The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-08-15
HUNTINGT0N'S
GREAT CAREER,
Starting With Nothing He Be-
came a Power In the Land.
HIS FIRST EARNINGS WERE $S4.
Saved the Entire Amount Of His
Wages During First Years Labor.
PLANNED THE CENTRAL PACIFIC ROAD
In Spite Of Obstacles He With His COL
leagues Carried Out the Great Enterprise.
A Remarkably Successful Life.
PLANNED THE CENTRAL PACIFIC ROAD

Hotels Del Monte, Del Norte.
Castle Crag and Arcadia....... 100000
New York City Estates........... 100000
Ca, rrancisco Estates 1000 600
The Pacific Improvement COM
pany. ................'.''.'''. 'V"'v"
To,aI $50, 900 900
MIR. HUNTINGToN's LIFE IN BRIEF.
Rorn i'm Harwinton, Conn.
Went TO California IN lS4S.
Recame a hardware merchant In Sacra-
mento.
Pacific railroads.
was ~ wears old and was in active
management OF his business.
President OF the Southern Pacific rail-
road.
himself. Saved IL all.
Built big shipbuilding industry at
Newport News.
his employees.
Hired 100000 men.
Was fond of whist and played shrewd
game.
Seldom drank wine.
Was fond of travel and of practical
jokes.
Had a genial disposition and a remark
Never speculated i'm stocks.
Die LEFT SCHOOL.
Coils +. Huntington was not par
ticularly bright student in his school
days, and the last day he attended
school OF any sort he had trouble with
his teacher, Russell Wilson, and snatch
| ing his cap from the rack, made a bolt
for the door, stopping on the threshold
long enough TO bid good-by to his school
mates and to his teacher I'm a bit of
verse which furnished considerable
amusement for the pupils and good
deal OF discomfort for the teacher.
This hasty leave-taking occurred just
before Huntington was II years OF age,
and almost Immediately he started on
the road as peddler of tinware.
SAVED EVERY CENT.
In. his first year OF sef-support Hunt
ington earned ssi, his board and clothes
being included i'm the contract The i'm
cident Is OF Importance from the fact that
he saved every cent of IL and because 1t
brings to light other qualities-extraor-
dinary thrift, patience and determination
which were in after years to play their
part in the building up OF "A great for
tune and in the successful accomplish
ment of colossal enterprises.
FIRST BUSINESS VENTURE.
The business years of M Huntington's
minority were spent in the selling of mer-
chandise, and this took him all over the
South.
At p young Huntington went into part
nership with his brother i'm general
merchandise store at Oneonta, N. ",
where he remained until lS4s, when the
California gold fever swept over the coun-
try like tidal wave. engulfng in its ex-
citement multitudes OF venturesome spir-
it's.
Huntington was importuned to join
company organized for an expedition to
the Pacific coast, but refused. lie prefer
red to go Independently. lie left home
merchant and he remained one.
CONCEIVED THE CENTRAL PACIFIC.
The lad Huntington was very engaging.
and he formed the acquaintance OF Le-
land Stanford, young fellow about his
age
Leland Stanford knew a young man
named Mark Hopkins, and Mark Hop
kins was acquainted with an energetic
fortune-seeker named Crocker
The four, G. L. Huntington, Leland
Stanford, Mark Hopkins and Charles
Crocker Conceived the idea of the Cen
trail Pacific. and they set to work to dig
gold out OF the ground with which to
build a railroad TO connect the Atlantic
and Pacihc-a scheme which. In those
days, was considered the widest dream a
I vagrant fancy could conceive.
Mr.. Huntington came east and spent
much OF his time I'm Washington. New
York and Boston. laboring to get the
necessary acts of Congress passed and 20
secure the enlistment OF capital for the
formidable undertaking of the Central Pa
cinc
The enabling act of 1852 was at last en-
acted. and Huntington teegraphed the
great news to his waiting associates I'm
California The wording OF that famous
telegram was a volume I'm itself. pregnant
no more with the importance OF the VIC
tory than with the presage OF the diff
cult problem yet before them:
I'VE have drawn the elephant. Now
let us see ii we can harness him"
Up to this time the battle had been
"A skirmish. Now IL became an engage
mcnt all along the line
Physical obstacles apparently insur-
mountable confronted them, and timid
capital In the east shrank from the au-
dacious proposition behind which lay so
much daring, but the few bold men who
were called by even the adventurous
spirits OF California Pacific Railroad
crazy and who were laughed at for
their hare-brained scheme. pushed ahead.
threw their money, their time, their ener-
~ aud their faith into the undertaking
until fnally. ON May l0 is6s. historic
gathering OF sturdy men ON the noun
tains of Utah Witnessed the driving Of
the last spike which completed the iron
bands OF the trascontinental commerce
and heralded the dawn OF a vast em-
| pirc.
Mr.. Huntington was later Identified
\ with many other railroad enterprises and
one Of his notable achievements was the
| founding end up-buildirs of tha city Of