Wednesday, January 23, 1901
THE SUMPTER MINER
BALDWIN AND HEARST
Both Their Fortunes the Re
sult of Chance.
The following accout of how Luckv
Baldwin and George Harst made their
fortunes In mining operations Is going the
rounds of the press:
"Lucky Baldwin made tils first big
strike In a most accidental wav. He was
not a miner and kne nothing about
mines," said a man from San Francisco,
w ho keeps tab on the doings ot mru of
millions. "He kept a livery stable hi San
Francisco and made considerable monev.
He always liked horse. They were hi
hobby then just as they have been since,
when he made himself uell known
through his successes on the turf.
"Some milling man owed Baldwin sev
eral hundred dollirs for horses on a llverv
bill or something and couldn't pay him.
One day he offered Baldwin a lot of stoik
in the Ophir mine, which was near the
mines hi whkli Flood, O'Brien, Fair,
Mackay and others were Interested.
Ophir stock wasn't worth anything
only a few cents a share nor were the
other mines near It worth much then.
Baldwin accepted the stock in payment of
the debt and threw it in his safe, thinking
that he might get something out of It
some day. He had about 2,00050 shares.
"One morning he woke up and found
himself a millionaire. The Comstock
mines had gone up and Ophir went up
with them just because it was close to
them. 'I he stock which had cost Baldwin
a (ew cents a share were worth hundreds
of dollars a share. He had sense enough
to sell out at the proper time.
"George Hearst's first strike was also
accidental, although he was a practical
miner. He was superintendent of a mine
down in Arizona, where the men who con
trolled the company simply wanted to
keep a lot of men at work for the purpose
of selling the stock at a profit. They did
not think the mine was worth anything.
They kept up the bluff as long as they
could, but finally the bottom dropped out
of the stock, and they sent Hearst word
to stop work and take the men to Los
Angeles to be paid off.
"Hearst told the men they were to quit
work that night and get rtady to abandon
the mine at once. In a spirit of hilarity
the men decided to celebrate by putting In
just one big blast. Hearst did not object,
and they put In a blast calculated to tear
things to pieces. They set it off just at
quitting time and stood back to watch the
effect. The blast tore out tons of rock
and dirt and made the place look like an
earthquake had struck it.
"Then the men went and got their sup
per and prepared for an early start over
the desert next morning. Heatst was too
much of a miner, however, to leave with
out examining the rock that had been
torn out by the blast. He found what he
knew was a very ricli vein of ore. After
collecting a few samples of quartz he
walked up to the little camp and joined
the rest In preparing for the journey. He
said nothing about his discovery.
"The men were paid off in Los Angeles,
and Hearst went on to San Francisco,
where the president of the company paid
him about (5,000 that was due him. That
night he went into a faro bank and won
$5,000 more. Next day he called on the
president to settle up a few small matters,
and when asked what he was going to do,
said he was going east for a while to visit
the folks.
" 'By the way,' he said, M think I might
do something with some of that Arizona
mine stock In the east. I wouldn't mind
trying, anyhow.'
"The president thought the idea a good
one and gave Hearst an option on several
thousand shares. Hearst didn't want too
many; he was afraid of creating suspi
cion. Then he went to some men whom
he knew owned stock in the mine, told
them the same story that he had told the
president and bought outiight all shares
lie could pay for.
" rill- put him in just the position he
wanted. In three d.is he li.id the neces
sary backing and was on the way to the
mine with some experts. As a result, the
companv was reorganized and the mine
was reopened. Then the stock began to
jump, and Hearst raked off about f 2,000,
000 and still retained a big block of stock.
All of them even the former president
made money, but Hearst made the most."
EXTENSIVE STAGE SYSTEM.
Covers Wide Stretches of Country in
Oregon.
While on his trip to Lakeview recently,
Father McDevitt experienced the expos
ure and hardships Incident to a winter
stage ride of 700 miles. There Is little of
pleasure in such a j unit at this time of
e.ir, and one is left to make his own de
cislon as to whether It would be more
pleasant when the hot sun of summer
beats down upon the deasert stretches
which at places one must cross. How
ever, that portion of the trip lying along
the Upper Deschuttes would be more
pleasant in July than December.
In connection with staging, It is doubt
ful If any place at this time remains a
greater center of stage lines than is Burns.
Leaving Ontario, Oregon, one may travel
over connecting stage lines to Thermo,
California, a distance of 650 miles. Leav
ing Burns, and traveling over two ridges
of the Blue mountains a traveler by stage
would reach Sumpter, the great gold min
ing town, in to miles. Or, driving from
the latter line at Canon City he could,
after riding 200 miles from Burns, see how
J. W. Morrow, Frank Gilliam and J. W.
Redington have built up the town of Hepp
ner, which Henry Heppner founded and
Dr. Shobe, lite of Pioche, Nevada, doc
tored In its Infancy.
But if the traveler did not wish to pass
over the rich agricultural and grazing
region about Long creek, Hamilton and
Monument, and didn't care a cuss about
the mountain scenery and big pine trees
that abound along Wall creek, he could,
from Canyon City, travel by stage down
the John Day river, through one of the
prettiest and mast productive valleys ever
viewed. He could see the deserted placer
ground at Spanish gulch, wheie pioneer
miners tore up the eartli from creek bot
tom to hill top, and carried away the gold
galore.
He could travel by Mitchell, where Bob
Reed exceeded the jurisdiction of his office
of justice of the peace In trying to do the
right thing by a wife beater. Bob got the
$300 fine, all right, but had to restore
S250, a circumstance he regrets to this
day. From Mitchell the stage traveler
could proceed to Cross Hollows, alias
Shanlko, the terminus of Oregon's young
est railway line. These are the termini
of the principal lines which touch at
Bums, and if it were possible to collect
the data of various stirring Incidents In
their histories, an entertaining volume
might be written of their lore. Harney
County News.
At the Club saloon, Dunphy & Gert
ridge serve a line of goods equal to any
that money will buy.
OPERA HOUSE SALOON
SUMPTER BKKR ON DRAUGHT
BILLIARD AND POOL TABLES
Agents for Matting
ly and .Moore Whis
key a ao-year-old
whiskey as good as
Elixir of Lite. All
whiskies arc out of
bond and guaran
teed the genuine ar
ticle. Popular re
sort for Commer
cial Travelers and
Miners.
SUMPTER,
OREGON
'''''''.'''''--
Prompt attention to orders for cut flow
ers and floral pieces. City Green House
Baker City, Oregon.
T. G. Harrison, agent for Giant Pow
der company.
Something to depend upon Giant
powder.
Mining deeds for sale at this office.
Never falls Giant powder.
Golden Eagle Hotel
American and European Plan
T. T. DANILSON, PROPRIETOR
Sample Rooms for Commercial Men. SUMI'TliR, OREGON
k''''--'',l
A. P. GOSS, President
A. J. GOSS, Cashier
& Bank of Sumpter 3
Trinticti t Canard lankln lailntn
Interest Allowed on Time Deposits
Drafts drawn on all parts of the world. Special attention to collections.
Safety Deposit boxes for rent.
SUMPTER, OREGON
''''''
k'V'-
i George W. Weigand...
. 1 0
HIGH GRADE LIQUORS
AND CIGARS
Mining Men's Headquarters Next Door to Wonder Store
iiuuiumi:, uiuiuuin
vJWWW.'.'WWWr4
SUMPTER BOTTLING WORKS
Manufacturer nl ml klnJt ul (.oil'onilrJ Drink ana CUtn.
OprratrJ in riinnt'Cilnii will, (lie
Kentucky Liquor Hous
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.
GAGENA SLOAN, PROPS.,
SUMPTER, ORE.
THE WONDER
GEO. W. WEIGAND,
PROPRIETOR.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
A complete stock of Dry Goods, Ladles and Men's Furnishings, Boots,
Shoes, Hats and Clothing.
THE WONDER, BOURNE, OREGON
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