The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-07-01


son there has been no progress on the frieze
of the rotunda for years past. Now that
Mr.. Stanford is dead, Mr.. Clark will openly
advocate his project of making the driving
of the last spike on the Central Pacific by
Senator Stanford one of the national pic
lures, and unless there develops from SOME
unknown cause or source an opposition to
the plan. the artist entrusted with the work
viii be directed to proceed with his sketches
for the picture.
senator StanFOrd's Career.
Leland Stanford was born on farm in
Albany county, n Y, March 8, 1921.
His father was a man of wealth and prom
inence, and had much to do with the estab
lish ment of the Erie Canal. He came of
English stock, in which there was Span
ish mixture. After reading law in Al
bany Mr.. Stanford went to Port Washing
ton Wisconsin. in 1915 In 1850, hav-
ing gotten start in life, he returned to
Albany and married Miss Jane Lathrop,
daughter of Dyer Lathrop, a successful
merchant of Albany. In 1852 he went to
California, where six of his brothers had
gone before him. He had but one sister,
who died young. Mr.. Stanford settled at
Michigan Bluffs, on the American River,
in Placer county He took an interest in
mining, but at the same time became a
commercial Spectator, and found for
tune in the union of the two. His first
venture in business was as keeper of a
grocery store, out of which he made great
deal Of money. 1t soon became whole
sale establishment, and when the Central
Pacific Railroad was to be built he had
accumulated enough thousands to take
pretty heavy slice in that, and so laid the
foundation of his immense fortune.
In the building of the Central Pacific
road Mr.. Stanford was associated with Z.
P. Huntingdon, Mark Hopkins, Charles
Croker and L. B. Croker. These men
formed the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany with capital of eight million dol
lars. In the winter of 1862 MIR. Hunt
ington went to Washington and secured
the passage of the bill of 1862, and later
that of 1864, by which the Central Pa
cifc entered into contract with the gov
eminent to build railroad and telegraph
line from the Pacific coast, at or neal San
Francisco, in the navigable waters of the
Sacramento River to the eastern boundary
of California, having the right to build
eastward until it met the Union Pacific
Road. In aid Of this work the govern
ment donated certain sections Of public
lands and bonds. The entire railroad be-
tween the Sacramento and the Missouri
Rivers was to be ready for the use by July
LIST, 1876. On January 8, 1868, the com
pany began work on the line at Sacra-
mento. Mr.. Stanford was elected presi-
dent of the road, and Mr.. c. p. Hunting
don vice president. May 10, 1869, the
lines of the Central Pacific and the Union
Pacific met at Promontory Point, in Utah.
The work was pushed so fast that $50
miles were built in 293 days. In order
to inspire confidence into New Workers as
to the success of the road, Stanford, Hunt
inedon and the Crockers made themselves
personally responsible for the whole amount
of the bonds. This road and Others In
which these men became interested made
fortunes for all of them.
In 1885 Mr.. Stanford's wealth was esti-
mated to be $4,000, 900. At that
time he owned more than S5,000,000
worth of San Francisco real estate, besides
many vineyards, farms and breeding ranch
es. In 1881 he paid taxes on an assess
ment of $4,000, 900, and of this sum
nearly 100000 was returned as personal
property.
Before he went into the railroad busl-
ness, he owned interests in the mines, and
afterwards he engaged in agriculture, man
ufacturing enterprises and in stock-raislng
on large scale.
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
He was delegate to the National He
publican Convention at Chicago in 1860
was elected governor of California, and
served from December, 1861, to Decem-
Der 1863. He was elected to the United
States Senate, as Republican, in the
place Of j. T. Farley, Democrat, and took
his seat March /, 1885. His term ex-
pired in 1891, and he was reelected.
Mr. Stanford had magnificent house
in San Francisco, one at Sacramento, one
at Menlo Park in San Francisco, and
another in Farragut Square in Washing
ton. His stock farm at Menlo Park, his
fine blooded horses and vineyards have
become famous. He had 1000 acres in
vines, and made at least | 100000 gallons
of wine year. Senator Stanford spent a
great deal of money on his houses, horses
and farms. His dwelling in San Fran
cisco covers a whole block, and has forty
rooms. The stone wall enclosing it cost
! $4,000. The house in Washington Is
magnifcently furnished, and has some OF
the finest specimens of art, bric-a-brac,
&C., to be found in the world. 1t was the
senator's custom when he came to Wash
iugton to deposit $4,000 in local bank,
against which he and his wife checked fer
personal expenses for year. He kept
some of the finest horses to be found in
the world in his Washington stables. He
had in particular one pair Of blacks. raised
by himself, for which he said he had been
offered $4,000 He alao owned house
in Fifth avenue, New York.
: LICK ACCIDENT.
Senator Stanford often told how he hap
pened to be connected with the building
of the overland road, for he regarded the
beginning of his career in that enterprise
as the result of lucky accident. He wai
passing the store of c. p. Huntington, OF
k street. in Sacramento, when he saw ;
huge freight wagon drawn by twenty
mules pull out for the Comstock mines a
Virginia City. He walked into Mr.. Hunt
iugdon's counting-room and broached thu
subject of railroad that would be able tt
transport heavy merchandise Of that char
acter to the mountain mines and tina
eventually might be extended across thu
mountains TO join with the roads coming
from the Fast.
That night Mr.. Huntington called a
Mr.. Stanford's residence and they talket
over the matter paying particular attention
to the trans eontinental idea, which by it
brilliancy and magnitude betwitched then