Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1888 — DEATH OF CHARLES CROCKER. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DEATH OF CHARLES CROCKER.

The California Railroad Millionaire Expires at Monterey. [Monterey (Cal.) special.] Charles Crocker, Vice President ot the South-

ern Pacific Railroad Company, died in this city. Charles Crocker waß a millionaire at least twenty times over. He was bom in New York State of a poor family sixty-six years ago. Early in the pioneer days of California he emigrated to the land of gold, but, being unfitted for the work of mining, contented himself /with starting a small dry-goods store in Sacramento. He was careful, abstemious, and energetic, and in ten years had accumulated about $60,000.

When in 1860 a man named Judah conceived the notion of building a transcontinental railroad and unfolded it in Mark Hopkins’ hardware store at Sacramento to Hopkins, Lelan t Stanford, Crocker, and other Sacramento cronies they immediately seized upon it and proceeded to put it into execut on. The history of the building of the Central Pacific Road and the fortunes it made for its projectors is an old story. Crocker arose from the position of a dealer in threads and needles to that of a millionaire railroad mam He moved from' Sacramento to San Francisco and there built for himself a palatial residence at a cost of $1,R)0,000. Two years or so ago he built a magnificent house in New York City on West Fiftyfourth street and has since made it his home*, although he retained a legal residence in California. Col. Fred Crocker and William Crocker were with their father at the time of his death. The deceased leaves one other son, George* who lives in Nevada, and a daughter, Mrs. Charles H. Alexander, who is in Europe*.

CHARIES CROCKER.