The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-10

In some twenty teet OF water - BoyIs
and his men walked into Rio Grande City.
and arrived there while ball was in
progress. He borrowed dress suit and
Joined in the sport. The next day he
went back 10 the place with divers, and
later sent down to Bagdad and brought
up at heavy expense a submarine diver
and his armor. The bed Of the river for
a long distance was thoroughly searched,
but neither the boat nor trace OF the
lost treasure was ever found.
Another one OF the old-tiuie rich men was
Jerry Gaivan, also an Irishman. who came
out IN 1876 with arms. While on his way
10 Monterey shortly after, while in the Nat
between Ramos and Martin, the govern
ment train was attacked by 500 Mexican
horse under Gen. Urea and, notwithstand-
ing stout resistance made by the Ameri-
can soldiers who conveyed II. II was cap
tured. A number of men, among them n
merchant named Peter Burns. was killed,
and Galvan with the rest captured AMI
marched on foot 70 the federal capital.
He was afterwards taken, sttl on foot
to Tampicn, from which place he made his
way TO New Orleans. Here he met a
fellow-countryman from his native town.
Cork, one John Trenwith. who took him
with him to Durango as clerk. under
three years contract At the expiration
OF that time. in 1850 he was sent to Mata-
moras by his employer, on his way back
TO New Orleans. While waiting for a
steamer, Clark got him Job with Phelps
& Whitney. an old-tire house, and short
~ after he was admitted TO partnership
and later started In business for himself.
His advance was most rapid. and in 1855
he had a large and well-stocked business
OF his own in large house belonging to
a Mr.. Belden.
In 1851 his house accidentally caught fire
from a candle left standing on barrel,
which was overturned by the rats. A be-
fRf az rNI,4 1f..FE1 as
midnight for a nighteap discovered the
flames and gave the alarm Clark and
Beden were the first To- be aroused and
saved the most OF the money and valuable
books and papers. Il was quick work, as
there were ninety-five kegs of powder and
eo barrels of whisky in the place, and
an explosion was momentarily expected
Suddenly Clark recollected that he had not
seen Uncle Jerry, as Galvan was called.
and at the risk of his life dashed back
through the flames to the room that he
occupied and. catching up the half-suffo-
Gated man, carried him out by main force
A few moments after the house blew up
with a terrible report, scattering destruc-
ton far and wide. A number OF other
buildings were wrecked and several men
killed, among them Frank North. who,
with Henry Miller, was carrying out the
bags OF silver from Werbiskie's store next
door. Miller himself was badly hurt, and
the street for quite a distance was fairly
paved with Mexican dollars. A couple of
stores on the main. or Elizabeth. street be-
hind were also wrecked and a couple OF
Jewish merchants Killed In their beds. Out
OF gratitude for saving his life Gaivan left
Clark an annuity in his win of SO q
month.
The basis Of the fortune OF the stillman..
the wealthy New York bankers. was also
laid here. James started business before the
cotton times" in Matamoras, selling cod
fish and other New England products. and
gradually worked up. At the time of the
Cortina raid on Brownsville In 1888. he oc-
cupied the store next TO that of Galvan's
on the levee, at the corner. Cortina and
his men had occupied the place, killed the
tailer, city marshal and several other citi-
gems. and with his men were attacking wer-
hisxie's place. which was just back of still
mans, across the alley. Cortina was seated
on his horse directing operations, when
'Dolph C;lasvecke, another old timer, still
alive. and who was for many years the
county clerk of Cameron county. who had
some old scores to settle with Cortina
threw a double barreled shotgun. loaded
with buckshot. down on him from a small
rear window, and would most surely have
killed him. when Belden. fearing that, Cor
tina being killed his enraged men would
kill them all and burn the store and per-
haps the town, threw up the muzzle of
Gaevecke's gun and for the time saved
Cortna's life.
Jose San Roman y Sodirs was another old
time house that made a great deal of
money. the head and several of the MEM
bers OF the firm retiring to Spain with large
fortunes. And still business was apparent
iy carried on in the loosest style. For ex-
ample, the mouth Of ixtle moral" con
tanning 81 600 would be cut open the amour,
charged in the books 10 petty cash"
and all small amounts, as for drayage
mozos. pcrteros, when not OF the house
were raid from II ana no account kept of
the sums. and any one OF the arm want
ing few dollars would help himself from
the ever open sack and Use II for his own
needs and no account was kept Of that
either open house and open table were
kept for the members Of the firm. tho clerks
and the friends who might call. and right
royalty did they live as well The best
the market could afford the finest wines
OF Spain and France were as water on The
table and nothing that money could buy
was wanted. The clerks and members Of
the firm drew what money they needed and
as much as they cared for. keeping only ae-
count OF the larger sums The settlement
with The two PRINCIPAL clerks when old
Don Jose retired from his house Is char
acteFistlc of the firm and the man and his
way Of doing business. They we're both
called In and the fnal arrangements made.
then Don jose said = have made an essi-
mate of What the house owes you two ana
have set tie sum aside here f1aoeco You,
EanTiaue have drawn Enone than has simon
and your share should he less" 50. on ths
old mans suggestion. Enrique took some
sso,o"o OF the money laid out. neatly seNrd
81 60 each Ia its clean ixtls sack and Don
simon took the rest. and every body was
perfectly satisfied,
The hsg steamboat owners King ard
Kennedy. who came 70 the frontier during
the war Of isss-fi and laid the foundation
~ their wealth carrying supplies Tor Gen
Tayio~'s troops, both died nultlfnfIlion-
aires though King was considerably the
richer, being a more shrewa and enter
prfslng trader than Keunedy. Though gen
orally not 50 thought. tho first steamboat
Piled iu these waters OF the great river
u the north, wears before they either of
them ever heard % 81. or IS early as
is2s. and al th&t time a general dascrtn-
ton of the country was given by a writer