The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-02
THE Denver BOOMER
A History Of The Business Career Of Hunpb-
Tey Chamberlin.
He RIVALLED MONTE CRISTO
He Began Life as a Young Men $
Christian Association Secretary,
Speculated in Western Real Estate
and Made Fortunes Scrantonians
Become Acquainted With His Stand
ing in ForcibIe Way.

DeCome acquainted win his stand
ing in Forcbe Way.
The announcement of the arrest of
Humphrey Chamberlin. president of
the Chamberlin Investment company,
which appeared in THE TRIBUNE yes
terday, aroused considerable comment
about the city, Many victims OF the
Chamberlin syndicate naturally read
with satisfaction the intelligence that
the head Of the concern is in q fair way
to receive his just deserts. The history
Of the Chamberlins will form quite an
interesting chapter,
H. Il. Chamberlin began in the real
estate business in Denver in Q small
way about ten years ago. afterward
taking in his brothers, A. w. and
Fred j.
The firm became the Chsmberlin In-
vsstment company about four or five
years ago, the three brothers holding
all the stock but few shares in the
hands Of clerks. The stock Of Hum
phrey B. was phenomenally large five
years ago. Dun rated him at more
than million, with unlimited credit,
He and Arthur w. each had put up
splendid homes in the heart of Capitol
Hill.
HELD EXALTED POSITIONS.
Until two Years ago Il. B. Chamber
lin was president Of the Denver cham.
Der of commerce and board Of trade,
and for time lie was president Of the
Young Mems Christian association, in
which he was very active. To Trinity
Methodist church. of Denver, one OF
the finest in the United States, he gave
S95, 900 in cash. and was largely instru
mental in securing the rest Of the
money. To Denver university, a Meth.
odist institution, he presented a giant
telescope which bears his name and Is
supposed to have cost $4,000. He
gave large sums of money to public
and educational purposes, and un-
doubtsdly made huge fortune out Of
Denver real estate On his trips to
England he always lectu-ed at the an
nual Young Mems Christian associa.
tion conventions and similar gather.
ings and he is one Of the best known
Americans in the midland counties,
from which he draw several millions.
But Chamberlin's ambition carried
him too far. His DSnver success caused
him to reach out into almost every city
from Galveston and Fort Worth to
Tacoma and SEATTLE. The chief Office
of the company here is the finest pri.
vate office in the city and it was
crowded with clerks. When western
real estate became inactive about two
years ago Chamberlin was caught with
all sails spread He STAYED off disaster
for year by remiining in England
and tinancierlng, and at one time had
practically closed an issue Of bonds
based on the property Of the company
which would have carried him through
1t was for three millions. At the last
moment it failed. More than a yeai
ago the company assigned with
many millions of liabilities.
THE BRANCH OFFICES.
Chamberlin had branch ofices at
New York. Rochester, Fort Worth
Scranton. Detroit, Utica. San Antonio
and Corpus Christi, Texas, and in Lon
don and Nottingham, England.
The Chamberlin schemes were
doomed in Scranton by an individual
by the name of Newman. who claimed
to have been Young Mems Christian
secretary in days Of yore. Mr.. New.
man came to this city about two year
ago and succeeded in interesting sew.
eral prominent people in the business
To outward Appearances his mission
to Scranton was solely for the benefi
of the people interested in Young Men
Christian association work. Th
Chamberlin's had formerly been il
the work. They had made fortunes il
the west and had sent representative
about the country to give Young Men
Christian association people and thei
friends chance to secure apartment
upon the ground floor.
After the business was fairly unde
way it was noticed that the syndicat
became more and more liberal an
seemed willing to give all Scranton a.
opportunity to become wealthy. Th
local agents of the concern studied tn
colored maps and beautifully prepare
circulars and became so impressed wit
the lucid explanations of the modu
opsrandi of rapid wealth getting ths
they were ready to make affidavits
the truthfulness of every paragraph,
CITY THOROUGHLY CANvAssED.
They canvassed the city thorough
and succeeded in gathering nearly $50
600 to swell the fund Of land pool q
Pueblo, Col. The amounts contribute
to the enterprise by different citizen
ranged from $lO0 to $1,000. The larg
est lump received by the Scranto
agents was check for the latter sui
given by Frederick Loudin, the mana
ger of the FiSke University Jubile
troupe.
The local investors were hopeful uI
til the failure Of the Chamberlins ws
announced last summer. The plrtie
in this state who had been nippsd b
the failure that rendered their Ian
} stock worthless for the time, held
meeting some time ago with view
taking action against Chamberlin aftt
the manner Of Mr. Paisley. The ms
jority OF the investors, however, di
! : not feel like throwing away more cas-
and the efforts to secure concerted &C
, tion against the investmsnt compan
were unsuccessful.