces with
the other crowd, while the two parties
of Indians did the same. They sur
rounded our camp, and crawling
around the tall grass fired upon us
whenever a man exposed himself, yot
they were not sufficiently strong to
storm our Notifications. We remained
In that spot two weeks, when the In
dians finally left us, and we made the
rema ndcr of our way to California un-
molcstcd. The band that attacked us
belonged to tho Apache tribe"
Mr.. Baldwin's fortune did not come
to him by some sudden streak of luck.
as his nickname would indicate, but
was accumulated gradually, When he
reached San Francisco he Obta ned
possession of small hotel, but ran it
for only two weeks. A friend whom
he had known in tho Fast was inter
estcd in n Government contract for
making brick. Mr.. Baldwin obtained
a share in the venture. although he
knew nothing in the world about max
ing brick.
but was determined to learn" he
said, "for man can do anything, and
] bought book on the art of brick
making. sat up at night and studied
it, mastering the details. -
The brick-making venture prospered
and the cmigrant began to make
money, clearing about one thousand
five hundred dollars a 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 drifted to
the stock market and began to make
money rapidly. Mining stocks were
the kind he traded in, aud keen eye
for business caused him to rarely lose.
THAT is tho way Imado my money"