New-York tribune., 1900-08-15
Mr.. HUN?TNGTON'.S CAREER.
HOW THE POOR Roy BECAME A GREAT
RAILWAY MAGNATE AND CAPITALIST.

hoN ItE FOOR bO1 BECAME A GhEA1
RAILWAY MAGNATE AND CAPITALIST.
Take the work nearest you, try to do It
than you make.
do not work hard. L work ensy. There
are very few people who work too hard, but
there are a great many who do not work
riEht-Maxms of Coils p. Huntington.
With the death of Coils Potter Huntington there
passed away the last OF the great quartet of mill
ionarles who made fame and fortune in the
struction Of the Central and Southern Pacific
railroads OF the four. Leland Stanford was, per-
haps, best known and VIII longest he remembered
by of his public life and the splendid inst
ton of learning, the Leland Stanford. Jr"
University. which he founded a memorial to his
only Mr.. Huntington, on the contrary never
sought the honors which come from high official
place. though he undoubtedly possessed abilities
which would have raised him TO the front rank of
those who obtain fame through public services
nor did he have any tastes hobbies which
brought him into notice beyond that which his
wealth and business transactions naturally at
ira acted.
But he was probably, OF the four, the most con-
spicuous a the representative Of the great prop
critics which they built up. He the hnencier
To him fell the initial labor of negotiating ans
providing money and purchasing in the East the
supplies needed for the construction Of the roads
His work In the money centres Of the world
The problem committed to him for solution was
most difficult and taxing and called into play all
the resources of his magnificent financial talent
and experience. II is only faint praise to say of
him that there were few who could have
borne his responsibilities and met the emergencies
Of the enterprise with such skill and patience as
he manifested. No financial trust in the United
States called forth greater energy, ingenuity
or endurance, He also the man who watched
and guided on behalf of his colleagues the course
of legislation at the National capital Regarding
until nfFxas-C
differ. but this is neither the time the place
20 discuss the point. 1t is sufficient to say that
he will be remembered for many years to come
one of Americas greatest and abest railroad build
and managers and one OF her wealthest cit
liens.
Mr. Huntington was born in Harwinton LAtch-
field County Conn. on October o. 1921. He came
of a lineage which counts among It's noted men
Samuel Huntington, of the sgneTs Of the Dec
laration of Independence, President OF the CONT
mental Congress and Governor and Chief Justice of
Connecticut; Bishop F. D. Huntington and Daniel
Huntington. the painter. His parents were typical
OF the sterling New-England people of their day,
thrifty hardworking, keen-witted and Godfearng.
They possessed only small means, their nine
children OF whom Coils p. the fifth born,
were expected very early age to do whatever
work they able to do to help support the
family.
With the exception of four months OF the year.
when he was at scnoo ne worked nard all the
time. The studies he liked best were mathematics,
geography and history. He knew about
geography and history than many of the pupils
in his school who much older than he. He
always kept before him the map Of the country
the history Of which he was reading, so that he
might clearly understand the migrations of peo-
pies. the lines of commerce and the relative po-
sitions of contendng armies. 1t was his delight
to speculate in his studies upon the influences
which probably controlled tho minds of great mill
III.
passion for geographical inquiry, strengthened by
his early studies and confirmed by later experience.
made him most intelligent traveller,
FOND OF ADVENTURE.
As. he grew up he cared less for ordinary sport
than most boys do preferring often to go off alone
and think plans of life for himself This
tendency developed In him striking boldness and
self-assertiYeness which distinguished him In the
great enterprises Of his earlier manhood. While
boy he full of mischief, though never vicious.
He extraVaganty fond of adventures which
required the exercise of ready Wit and presence
of mind; his delight less in the joke than IN
avoiding being found out
He was fourteen years old when he went TO work
for a neighbor for 81 a month and board. AT the
end OF the year he, had saved all the money he
had earned: When two years older his cash capi-
tai Sl75. but he had already established a
reputation for business ability and honesty which
enabled him TO get all the credit he would ask.
In his seventeenth year he came to this city and
bought a stock of goods amounting TO $3OOO which
he disposed OF at a profit. Later he went South
20 collect large number OF what he called clock
notes" They notes due for clocks sold in
the Southern States by hundred more sales
men OF a Connecticut firm, from whom Mr. Hunt
ngton had bought them at a heavy discount. His
efforts TO convert these notes into money into
chsttes that could be realized gave him "a ther
singular but valuable exercise for his talent a
negotator His travels through the South, among |
people differing so widely in temperament, mode