The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-28

lar, used to print lot of stuff from my pen.
Then when Charlie de Young started the
Chronicle | became first a special writer.
then the regular and chief editorial writer
on the Chronicle.
az went to New York with Charlie de
Young and there | first met Fred Somers.
Later on, when SomaTs came out here, he
told me he wanted TO start a paper / laugh
ingly remarked to him that he could draw on
me for The capital.
But didn't think seriously OF the mat
ter for a long time, until one day Somers
came to me and asked whether | was in
earnest when l offered TO back him in
newspaper.
Il told him no; was only Joking. But
he stuck to II. and began 10 outline the pol
icy of what he Thought would make a sue
cessful weekly paper Ii was to be satirical.
political. and devoted to society events and
people rs well.
"He proposed that man named Street,
who had printing office, should be one Of
the partners. and then he put it TO me
strong why l should GO In on the venture.
well, l wasn't doing anything in partic-
ular at she time, was member of all the
clubs and had the leisure TO devote to such
a scheme, so | finally went in.
81 had just been admitted to the Bohe-
milan Club then, by the way Previously
they blackballed me because, as they said,
/ was rich and yet had never patronized the
arts
L
and pointed out 10 them that | had spent
over $4,000 abroad in fine marbles and can
vases, they opened their doors and let
lie in.
Before the Argonaut was really started
l found that the man Street was ire
spOnsible, and l insisted that we should
leave him out.
$50 the firm became SOmers & Pixley,
and just about sixteen years ago the
ArgOnaut was first published. 1t was to be
q cash business, and il was from the very
start. As soon as bill was presented at
the Office it was paid. | had previously
placed $4,000 IN the bank to the credit of
the paper.
son the thirteenth week more money
came in than the expenses amounted to.
From that day TO this the Argonaut has paid
dividends regularly.
Mr.. Hart was printer in the Office. He
wrote occasionally al first, and wrote very
well. Then he turned out the Guiana
papers, and they attracted a good deal of
atten ion, About three years after the
paper bad been started SOmers told me he
wanted to sell out. He wanted broader
field in the East.
Il told him had no objections. provided
he could find some competent person to
take his interest
He replied that he thought he had a man
in the office who was thoroughly capable to
take his place. When he named Mr. Hart
L +.
Hart has been one of the owners of the
Argonaut
''Mr. Stanton started to work for me as a
mechanic. When he first applied for work
l told him l could not hire him. for | wanted
a man 10 do all sorts OF work.
You're gentleman 1 said. 'and won't
"Why notP Can'ta gentleman work p he
said.
well. tried him and found that gem
tleman could work. Soon he became the
business manager and one third owner of
the Argonaut
About year ago he built handsome
residence in Santa Cruz County. Then he
sold his interest in the paper to Mr.. Hart
and myself and went down there 10 live
About PXley's mule? You want to
know about That animal? Wei. when was
named as the candidate for Attorney Gen.
eral in the convention | got up, as was the
custom in those days. TO thank my cOnstit-
uents and SO forth. Before l sat down |
told them | would stump the entire State
and DO what | could 10 make the party win.
Then Fred Low popped up and asked
would | go on my mule.
IL would, l said, and there was good deal
Of laughter
Some Missouri paper got hold of the in
cdent and made lots of fun at the expense
OF Plxley's mule. Then the San Francisco
Uapers and the coast papers got il. aud they
had good long laugh, and laughed with
them.
AND yet you say haven't told you
about the mule? True, ! have not Well,
nsed to ride a mule in those days.
"WhyP That's another story. | paid
$500 cash for that mule Once went to
Nevada | stayed there off and on year
or so. and was The first man to practice law
there l ought 20 have stayed there.
IAN Indian raid occurred while / was
there and | was one of those who volun-
teered to wipe out the redskins Captains
Ormsby ana Meredith were the command
ers. | rode q borrowed mule.
Instead OF our wipng ont the redskins
they came pretty near wiping us out, tooth
and nail Our party fell into an ambnscade
near Virginia City, and over a hundred Of
them were killed.
My mule got scared at the fire and ran
clean through the lines, and never stopped
TIL he landed me safe and whole at his
owners home.
Captain Hiram Pierson owned the mule
They were dear then, anyhow, but of course
l paid good deal more than his Intrinsic
valne. But he was worth $500 to me, |
Thought, and never regretted buying him."