New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-15
TIE STORY OF Ills LIFE.

tor,o ~ tho rrca, systcm OF railroads which sprang
ND in California in the early sixties eacheu OUT !"
Utah TO grasp the hands OF the Union fac'no anu
finally was extended to New-orleans by construction,
nurcbase or lease He second wee presideh' u
the Central Pacific Railroad and Of the sou'n'r"
Pacific COMPANY and president Of the Southern facc
Railroad Company. With c. p. huntington Lciann
Stanford and Mark Hopkins he helped to organize anu
construct the Central Pacific Road at time when most
capitalists would have been appalled, al the unuo7aN
Ing and with these men he shared the uonor VI
CARRYING to success one OF the most dcult engineer
,nr teas ~ modern times involved In the construction
% that road pioneer among the millonairos Oh /
the Pacific Coast, Mr.. Croker had In recent years
been prominent resident Of this city, whittier seVerai
OF his early colleagues in railroad building had pre-
ceded HIM -.
pvlnc possessed Of fortune estimated at about |
$40 OoO. 900, Mr.. Crockcr was one Of the notable
nustrations with which this country abounds OF lhe
achievement of great wealth from life beginning IN
poverty and obscurity. lie was born IN troy ~ !"
on September l6 1922, his father keeping largo
store in that town Charles was the eldest OF sA
children. He received only meagrc common schooi
education but at the Of twelve business re'cI'
OF his father forced him TO the earning OF his own
living bv selling newspapers. story Is told ~ MS
applying for tho place Of agent OF The Ne VI.
Transcript his securing IT, although al hrst MS laoh
OF required capital Of 5000 stood in his way ana Oh
his increasing circulation Of the paper 10 feHar
able
10 the SUPPORT OF the family In 1885 the elder
CrocEer moved to Marshall County, in Northern
Indiana where young Charles worked vigorously heip-
inc 10 clear the lard and establish settlement III
what was amOs, a willcrfc-~
In 1890 the bor's mother died ard Charles soon
after had disagreement with his father, when lorcel
him out into the world carve his own fortune
When he Let bis home two feet Of February sho"
Inv on the ground and ell therapltal the boy had con
sisted OF a cotton shirt linen dickey," paF o.
socks and cotton handkerchief besides the CLONES
he wore A walk Of two miles brought him 10
farm where he applied f0r work and was taken Oh
trial for month a5 a farm hand HIS
/ services were satisfactory and he stayed WIN
the farmer until september, wien weary OF
| labor with unpromisns prospects, lie took his scanN
savings and went 10 MlsLawha. on the ST. Joseph
River in Indiana Here lie secured voh in ssw mill
owned BIZ John J. Dcmins. whose daughter Mary he
aftcrward married The young mans health was
benefited bv the hard lie he had lea but ne began 10
feel the lack OF an education and he resolved TO sup
plv the dc6ceucy Affection for the daughter Of his
eu,poyer sprang up in the boy. and he looked for
new road TO wealth, after a winter Of hard study In
school In the spring OF 1910 he became an apprentice
TO Alphonso Wilson, who owned an iron forge at MS
hawka, and learned how to make bar iron from bog
ore. Faithful and Industrious he soon acquired the
confidence OF the forgc.master who began TO cH
trust him with charge Of the business whenever he
/ was called away from the forge
Young Crochcr's restless spirit, however, craved
larger field Of adventure. In the winter Of 545 be
went back Marshall County and started prospecting
for iron ore lie fortunate enough to fnd an ore
bed and after securing an option OF the land,
he took specimens Of the mineral and returned to vii
sons forge TO seek for capital 10 begin new enter
Prise lie had won the confidence OF his former en-
ployer who advanced him capital taking three
quarters share IN the business, while Crocker re
tained one-quartcr interest and salary Of 800 a
10 firm ooL tbe ma al
Charles Croker 4 Co., and fairly successful up
to 1s4s Tho winter OF that year brought 10 the
young worker taste Of the gold fever which the
Pacific slope breeding all over The land. lie de
tcrmined 70 try his fortune in tho III Dorado but
while he was on visit to MshaWha arrang &
ing for closing out his business interest 10 Mr..
wilson. news was brought that his forge in Marshall
County had burned down. Bac. the place the
future millionaire forced 10, but he rebuilt the
forge and IN 1s40 sold out lbs share il the property
for 81 900 to his partner.
Although only twenty seven years old Young
Croker raised party OF young for the land Of
gold and taking with him also two Of his young.
brothers, he crossed the plains in the summer of 1880
lcavln. old Fort Kcarucy the Missouri River. on
April 10 and reaching sacramento on JUS 10. Th'
party engaged in placer mining, but with poor sue
cess and Charles soon released his companions from
the contract they had made when hcr started out anC
opened a store OF mining supplies IN the camp. II
the sprng of 1e52 he established store IN sacra
mento IN company with his younger brother. and thu
business In fou:ish.ng condition Pos
sessed now Of considerable means. Mr. Croker wen
back TO Indiana and married Miss Dcm.ns. who ha
won his heart when he only a boy Of seventeen
| week after the wedding his Sacgamnto store wa
DESTROYED by fire, involving a loss OF $4,000.
capital Of About ~ 900 remained, and Mr. Croc kcr
with his BRIDE fastened to Sacramento and recstab
shed his business. The spring Of 1858 brought fir
and food to the city. but the young merchant pros
pered In spite Of temporary misortunes. and b. III
end o. 1854 no vas man Of wealth. In 1853 he wa
chosen to tho Common Council. where among his col
+ leagues was Mark Hopkins and men OF similar stamp
and this body OF legislators accomplished several i'm
portant local reforms for its constituency. In tn
I. fall OF 1860 Mr. Croker was elected Republlca
i, to the Legislature Of California.
Within the next few years. Mr.. Crocker becsm
identified with the project Of tho Central Pacific Raj
;. rosd at the solicitation OF Mr.. Huntington The hi;
orv OF this great enterprise Is to call fC
: extended notice. Theodore d. Judah was made chit
engineer for the surveys across the sierra Nevad
Mountains land grant and financial aid was Obtaiht
q from Congress, and the work OF stretching the Hu
rsiis over the mighty range OF mountains was begun
II vas a road that involved the surmOuniing OF In
e menss engineering difficulties, but Mr. Croker too
Z the contract for the first eighteen miles OF he rout
built the most difficult two miles OF the next piece
thtrtoen miles and then picked up the work Tor u
from other contractors VINO tailed. lie 'i Is
became contractor for the line rom Newcastle 10 !.
D. state line Of tho Sierra Nevadas, and when "
Of 81 Contract and Finance company was organized NJ
m Crocaer made president and Invested heavily IN J
A s,ock Under his superiniendenry the road vi
"A built from the state line of California To- Ogdeh al
" then followed the construction 81 branch and t1D
~ tarv lines 10 the main An idea ~ the mhe
10 rude OF tho Contra! Pacific enterprise NAV be gather
N from the statement that the cost OF the inst IL
q ,hs sum came in tho way Of Government aid. and
ainder was raised W tho essdit Of Nj. csssks