The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-21

Re Ran Away and Went to Sea.
Sailed Around Cape Horn Be-
fore the Mast to Become Miner,
Merchant, Shipowner and Sena-
Modest as Well as Rich.
From the New York Herald
Washington, D. c., Sept. 16.-Among
the most interesting characters of the
new Senate are the members from Cali
fornia. Senator White, of Los Angeles,
is a big broad-gauge lawyer, and Senator
Perkins, of Oakland, has proved himself
n be one of the best business men of the
United States. White was born in San
Francisco, and his life has been spent in
California.
Perkins was born in Maine, and he has
peppered the globe with his footsteps.
He began his travels at ~, when he ran
away to sea, and he told me last night
that his adventures as a sailor boy have
been more thrilling than anything you
can find in the novels Of Cooper or Maryatt
or in the sea stories of Clark Russell.
The senator is very modest in talking
aboyt himself, and the conversation | had
with him was made up of many questions
personal magnetism. His voice is soft
and his manner is pleasant He gives
YOU an impression of sincerity in all his
actions, and he is n man of culture and
taste, He stands about five feet eight in
his stockings, and weighs, l Judge, about
100 pounds. He is broad shOuldered and
well built. and he has long head we'll
matched with black hair.
He wears full beard of curly black
whiskers, and he does not look to be older
than his age, which is about f0rty-four.
He has a good face. The forehead is
square and full, the nose straight and the
mouth strong and pleasant. He talks
easily and we'll, and though he is one Of
the richest men Of the Pacific slope he
puts on no airs. While talking to him
about Alaska young man sitting in the
sation ana introduced himself as the car
riagc clerk Of The establishment. He
thereupou gave his views Of shipping and
the northwest. The Senator listened TO
him kindly and chatted with him as free
ly as though he were one Of his fellow
members of the milliOnaires' club
FROM SAILOR TO SENATOR.
Inresponse to many questions Senator
Perkins gave me the following about his
career. / will put it as nearly as possible
in his own words, said he:
Yes, I ran away from home to go to
sea | lived at kenuebunkport. IN Maine
and think l inherited love for the sea
I was only - years old when | left home
and ! went against the VIII OF
my parents shipped before the
mast 20 New Orleans and
crossed the Atlantic half a dozentimes
before I came TO California. was terri
bly, sick during my first voyage at sea
and have had a number of strange eXper
r., ,r,T.a ton, -
Havre our ship sprang q leak and we haC
an awful time in set ting into port.
can't tell you my experiences, but they
were of ali kinds, and some OF them very
exciting Ones'
How did YOU happen to go TO Califor
mia, Senator
. hardly know" replied Senator Per
kins 'why | decided 10 go. ] shipped at
New Orleans and went around the cape
working as a sailor before the mast
was just 16 years old when [ landed in
San Francisco. The gold fever was ram
pant ana l caughblt. decided to leave
sailing and go into mining and first
tried my fortune at Oroville."
Had you any money at this time -
asked
mot much, was the reply. F'When I
landed at San Francisco l had just %l3 in
my pocket. l spent ten of these for a
shotgun and pepper canister OF powder
and with - left started out for the mines.
! worked my way to Sacramento and from
thence walked 175 miles to OroviIle. 1t
took me nearly week and ] rather en-
joyed the journey. spent several years
in mining and varied the washing of gold
with the driving of mules"
mining?n
Not much, but I did other things
which brought me III something. Twas
ready for anything ana everything. One
day happened to be in i store in Oroville
when the porter came in drunk and the
merchant asked me if l did not want to
take his place. 1t was one of the best
stores in the town / took it and l staid
there fifteen years. / soon owned the
store and upon ii as a foundation built up
d large merchandising business. / built
-four mills also engaged in outside enter
prlSes. NO, / can't say that we ever sold
flour at 81 pound, but l did import some
from Chilli in order to have 1t to sell to the
miners.
A SHIP MILLIONAIRE.
Senator Perkins is one of the richest
ship-owners in the United States. The
firm of Goodall Perkins & Co.. with
which he is connected, has for twenty
years controlled the coasting trade of the
Pacific, and it is his company which owns
-'A' NLItl ojlliin LIdb BO W 'AAidShd- lJltL
ms my conversation with him | asked
him something about his shipping inter
es and how he happened to go into the
business. He went over to the rack of
railroad pamphlets and picked out one
devoted to his steamship company, and
showed me the route. 1t has lines run
ulHg all along the Pacific coast and down
10 Mexico. Its ships 90 into all parts of
Southern Alaska, and its capital, am
told, amounts to millions.
AS looked a the folder Senator Per
kins told me how he happened to go into
shipping. Said he:-"I have been inter-
ested in shipping all my life, having been
sailor when a boy. l was elected to the
legislature from Oroville, and while there
fell in with Mr.. Goodall, who was
engaged in the shipping business in San
francisco We got to talking about ship
ping and the result was our establish
ment"
"Do YOU think our American shipping
Is grUwing!"
Yes it is was the reply "We have
great coasting trade, and the shipping
0I our rivers and lakes is very vast. /
.eleye it will continue to grow and that
IIe Nicaragua canal will make US great
shipping nation"
DO YOU think that this canal will be