East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-08-09

Carson City, New, Aug. 9.-To start
out st the age of nearly four score
to make third fortune. and to have
the attempt crowned with success, is
rather a strenuous undertaking for
any one. And yet, that is what for
mer United States Senator William
NJ. Stewart, once known as the "Sil-
yer King" of Nevada, has done.
Busy with plans for developing his
mining and other properties, Senator
Stewart allowed his eightieth ibrth-
day to pass almost unnoticed. He
was reminded of the anniversary,
however, by the receipt of several
messages of congratulation from
some of his former associates in pub
lie life, men whom he has met but
seldom in recent years but who still
remember the lavish hospitality
which the Nevada senator was wont
to dispense during his many years
CT residence In the national capital.
Few men, even among the money
kings of bonanza days, have had a
more varied and wonderful expe-
rience than william NJ. Stewart. The
accumulation and loss of two i'm
mense fortunes and the winning of
third at an age when the great ma
jority of men are relegated to the re-
tired list seem but minor incidents in
his wonderful career. Among the
roles he has filled in his time and
the most of them with marked sue
cess have teen those of senator, law
yer, editor, orator, Yale college man,
Indian fighter, prospector, speculat-
or and scientific farmer.
lie was born in the state of New
York, lived a while in Ohio, then
went TO Yale to study law. When
the cry of "Go,d in California" was
raised in 40 he came west, and, be-
tween the law and ore mining, grew
so opulent that he became known
as "the Silver King" but when ht
| was elected senator from Nevada HI
plunged too deeply into the extrava
/ gances of capital life, and at the enc
of IL years found himself poor. Blu
he did not despair. He came bacl
to the west for a fortune, dug 1t ou
of the earth In the form of precious
ore and soon found himself again ;
millionaire. Power returned will
fortune, and in 1887 he was again
elected to the United States senate.
For a time he was greater power
in politics than ever before. He wa
at the head of that group of republi
can delegates who withdrew from
the st. Louis convention in 1896 be
cause the majority refused to agre,
to a bimetallism plank and declared
for the gold standard. Stewart wa
an ardent silver man and the sue
cess OF the gold standard caus,
dealt him a hard blow. Unwis,
speculation and other unremunerativ'
enterprises in a few years reduced
him once more to the lower financia
level.
So, two years ago last March, hi
term ended, he bade goodbye to hi
friends in the senate and returned
once more to the scenes of his for
mer triumphs to again wrest FORUM
from the rocks.
When he returned to Nevada tn
last time 1t was known among hi
friends that he was almost dow
and out" financially But he wen
to work with his old-time courag
and with his knowledge of mines an
mining things ere long began to com
his way again. He made seyera
lucky strikes and investments an
almost before a year had elapsed h
had made a good start toward re
trieving his fortunes. 1t is believe
that he is now worth at least a quar-
ter of million and possibly muc
more. He has shelved his social an
political ambitions and declares thi