The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-29
OLD FORTY.NINfR
FINDS NEW WEST
Successful Gold Seeker Pays
Visit to Scenes of His
Triumphs

'fWell, well, but the Northwest is a
changed country from what it was
when l last passed through it about
forty years ago." said w. II. Me-
Houghton, of Montreal, Canada, at the
Merchants hotel last night. Forty
years ago it was almost a wilderness,
while today large cities are passed
many times during days travel, and
everything. has an air Of hustle and
business which is surprising"
Mr.. McHoughton has just completed
trip across the country, taking the
Canadian Pacific from Montreal to the
West, and the Great Northern for the
return trip. He has stopped off at
various towns along the road in order
to see the improvements In the eoun-
try, and also for rest and recration.
81 am now almost eighty years of
age" he continued, land suppose this
will be the last time that I shall ever
see the West. But when I came from
California in 1860 it was not q
palace car that I occupied in my last
trip. 1t was In the old-time prairie
schooner, with mixture of stage
coaches and horseback riding, with In.
dians ahead all the time, and very Oft
en- in the rear.
With the Gold Seekers
'I went to California with the first.
rush of gold seekers in 1849, and was
very successful, working a claim about
$50 miles from what is now San Fran
cisco. I purchased property in San
Francisco with my savings from the
mine, and after the property began to
soar to the sky l sold out with large
profits. My first venture in San Fran
cisco real estate was the piece of land
where now stands the Palace hotel,
and it yielded me a clear profit of over
$4,000
In 1850, when the war broke out be-
tween the North and South, was anx-
ious to see some real bloodshed. I
banked my money in San Francisco
and started East, intending to enlist in
a Massachusetts regiment. Before 60
ing I made my will, leaving the gold
to the lady who is now my wife.
''The will, however, was not needed,
as l crossed the country safely, al
though it took a matter of almost two
months in those days. I took things
rather easy, of course, and saw a lot
of the country 1 enlisted in a Con-
necticut regiment, the Massachusetts
boys having gone to the front before I
landed in the East.
Moves to the East
after the war cashed drafts on my
money in San Francisco, and had the
whole business brought East, finally
settling in Montreal, Canada, where
have since made my home. The old
longing to see the West seized me
about six months ago, and / took the
Canadian Pacific to Vancouver, from
which point 1 worked down to San
Francisco and then back to Seattle by
boat. In Seattle / took the Great
Northern and arrived in ST. Paul this
morning. 1 will leave for Chicago to-
night.
IF were young man today I
would invest heavily in Northwest real
estate and mines. People have no idea
of the fortunes that can be acquired
out here. 1t is the great country for
the young man, but 1 guess that ev-
erybody has to hustle to get ahead.
Talk about the hustle and hustle of
New York That city is a slow-moving
country village when compared with
the rushing towns of the West.
81 perhaps viii never see the West
again, but I shall always remember it
as the home of the husler, and the
busiest and richest country out of
DOORS"