New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-22
SKETCH or HIS CAREER

SKETCH VI HIS tAkEF.h
A MAN OF GREAT WILL PowER-IIIS PART IN
BUILDING THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILWAY
The third OF the four great figures that have been
so conspicuOusy identified with the history ana mar
vellous development OF the Pacific Coast region passed
AWAY Yesterday in the death of Leland stanford
Senator Stanford was remarkable man, remarkaoie
for his striking, rugged appearance, his vigorous Ill
tellect, his daring original views MS poSI'Nc con
vlcti0ns his indomitable will, his vast wealth. HIS
personal popularity his sIons attachments Ms 'afi'u
achievements, his patriotism, his untrins oeNo'HN'
to the interests OF California his keen sympathy Win
human suffering and human progress. his prihcei'
benefactlOns, particularly to the cause oil eouc'r'"'
Other have acquired great o: greater "c'''"'
others have higher political h0nors' o''erS nav
carried out stupcntous railroad projects ana o'"0I
have cultivated vast industries without failure c"'
dowei universities and set the whole country u'h"e
about their political ideas. la he was unique III init
he combined all these accomplishment anu y"
gigantic scale This is unqrcsuonaby one o NV
most Impressive features OF Mr. >tdniOlS chdi"V'er
and carecr-the breadth of his views on almost every
thing and the immensely OF his undertakings WHAT
ever he ATTEMPTED was of vast size and far-eachlnS
inheritance The plans he laid ont startled lhosr
about him. and had he been man oil neaS only
he would have gone down to postcrity as drtA'I,r'
But In him practical ability was almost evenly
balanced with the power Of conception lie heil
few theories that he not able TO carry "a''
Difficulties never daunted him. "O'nfacleS he u>'d
to say, are only thugs 10 be overcome, ana
have no hobbies cannu pat into practice
When /. J. Judah proposed the construction oil rail-
road over the sierra Ncvadas people said Ii Was
madness Neither Congress, individual states nor
syndicates of capitalists had been found willing 10
lay hold of the hazardous enterprise when stanford
and his fellow merchants in sacramento agreed TO
risk every dollar they possessed In the world IN the
project Their townsmcn predicted that th'ir INQUEST
fortunes would be sunk In the canons o. the noun
tains but stanford wavered for an instant hu
the Genital Pacific was finished A year or two b.
fore tmid patriots mad predicted the secession OF
(aforna from the Union. but with undaunted courage
stanford the leader of the Republican party threw
himself with all hi, force and ability into the struggle
and becoming Governor, carried the Young common
wealth through its most critical period ana Kept Inc
old flag flying. lie cast In heroic mould, ana
whaa Lytton said OF another might lee said oil
him lie accomplished great thi g. and such men
are not to b. judged by the ordinary commonplace
standards OF humanity" Much Ia, been said against
him and against hi, associates bit when the story
of his life has been mparally told fair-mnded people
will find it difficult repress an honest admiration Tor
great deal o! what embraced In the career OF the
late Senator from California
HIS EARLY LIFE.
Mr.. Stanford had almost attained the allotted
ace OF man. according to the old Hebrew King lie
was in his seventeth year when he died Hc was
born on March 8. 1924. Wat"rvliet, his birthplace,
IA about eight miles from Albany. Ills ancestors
were among the hardy settlers OF the Mohawk
Valley TIE first Of them went there about 1870.
His father a plain, unpret.n'ious farmer and
Leland was brought up tie farm WORKING in the
hayieds in the summer and attending school during
the winter. AS boy lie gave evidence Of business
tact shrewdncss and far-sightedness lie has often
told how he earned his first dollar Il was"
said he about six years old. Two of my brothers
and gathered lot OF hOrscrddsh from the garden,
washed it clean. took 1t TO schenectady and sold
II. got two OF tie six shilungs realized.
very proud OF my money. My next financial
venture was years Letter. Onr hired man came
from Albany and told US chestnuis were high W
bows had lot of them on hand which had
gathered in the fall. We hu riod off TO market
with them and sold them for go. That was a
good deal Of money when grown men were getting
only shillngs day.
when he eighteen years old his father rgLt
piece Of woodland and told Leland If he vodd
cut OFF the wood he might have The proceeds. lie
hired several hands 10 help him. and together they
cut and piled 1900 cords which hc sold TO ;hc
Mohawk and Hudson River Railroad at net prof,
10 himself Of $1,000. With this money he went to
Albany and began 10 study law in tho Offices OF
Wheaton. Doolittle Il ladey After three year.
with that firm he admitted practise law IN
the Supreme Court OF New-YorA state. shortly after
his admission TO the bar he went West. intending
to practise his profession In Chicago. but before he
had established himself firmly plague OF mosquitoes
Michigan, above Milwaukee, where he did fab
business. AS soon as he felt secure In bis profe.
siona he returned TO Albany and married
Miss Jane Lathrop the daughter Of Dyer Lathrop
a :ful merchant and leading citizen Of the
state capital. They returned together to Wisconsin
intending make Port Washington their future
home. Eut bitter experience awaited the yount
practitioner lie had been home from Ms wcddnt
trip only short time when his library and nearly
everything else he had In the way OF household
ONCE and personal possessions were DESTROYED b,
fie, leaving the young couple almost bankrupt. Mr.
Stanford used that the nlst decision they
arrived after realizing the disaster that had over
taken them that they would not return Il
Albany which they had lately left with such brllian
anticpations. Their next resolution wa, 10 leav
at once the of the calamity for such 1t SCENE
10 them at the time
THEY MOVE 10 CALIFORNIA.
They led to choose California from The fac
that three of Mr.. Stanfords brothers there
They had gone 10 the Golden Gate with the hr'
rush that followed the discovery OF the precious meta
IN ls49, and were engaged in selling merchandise
the miners. They successful. Mr.. and Mr.
stanford arrived al Sacramento July IL, 49,.
He at once went into business with his brothers. n
took charge OF their branch store Michigan Bluffs
Placer County spent four years there In mercar
tile pursuits and mining ventures. In 1886 he n
turned TO sacramento and became fun partner
the extensive business that his brothers had built
which extended TO every part Of the state.
No sooner had stanford become established In III
business world than he began to take an active II
terest in politics. This was one point wherein b
differed from his associates Croker never paid an
particular attention TO public matters He
builder OF railroads, successful builder. too, but
had no special interest in practical politics Meth
had Hopkins who confined his enerfies 10 the account