Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-08-23

y. \. A few months later he re
turned 70 Connecticut.
He married Elizabeth >toGdsrd,
the daughter of farmer, whom he
lad known from boyhood. This wife
was his closest friend during the years
that he rose from country merchant
to railroad magnate aud multi m.l.
lionaire. Mrs. Huntington died in
1888 a; the Huntington home IN New
York City.
Hardly more than year later Mr..
Huntington surprised his friends by
marrying Mrs. \. ID. Workman. OF
New York.
When MIR. Huntington went to
Oneonts from New York, when he
was laying the foundation of his ca
reer, he was nearly SIX feet tall aud
had the strength of giant la his
first year of self support he earned
SS4, mis- board and clothes being in
cluded in the contract. The incident
Is of Importance from the fact that
he saved every cent of il and because
1t brings to light other qualities -ex
traordinsry thrift. patience and de-
which were ia after
years 70 play their part in the build
ing up of a great fortune and in the
successful accomplishment of colos-
sal enterprises.
"At the end of that year, said Mr..
Huntington In after life. Il was as
much capitalist as have ever been
since. Start two Young men upon
the road of life If one earns $40
the first year aud saves $50 of it and
the other, earning the same amount,
saves nothing. it seems an essy prob
lem to figure out the probable differ
ence at the end of 20 years. Moth
ing is m re surprising than the re-
suit, for while IN the second instance
the 20 years will have produced no
growth, in the other the habit of
economy aud of saving he pennies
becomes the most finely tempered and
useful tool in his possession, and the
growing capital is servant which
from q child grows into liant for
his masters advancement"
The business years OF Mr. Hunt
lngton' 5 minority we're spent in the
selling Of merchandise. and this cook
hun al over the south la his Tips
during those impressiohable years he
added to his plain education in read
ing, writing aud cipheriug," fund
of information which no school con Id
have given him. 1t was AN elective
study. As it were, embracing within
its scope an intimate knowledge of
human nature which has been of in
cslculable benefit TO him.
1t was in the spriug of lS49 that
Mr. Huntington settled mp his affairs
III OneOnta and started for the Pacif
ic coast. The gold fever was at its
height, and be could not resist the
temptation to move Westward.
Huntington was impOrtuned TO join
d company organized for AN expedi-
tian to the Pacific coast, but refused
He preferred to 20 independently.
He saw in his MIND ) eve the flowing
in of gold as his neighbor did, but he
saw more: for 10 his clear perception
the channels through which the gold
would flow most freely we're not the
sluiceways of the miners. but their
needs. More distinctly than all else.
ne realized that where gold is king.
as In mining country, extravaganc &C
and good prices make up his court.
He left home a merchant aud he re
manned one.
Mr.. Huntington made Sacramento
the base of his operations and made
money rapidly in Supplying mining
camps in that region with all kinds
of necessities. There he made the
acquaintance of Mark Hopkins. with
whom he later on formed a business
partnership, which continued until
1856. The firm amaSsed indepen
dent fortunes About this time Mr..
Huntington conceived the idea of
building a transcontinental road, but
the omlnOus war rumOrs acted as a
damper upon his schemes. and not
until several years later, in 1861, did
he determine 10 push the measure.
Seven of his personal friends were
favorably impressed with the venture
but two subsequently, withdrew, and
the five, with Mr. Huntington as pres
ident, organized the Central Pacific
Railroad Company. He then hurried
to Washington, and in few months
succeeded in having the Central Pa
citic bill passed.
Arriving in New York he endeav-
ored to form a syndicate to take che
bonds. He refused to negotiate unless
cash was offered for his securities
and he declined to sell less than ST..
100000 of the bonds. In addition tC
the railroad security Mr.. Huntington
gave his own notes.
On the money thus raised over fif
ty miles of the road was built. When
later, the treasure chest was so low
as to make it necessary to Diminish
the laboring force of the road or raise
more funds the firm of Huntington