The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-19

been attacked by another band Of In
dams. and the two got together and
prepared for a siege. The Indians at
tackled the camp many times in the
next two weeks, but got the worst Of il.
and finally drew of and gave up the
fight. The travellers then took up their
journey and arrived safely at the coast
without further trouble.
On reaching San Francisco, Baldwin
obtained possession of a small hotel.
which he ran for only about two weeks.
for ne met an eastern friend who had
government contract for brickmaking.
but had not the means to carry on the
contract. Baldwin knew nothing about
bTickmaking, but he bought book on
the subject, sat up nights studying the
details Of the business. disposed Of his
hotel and began work on. the contract.
The venture prOSpered and Baldwin be-
gan to make money, clearing about 81
500 a month on the contract. He next
began specializing in mining shares and
real estate, and after his deals in two
mines the Crown Point and Ophir, he
was dubbed Lucky Baldwin by the
San Francisco Chronicle. He often re-
sented the COgnOmen. declaring that he
made his money by hard work and good
judgment.
Il never had any great streak OF luck
like other men," he said at one time. q
examined all the mines I was interested
in, Crawled through tunnels and went
down shafts and worked like slave for
years"
His first great deal would seem to
bear out the luck" part, however, for
nothing that he did then could have
been called anything else At the time
stocks were duh and the prospects for
small. Baldwin had an idea that there
was money to be made in China, so he
tried TO sell 5000 shares of Crown Point,
which he mad bought at s. a share. and
which were at a considerably lower fig
ure at the time. The price offered for
the stock was so small that he refused
TO sell, raised the money in another way
and went off to China, leaving his stock
In the hands of a friend, with orders for
him to sell when the price reached SO.
Soon after Baldwin left for China the
ComstOck struck bonanza and the
prices of stock began to soar The
friend watched the market, and when
IS was reached for Crown Point he
rushed to a broker and told him to sell
the stock. The broker asked for the
shares, and then il was discovered that.
while Baldwin had left orders to sell.
he had forgotten the necessary power
of attorney. and the stock could not
be disposed of. 1t was fortunate mis-
take. as the sequel showed. Baldwin,
trip to China was a failure, and he ar
rived in California broke" as ne sup
posed. But he soon found that his
mistake had been of great profit 10
him, for the 5000 shares were worth an
even million dollars, and he promptly
sold out
With his big capital he went into
mining speculation harder than ever
and made money right and left. but it
was not until he made his big deal in
Ophir that he got the title Of Lucky"
The big brokers were envious of his
success with Crown Point and made
plans to relieve him Of his money. They
filled him up with stories of the rich
ness of the Ophir mine and succeeded
in unloading on him at from SO to SIS
share enough stock to take about
half his fortune. No sooner had he Sc
cured possession Of the stock than the
bonanza was struck in Consolidated
Virginia and California. adjoining the
Ophir, and that stock doubled in SYM
pathy. The cOnspiTators then took an