Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-07
A RICH BOOTBLAcK.
How Pat Higgins, of New York City,
Amassed q Fortune In the Far West.

| AndsSeQ q fortune In the Far west
n. Y. Start
Pat Higgins, of Denver, Col, who is es.
| timated to be worth at least one hundred
thousand dollars, formerly kept a boot
black stand at the corner of Broadway
| and Ann street In spite of his wealth he
| dresses as he did then, except on state oc-
casions, and is still engaged in blacking g
| boots, though he does less of the manual
work than he did when barely making a
living in New York City. He now en-
| ploys many assistants, and is said to have
stands In several Colorado towns, and in
| Tombstone, A. T. He was well known to
| New Workers doing business near the City
| Hall park during the latter years of the
war and for several years afterward. He
was in the boot blacking business previous
to the breaking out of the war, but gave
up his brush to serve two years in the
navy.
He then returned to his old stand or
Broadway and lived in a tenement in the
Fourth Ward. He was able to add to his
earnings by selling papers, but even when
making five dollars a day at his black
ing stand he continued to live In
the cheap rooms he had occupied
when one dollar a day was good
pay. he was an every day sort of Irish
man, unpretentious, hard working and
sober. He could have dressed well, but be
did not care to, and wore only common
flannel shirt and trousers in summer
time, with the addition of pea-jacket in
winter.
Pat had ideas and aspirations that were
far above his station in life. He was very
proud of his two daughters, whose mother
was dead. They were always neatly
ldressed, and went regularly to church and
to school. When they grew up he closed
his Broadway stand, and, saying good.
bye TO the few friends at the cruller and
coffee stands near by, be left New York
and took his children to their aunt in Chi.
cago. He went on to the Black Hills. Pat
did not open saloon or locate a claim OF
igamble. He opened modest little shanty
with chair in it, and hung out the legend
"Boots BACKED inside" Whenever s
miner came to town he always went first
to the barber's, then to Pats place to GET
a shine, and then he was ready to paint
the town.
The miners paid Higgins in gold dust
and % cents was the price of shine. The
dust was not weighed, and Pat got more
than quarters worth oftener than he goi
less. He saved every cent Possible. He
had no expensive habits, never dressed up,
seldom drank, never gambled and was
making from SO to $40 a day. Then he
sent to New York for the Illustrated pa
pers. There wasn't a newsstand in the
Black Hills at that time. Every man and
woman subscribed through Higgins for
one or more of the Illustrated papers. He
bought them for 10 cents and less by sub.
scribing for the year, and then sold them
for % cents, and even as high as 80 cents
and 81. Competition soon began. Hig-
gins stayed till profits began to fall of
very perceptibly, then moved on to the
next frontier town that had no bootblack
and no news-dealer.
When Pat got as far as Leadville he
found he was worth several thousand dol
lars. He selected the First National Bank
of Denver as his bank of deposit, and has
ever since done business with them
Probably to-day he has $4,000 on deposit
there. Not long after he went West Hig-
gins began sending occasional orders for
500 worth of backing and brushes to New
York firms. The scrawling handwriting
and doubtful standing of the unknown
customer caused feelings Of misgiving with
some firms at first, but the promptness
with which the little Irishman's drafts
were honored by the First National Bank
of Denver set at rest any doubts, and
Higgins had become very valuable and
much appreciated customer at we'll
known brush house in Beekman street,
and also at a backing mandatory which
is advertised on every rock and fence.
Not long ago a travelling man for the
brush house hunted up Higgins. He
found him in Tombstone, Ariz. Higgins
was the same man, with the same pru-
dent ways and. modest desires, but with
the same lofty ideas and fond pride of
his daughters. He had Just been to Chi
cago on visit to see them. They were
being educated at the best schools there.
Having seen them he had returned con-
tentedly, and with as firm purposes as
ever, TO his cabin and his brush.
The travelling man induced Higgins to
have his picture taken in his every -dav
clothes, with his pet dog at his side.
Higgins loved that dog very dearly.
They travelled together. When Higgins
went from the Black Hills to Leadville
he walked, only occasionally getting a
ride on an emigrant wagon. Higgins was
walked up one night by the barking of
his dog. The barking grew fainter, and
finally ceased. In half an hour the dog
returned, wagging his tail. He had led a
band of Indians on false scent.