The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-11-17

the wedding could not take place. 80
the rector made another trip TO Shasta
on November 90. about 10 days later.
and married the pair. 1t is stated as
fact that Keene did not ofrer the min
lister anything for his services or hts
carriage hire. The wedding ring Il
also still charged to him on the books
OF A. Dohrowsky in Rsdding. Kesns
and his wife went to live IN the old
Daingerneld place. which had ossn
brought around the Horn. and they
lived there until 's4. when Jim and HIS
father decided TO try their luck In san
Francisco.
The Keenes had made two or thrss
thousand dollars IN ths grist mill and
they were anxious TO use IL IN the bro
ksrage business in San Francisco. Jim
began as curbstone broker ana was
fairly successful for while. He got
his father and a number Of ShastA peo-
pie TO put all they had into hts Com
stock speculations and they all went
nEUhr- -dl5E ~ A--a4o nA9 AOELAno OA
Comstock
Those were dark days for the Kesnss.
They had been poor many times before.
but never so poor as now James
Keene sr. wrote = good hand and rs
cetved employment doing. copying for
lawxsrs- Jim Kesns and his wife ate
or dry goods box IN their one ROOM.
and when he went on the stock ak
change for the drst time he was wear
ing pair OF carpet slippers. It was
at this time tkat Mrs. Ksens. the
mother. died.
As a curbstone broker Keene had
attracted the attention OF W. c. RAison.
the capitalist. and now Ralston had
deal he wanted manipulated and which
he preferred not to handle himself. so
he went 10 Keens and offered to buy
him seat on the stock exchange II he
would act for him. The seat was pur-
chased for $4,000 and Keens was given
his tips by Ralston and his brokers.
Now came Jim Ksens's chance for a
fortune. and he ala not neglect It. He
borrowed all the money he could get.
most OF IT from his wife. and sold their
furniture and everything he had which
was Of any value. Taking this money
he acted on Ralston's tips and bought
nrst FOR himself and then for his
patron Accounts vary as 20 the
amount cleared from this first big deal.
but It was enough for him to Be able
to settle on Mrs. Kesne more than
double the amount she had loaned him.
80 that no matter what happened IN
the future. she would not be forced to
endure poverty.
From then on the fortune grew rap
idly. In one and a half years Kesns
had as many million dollars &c ana
his father stayed IN San Francisco
until they had amassed fortune and
were ready for the larger stock ex-
change IN New York Some pioneers
say that they left san francisco be-
cause. as they said. they would not Do
business under the new constitution:
but It is more likely that they sought
only a larger field
shsstans are fond OF saving. Tim
Ksene used TO peddIe milk here" and
they enjoy telling how he rose from
insignihcance in Shasta to prominencs
IN San Francisco and New York: but
they would perhaps have a fonder
memory OF him II he had not seemed
!, TO forget the old town after he made
his wealth. He never returned to
Shasta though HIS two sisters lived
there for a. number or years after he
left. and some OF. the Shastans who saw
aim IN san Francisco were. not received
very cordially though he was always
glad TO see his particular friends.
When the old church tower. toward
whose building he had contributed and
In which he was married. was exten-
sively repaired several years ago a
letter was sent to Keene asking him
to contribute toward the fund. but he
did not reply.
II Keene failed 20 do anything FOR
: his old friends or hts town he made
up Tor It b. his attentions to his fam
: lily. He settled large SUN OF money
uoon his father. so that he could re-
turn to England. where he died some
: years ago. he gave employment in
his Offices to his brother Harry and
a to ais brother IN law John Follansbee.
:. and after the latter's death he provided
j handsomely for his widow and her
= children He also cared for his other
: sister. Mrs Anderson. after she sep
a arated from her husband
0 Jim KeeDe was not remarkable
o miIkman. but he became remarkable
{ hnancier The optimist - right: 1T
3 doesn't matter how boy Is situAted:
1 he will succeed ff he has Il IN hiu.s