The morning call., 1894-12-29

sustained ever since. Not only so, but the
Senator invested the great bulk of his for.
tune in California. His aim was to develop
this State and to further its advancement
as much as possible.
5 1t was said of him In his lifetime BY an
authority mo cleyerer mining engineer
breaches in America; that his astute-
ness and sagaciiy, combined with his an
terprse and indomitable energy, gave
start to California, and that he
has kept her going ever since. His
judgment and keen foresight have been
beneficial al to the Stale because all his
undertakings have been successful and
their reprnd uctive nature has made them
circulating medium as far as money is
concerned. The Senator has been and sill
Is the shrewdest man of his day"
From that time the Senator added TO
his wealth by investing it in productive
real estate and enterprising ventures,
nearly all of which proved advantageous
TO this State and profitable to himself.
1t was in the year of 1869 that the Sana-
torreally turned his best attention to prop
erty in California, but his investments
were SO numerous and he had so many
irons in the fire that il is difficult to emu
merate them chronol0gically.
In all business transactions he avoided
the error of not keeping ready capital in
hand for emergenc ies. and his shrewdness
in this respect enabled him to avert losses
which might easily have befallen over
confident or more reckless capitalists.
One notable ease of this principle will
ever be remembered as a lasting monu-
ment to the Senator's astuteness. When
the Nevada Bank, strong although the in-
stitution was even at that time, found
itself in narrow place on account Of ad-
vancing money TO carry a wheat corner
through, Fair stepped into the breach with
his gold-sOme 81, 900, 0O0-and thereby
averted what would have been serious
trouble for great institution.
1t was the Senator who built the mar
row-gauge railroad from this city to San
Jose and thence to Santa Cruz. After Sc
curing the best available men In the
United States on his staff he brought it
to state of perfection and profit, which
made it frst-class paying property, and
in 1886 sold it to the Southern Pacific Com
pany for over $1,000. 600. netting a surplus
for himself of about S1.000,0o0.
This was huge idea, and was carried
through in spite OF obstacles that would
have made most men retire. To COM
mence single-handed and literally force
railway TO completion, put it in working
order and then sell out with fortune as
profit was the work of a fiHancier and
diplomat of no mean order.
To mention all the Senator'S immense
transactions In real estate would only he
tedious, but a few of them are of general
interest.
The Lick House. which was erected in
1868 by the deceased philanthrop,s II
whose name 1t bears was the property of
Fair. Its handsome dining-room is one of
the artistic sights of the city, and the great
building savors of that substantially
which surrounds all its owners properties.
The hotel is we'll and favorably known all
the world over. and Senator Fair made if
his town residence.
The five-story, brick building at the cor
ner of Pine and SaDsome streets, the hinge
building on Front and Oregon, and the
still larger property on the corner of
Drumm, Washington and Oregon streets
all formed portion of his city holdings.
There is scarcely commercial street in
the town whore he was unable 10 point out
possessions of some kind or another.
The largest improvement in real estate
In which be was at the time of his death
engaged was on the reclamation OF land at
the north end of the city. The fifty and
odd blocks which he owned there were
undergoing a radical change, involving a
princely fortune-an undertaking only
possible to a wealthy man or a great
corporation.
Part of the land is low-lying and the
Senator made contracts for permission to
remove sand from the Black Point Reser-