Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-02
Baldwin S Life
One OF Adventure

Elias Jackson C'Lucky'o Baldwin's life bat
ties are over. The worlds greatest turfman
and one of Americas largest landowners has
passed away. The end came at the famous Ell
Santa Anita ranch, in San Gabriel valley,
where the famous aged pioneer began his
career in Southern California nearly forty
years ago. The indomitable courage of the
man helped him to stave off death time and
again before the end finally game.
one of tho first men to take chance in
this land of unlimited opportunities, Lucky
Baldwin has grown up with the people OF
Southern California, and his success, meas
ured by his great wealth and vast holdings,
have made him one of the most widely dis
cussed men who gained their all out Of the
great west. 1t was Baldwin who opened prac-
tically this section of the state to the world.
The north had achieved fame through the dis
covery OF gold in the Sacramento river in
1919, but until the time Lucky Baldwin in
vested a portion Of his proceeds from his deal
in the great Ophir mine, at Virginia city, In
San Gabriel valley the south was believed to
be a barren waste
Baldwin was a far-seeing man, one who
was always ready TO take a chance; and
locking far into the future, as was customary
with him, he saw much that escaped others,
and purchased $4,000 acres of splendid fertile
land fifteen miles from Los Angeles. Others
gathering courage from the action OF this
man, who had dared to take the initiative,
followed him.
Interest Awakened
His enormous purchase in a section presumed
TO be a wilderness. awakened interest in
Southern California to such degree tnat the
imitators of Baldwin were soon followed by
an ever increasing army of land seekers. Inc
monotony of inactivity was broken by the
noise and hustle which comes simultaneously
with the building of cities; and soon score
or little towns sprang up. Los Angeles at
that time a sleepy post awoke' too. Then
came the famous boom as result OF
Lucky Baldwns first speculatlons, ana South-
ern California was opened to the world like
the northern section Of the state had been by
the discovery OF gold.
POL dyuip
Judgment in business affairs He was born
in Butler county. Ohio, April 3, 1925 and by
the time he was 4 years old he had accumu-
lated a considerable fortune. With this money
he left the then title town Of Racine, Wis,
in 1850 with an OK team and began the long
and tedious journey across the plains. He MAD
heard Of the discovery Of gold in this state
a year before, but, undoubtedly, believing the
reports to be greatly exaggerated, he waited
until he could verify personally these Won
derful and almost unbelievable stories. IN
Vulnerable dangers lay in the path of those
undertaking the journey and an almost in
visible trail was the only path which led to
the shores Of the great Pacific. Tribes OF In
dams roamed the plans and secreted them
selves in the brush and behind rocks, where
tEey were always in readiness to spring out
on the unsuspecting members of a caravan,
and to massacre the men, women and children
while they slept, or attack them with over
whelming forces on the plains in daylight.
Travelling Dangerous
The fear of this ever present but unseen
foe made travelling alone a risk that would
meet with but one ending-death.
Lucky Baldwin was great huntsman in
those days He had followed all sorts of
game, large and small, of those pioneer days
He was a sure shot with the rifle and his
ability as a marksman stood him in need in
the dangerous journey TO the coast. Those
who remain of the ones who made the trip
with him tell how he killed the chief of a
powerful tribe in Great salt Lake valley in
a hand to hand conflict. This was not the
only instance on that trip young Baldwin
showed of what he made. He distin-
euished himself as even few OF the brave and
daring men Of the time did
He landed in the northern part OF the state
and e. st engaged in mercantile pursuits He
was careful business man and made money
fast but not fast enough to suit him. He de-
sired to become enormously wealthy and he
watched his opportunities. Poor men were
becoming mulionares over night IN those
days. The Comstock lode, in Virginia CITY
was making nen who later were to use their
wealth in building an empire in country
where three years bSfore there were hardly
hundred white persons.
The ODhir mine was one OF the Comstock
properties. Little attention was attracted to
It, however, until the creation Of an artificial
panic, when great blocks Of stock were thrown
onto the market Baldwin, through his
shrewdness, saw into the scheme that was
teing operated by a clique OF San Francisco
bankers and mining brokers, and sent an ex-