The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-13

| IuCu, AAUWA5 w SpOlIou1Cu. lH1OU6uOUS
the United States, who recently died
in ST Louis within a few days Of each
other ,embo:lied. in their lives prac.
tiCally all Of the spectacular clemens
Of tha sporting man Of fiction. Both
struggled to wealth and prominence
from poverty and obscurity and the
gamut of their experiences include
f0rfys into politics, operat lions; on the
stock exchange, investments In real
estate, industrial promotions and o
devotion to anything that per.ained 10
horses and horse racing. s
Louis A. Celia furnished more Of
the spectacular than hid his fellow
turfman Daniel A. Honig. Celia
amassed the larger fortune and his. IL
nancial exploits. are reckoned3 still as
among the most RudacioNs ever at
tempted in the middle west. HoHig
confined his efforts almost entirely to
horse racing and owned some OF tho
hest known racers in the country . 1
Celia Went u Alone. AS
Celia at his, death, was reputel to
se the largest realty owner In st.
Louis and his fortune ,was estimated
at considerably more than 1900, O0u.
Well educated. when a young man, he
refused to accept financial assistance
from his father and wentto Kansas
City where he found q job tending bar
at the old railroad depot, one Of the
widest spots in the. west After 4
year in Kansas City he came to St.
Louis and in a short time opened d
saloon which was. the ''hangout" of
every night prowler in the city. Celia
is said to have conducted dice game
there which in three years netted him
$4,000 all acquired before he was
81 years old.
In 1896 he joined Sam Adler and G..
A. TILES, both well known sportsmen,
in race track promotion. the result be-
ing thte famous C. A. T." Cecilia, Ad-.
Ter, Tilles) Inclination which soon
was operating tracks in this city, il,
Madison, III. and later in various
southern cities. A poolroom operat-
ed in connection with the track ran
for eight years during which time the
promoters are said to have laid the
foundation for their collective nor
tunezof $4,000, 600.
This venture led to others of a sim
liar nature. Bucket shops" were es-
tablished, Cella's gin downtown St.
Louis being said to bring its owner al
profit of more than $4,000, 900 annual.
ly. The branches extended into every
large city in the country. ].
Race Horses Helped.
Meanwhile Celia had become the)
owner Of numerous race horses which,
flying his colors, added to his for.
tune. In 1904, however, racing within
the state was prohibited and conse.
quently betting was stopped. This
measure is said to have cost the &c.
"A. T." concern $780, 900 in single
year. Celia was destined for, other
setbacks for about this time the gov
eminent began an active campaign
against s"bucketshops," the result be:
Ing his retirement from that field Of
activity. Losses from this course
werealso reckoned at Y1,500. 00a AMI
nua1ly. l,s 3..s
TT was then that Celia turned his at,
tention to real estate speculation. He |
invested heavily In st. Louis property (
which because of supposedly undestr- |
Gus location was sold at q low figure.
He built hotels, he purchased office /
buildings, he obtained leases on thessl
aires. In short, there was no phase
81 real estate speculation that he did
not try They were all successful and
continued to be winners up to the day
Of his death when, it is said, his hold. I
lngs Of downtown properties were
worth more than So, 000yO00:
Y Once in Politics.
Cola once ventured. to run for pub /
lie office, hut was defeated for the