Bisbee daily review., 1904-05-06
lucky Baldwin Made S200,000 In a
 Minute
LUCKY BALDWIN'S BIG GAMBLE TOLD BY A TUCSON
 OLD TIMER.

That somewhat ichtylogical story in the recent cable news about the Mississippi colonel promoter who sue ceeded in batting $325,000 out of the Monte Carlo institution of chance in two weeks play sounds pretty good, but it seems to me that it took him a long time to get hold of little money like that" remarked a member of Tucson's Oldest Inhabitants Associa- tion whose only prolonged absence from the old pueblo during thirty years occurs in a semi-occasional visit to California. q once saw that sprightly young man, Lucky Baldwin. win s200, ,0O0 in considerably less than minute although there were no cables or telegraphs at that time to flash the news of the thing around the world.
 That happened one night in Sep tember, 1856. Baldwin owned several acres of fine land on the crest of what is now known as Mob Hill, in San Francisco. This property, even at that time. on account of its obvious future value for high-grade residence purpose, was worth easily s200,000.
 Tom Vanbrugh, the proprietor Of the Fl Dorado. a big San Francisco gambling club, owned faro banks all the length of the slope as far as it was then settled, in addition to possessing a big gambling club in the City of Mexico, and he was a millionaire sev- eral times over. Vanbrugh wanted Lucky Baldwin's parcel of Mob Hill ground. but Baldwin wouldn't even talk about selling it. Vanbrugh owned a whole block on lower Market street, on which Baldwin wanted to build. It was worth about the same amount as Baldwin's Mob Hill ground. Vanbrugh had offered to trade the Market street block for the piece of ! Mob Hill land, but Baldwin wouldn't | listen to him.
 That's the way it stood between Baldwin and Vanbrugh on this night in September, 1856. when Baldwin strolled, along toward midnight. into , the Fl Dorado, after having dined pretty costly somewhere or other. Vanbrugh was sitting at a desk in his private room, just of the main faro bank, writing when Baldwin stepped in
 Hello. Tom,' said Baldwin to Van brugh- How are you feeling? Still Mob lilly replied Vanbrugh. When are you going to transfer the deed of that piece of ground to me. any way?'
 rom, replied Baldwin, I'm get ting tired of hearing you talk about that ground. Come out here and get behind the box, and Lucky Led the way into the main faro room. Van brugh, seeing that there was going to be something dcing characteristically Baldwinesque, followed him with alac- rity.
 The dealer al enc of the no-limit tables was just shuffing the cards for another boxful. "'Sit down there, Tom, and get busy said Baldwin to Vanbrugh. point ing to the dealers chair.
 ''Vanbrugh motioned to the dealer, who slid out of the chair. Vanbrugh slid into it.
 If the ace loses, Tom Baldwin said. without trace of excitement, to Vanbrugh, the Mob Hill ground is yours. If the ace wins, the Market street block is mine. How about that?'
 "Vanbrggh nodded. He shuffled the cards, did the unusual courtesy in faro bank of passing over to Baldwin to cut-Lucky cosld cut twenty-six cards as well as any veteran faro-bank dealeT-and slid the cards into the : box.
 With your permisison, gentlemen , ! said Vanburgh to the other players around the table whose play had been | interrupted, and they leaned back in i their chairs to watch the outcome.
 Baldwin removed the round-topped Panama from his head, and the cab bage leaf which he always wore inside of his hat in hot weather fell to the floor just at Vanbrugh started to slide the cards oat of the box. Baldwin stepped to pick up the piece of cab bage leaf and replace 1t in his hat. Before he stood up erect he was the owner of Vanbrugh's Market street block. The ace had come out On the right side for Baldwin while he was still stopping over
 eff your name isn't a fit, Lucky I'll be - was all that Vanbrugh said, and on the following morning he transferred the Market street prop erty to Baldwin"