The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-08-20
Millionaire, Pauper.
Alexander Gamble, Once Worth 5000, 900, In
an AlmshONSe.

How tickle is the goddess of fortune was
never better shown than in the case of
Alexander Gamble, 10 years of age, an in
mate OF the City and County Almshouse at
San Francisco. Forty years ago he was
reputed to be worth between IS 900 900 and
"a 900, being reckoned as one Of the
weathiest men in California. Away back
III the later tifties when Gamble was the
owner OF extensive mining properties up in
Nevada, one of the many men who worked
tor him in the diggings was Patrick Reddy,
then a day laborer Now, after the lapse Of
two score years, Reddy is at the head Of the
| Institution which shelters Gamble.
In 1919 Gamble came to California from
Belfast. Me, bringing with him nothing but
| a pair of strong hands and a college educa-
non. He was sober and industrious, and
within few years, by hard work, directed
| by superior intelligence, gained controlling
interest i'll several of the richest mines in
Nevada. These Were the Wide West, the
/ Del Monte, the Sunrise, the Pond, the Hon
est John and several others of lesser note
They were all at Aurora, Esmeralda county,
New. AT that time Gamble was on the crest
OF the wave of good luck. His credit was
almost without limit. He could borrow
thousands of dollars from the banks of this
city upon the security of his mining proper
ties. Gamble availed himself of his ability
to borrow and obligated himself for upward
OF Sl50,00o in working his mines and ac-
| cumulatng valuable realty holdings.
In 1865 he bought part Of the great Pugas
| ranch at Menlo Park and expended over
100000 iii stocking it with inc cattle and
horses and in erecting on it pretentious
buildings. But Just at the dawning of the
seventies Candles fortune was reversed,
His mines deprecated in value, his credi-
tors pressed him, he found himself unable to
meet their demands, and the inevitable fol-
lowed His creditors sold him out, and he
was left with what he had when he first en-
tered the State, %, years before-a pair of
strong hands and college education To
those possessions, of course, was added the
experience he had gained in the intervening
time. At the time Gamble made over his
property to his creditors he was indebted to
the Bank of California about S150OO0,
In 1871 Gamble graduated from Water
vile College, Watervlle, Me This school
is now known as Colby University. Gam
Bile is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa So
ciety of the University, and only yesterday
he received letter from the Socety's secre-
tary regarding its affairs After leaving col
lege Gamble taught for one year at the
Corinth Academy. That was Just before he
left Maine for California
Gamble is a native of Ireland. He came
to this country when he was II years old,
and settled with his people at Linneus, Me.
There was founded the Gamble homestead,
and there still resides a married sister of
Gamble. Gamble paid most of the pur-
chase price of the homestead from his earn
ing, as a school teacher and as a miner in
Nevada. He thinks that probably he has
an interest III the property on that account
but he does not worry much about it, as he
has passed that period in his life when
money could give him pleasure.
Gamble has living two sons, Ivan and
Theodore. aged respectively "a and -. Ivan
is an actor in a New York theatre and Theo-
dore is musician in Seattle, San Fran
cisco Chronicle.