The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05
AROUND THE CORRIDORS.

Two weeks ago while in Cincinnati E. J..
Baldwin submitted to an interview in which
he is credited with describing how he won the
appellat1on OF Lucky" by which he is most
generally known. Speaking of this last night
b. G. Lathrop, well-known pioneer, said
''Back in the sixties, was standing at the
counter of Cantin & Everett stockholders
when +. J. Baldwin, whom 1 know well, came
In. He stated that he had just come from Vir-
gina City. From his pocket-book he took two
certihcates of stock, one on Belcher and the
other on Crown Point, each for $50 shares.
Each share represented one foot of the mine,
whicn was then selling at very low figure.
An assessment had just been levied on the
shares, but Baldwin was practically penniless.
His residence was mortgaged to Cantin g. Ev-
erett for SD 900, about all it was worth.
baldwin was much excited, because friend,
whom he said had given him this stock, had
assured him that Belcher and Crown Point had
struck bonanza, and that in few weeks the
stock would make him rich-if he could only
hold it. Cantin & Everett agreed to carry him
through, and within ninety days the stock
jumped from 81 per share to $4,000. In that
short time Baldwin, without investing dol
lar, became millionaire. Now if minister
had stood at the baptismal font and said,
Name this Child what could it have been but
Lucky? From that time to the present the
name has followed him.
within the same period that Baldwin was
christened Lucky William C. Ralston was
manipulating the Belcher mine, taking in
d. o. Mills and William Sharon. They cap
tured nine-tenths of the stock and while Bald
win was making his lucky million they cleared
over ten million dollars each. Mills and
Sharon put theirs In solid property. Ralston
spent his in building the Palace and Grand
hotels, opening and building up New Mont
gomery street, helping Harpending build his
block on Market street, and assisting in other
improvements about the City. He also in
vested largely in the great diamond mine that
Harpending had sailed down In some desert in
Nevada. Ralston sent trusty men who care
fully examined the mine, bringing back many
valuable jewels. He then organized COM
pany, selling his friends large blocks of stock
Harpending gathered in the money and started
great bank in Kentucky.
"Betore preparations to work the diamond
mine were perfected Ralston learned that Har-
pending had purchased the rough jewels in
Europe, and he Immediately took steps to
make him disgorge sufficient to reimburse his
friends. These matters brought about the
sudden closing of the Bank of California, not
any manipulation by Lucky Baldwin"
Judge Laidlaw was telling of an incident In
yesterdays procession up at the Baldwin last
Pepper branch of the local Democracy.
al was standing on Market street while part
OF the procession passed. The crowds on both
sides had closed in until there was barely room
for the fours of Tom Barry's regiment TO pass
through. Pretty soon there were shouts down
the street and along came Captain Walters
squad of cavalry spread across"
''Oh come, Judge, don't" piped in General
Bamberger. at was troop of cavalry and
~.
the street."
every well" began the Judge again, 81 bow
to superior authority. Any way the people
spread out very lively. One of the troopers-I
suppose you would call him trooper general
lost his temper and backed his horse into the
crowd. policeman. who had been vainly
trying TO keep the crowd back, rushed up and
cried out, See here, young fellow, you be care
full what you're doing or FL run you in. OF
course there was cheer from the crowd, and
the trooper went on, but have been wonder
ing ever since what would have been the re-
suit if the policeman had tried to run the
guardsman in, and if he had succeeded what
pretty complications would come up.'
Judge F. T. Baldwin of Stockton, one of the
code commissioners, has taken up his resi-
denee at the Palace Hotel in this City. Speak
ing of the work of the commission yesterday,
he said: eve have had but two meetings as
yet, and, of course, cannot say much OF the
work before US. The commission was ap-
pointed for two years under the act OF the Leg
islature, but it is probable that il will take
from four TO six years 10 do all the work that
will be necessary TO revise the codes. Our
headquarters are in Sacramento. One or more
CT the commissioners will always be there. Mr..
DAILY is now at that place, and Will remain two
or three months, when l shall go up for time.
We have begun on the Political Code. In time
we shall ask for suggestions from members of
the bar and others, and shall probably hear ar
guments on the suggested changes"