USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The builders of a great city : San Francisco's representative men, the city, its history and commerce : pregnant facts regarding the growth of the leading branches of trade, industries and products of the state and coast > Part 13
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He was attracted by the charms of the land that had formed, though she knew it not, one of the fairest gems in the crown of Mexico, the Golden State of California. He was an early pioneer, arriving here in 1849. He had many strange and curious ad- ventures in the new land. His first occupation was, like the thousands that had sought the State in that day, that of gold digger. This he followed with varying fortune, but he soon gave up this occupation and founded the jewelry business of Hiller & Andrews in Sac- ramento. In 1852 the firm was burned out in the great fire and lost all. He came to San Francisco and bought $30,000 worth of jewelry on credit and went back. He started in busi- ness in what is known as Haggin & Tevis's Block, then renting at $600 per month.
He built one of the finest structures in Sacramento, on Third and J streets, known as the Hiller & Andrews' Block, which rented at $1804 per month. He and his partner very soon made a for- tune and Colonel Andrews proceeded to enjoy his share by traveling exten- sively in Europe and the East. He traveled all over the world. He vis- ited all the points of interest known to the tourist, and many that are to the tourist entirely unknown. While ab- sent on this trip he sought out all the places where all the celebrated dia- monds, or collections of diamonds, are to be found, from the waters of the Bay of Bengal to those of the Atlantic, the shores of Ormuz and of India, and noted the treasures of the semi-bar- baric princes of the East and those of the sultans by the waters of the Bos- phorous.
Coming back to California, he went
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into mining speculation and sunk large fortunes in the Esmeralda. At the outbreak of the civil war he was made major of the Second California Cavalry, under the command of D. D. Colton, who was to be colonel. As this, however, was not the case, he resigned. He now became a caterer in the line of public amusements, starting in San Francisco, where he produced in succession, opera, drama, magie and burlesque. From this city he betook himself to Guayaquil, Ecuador, Lima, Peru, and Santiago, Chile, achieving great success in his new profession. Leaving the glare and glitter of the footlights to tempt others, he became a merchant in Spanish-American countries, and did business in Callao, Guayaquil, Panama, Havana, and amongst the West India Islands. We next find him engaged in the occupation of 'diamond broker in London. He went to Mexico in the time of Maximilian. On the fall of the ill-fated Emperor he returned to New Orleans, entering into the dia- mond business. He became a stock broker in Chicago and New York. On the fatal Friday he lost all that he possessed, $86,000, and was flat broke. He subsequently recovered himself, but California claimed his allegiance. Wherever he went the land of his early manhood still filled his recollection, and he at last return- ed in 1869. He brought a troupe with him to this city, conducted several first-class concerts successfully, and was the originator and leading spirit of the celebrated lottery to raise funds for the Mercantile Library, which was so successful, and which for a while monopolized public attention, bothı at home and abroad. His latest and most successful business venture, in the line of his early occupation, was the celebrated Diamond Palace, opened Nov. 14, 1874, with its floors inlaid with marble, its mirrors, fluted columns in ebony and gold, its vault- ed and frescoed arches, its revolving pyramid of glittering jewels, its pris-
moidal show windows, so constructed of mirrors that the gems are reflected on all sides. It is, in itself, one of the sights of San Francisco. The Colonel has taken a not undistinguished part in politics. He was commander of the McClellan Legion, a thousand strong. When General Grant hon- ored the coast by his presence, Colonel Andrews gave the most successful bal masque ever seen here, as a token of respect to the distinguished visitor. The Colonel was appointed by Presi- dent Arthur Commissioner to the New Orleans World's Fair in 1885. He was appointed by the British gov- ernment Commissioner to the London Exhibition in 1886. From New Or- leans he returned $3000 to the treas- ury of the State out of the appropria- tion voted. He is the oldest com- missioned colonel in California, being appointed under General Suter in 1852. He is President of the Veterans of the Mexican War. He is President of the Manhattan Club, is Great Sachem of the Improved Order of Red Men in this State, and Great Minnewah of the United States. In fine, we may say that he belongs to no less than twenty- nine different orders. He speaks with ease and precision the leading mod- ern European tongues-French, Ger- man, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese. He is universally known amongst the leading Spanish-American families in Mexico and Central America, and invariably trusted by them to supply anything in the way of gems that they may need. He is more of an artist than a merchant, his taste and beauty of design is exquisite. He possesses the true artistic faculty, that of crea- tive ability. He is always attentive to the slightest detail of business, deem- ing nothing unimportant. Though it is forty years since he first became a resident of fair California, he is of youthful appearance, while his step is light, elastic and vigorous. He is generous in heart and gentlemanly in instincts, and America has no reason to be ashamed of her adopted son.
MILTON ANDROS.
MILTON ANDROS.
HIS gentleman has been closely identitied with San Francisco since December, 1865, when he arrived here from his old home in Massachusetts, coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and reaching this city on the steamer " Colorado,"" Commodore Watkins. The trip had been made in search of health, and California was selected because the merits of its glorious climate were even then familiar to advanced minds in the East.
Sir Edmund Andros was Governor of Connecticut in early Colonial days, and there is no doubt of the fact that the subject of this sketch is closely connected with the descend- ants of Gov. Andros. The name is thoroughly English, but the father of Milton Andros was American through and through. He was a boy when the Revolutionary army was organ- ized, but he joined the patriots at Cambridge, Mass., and shared every hardship encountered by the Revo- lutionary heroes until the surrender of Cornwallis assured the independ- ence of the States. Later his father became a minister of the Gospel, and had one charge under his ministerial care for more than 50 years.
Milton Andros was born in Massa- chusetts. The foundation of his learning was laid by his careful father, who doubtless hoped, after the manner of men of his calling, that his son might follow him as a minister of the Gospel. When young Andros expressed an inclination for the profession of law, his father raised no objection, but assisted him as far as he was able to become thor- oughly conversant with the great general principles of the law. He was placed in the law office of Judge
Oliver Prescott, of New Bedford, and was admitted to practice in Septem- ber, 1847. As an evidence of the thoroughness with which he had prosecuted his studies, and the stand- ing he occupied with members of the bar, it may be mentioned that he was admitted to practice before the Su- preme Court of the United States at the December term of that court in 1855. Under the administration of President Buchanan he was appointed Assistant United States District At- torney for Massachusetts. In that important position, which it is need- less to say he filled with signal ability, it became necessary to be thoroughly posted in maritime law, with which he had become more familiar than the majority of lawyers while pursuing his studies with Judge Prescott. New Bedford was the shipping point of a large whaling fleet, and the sailors were as much attached to litigation then as they are to-day. A practicing attorney at that seaport had much experience with the typical "sea lawyer," and the knowledge he there gained aided no little in helping him to make the splendid record with which he was credited while handling the numerous maritime cases which came under his care in the United States District Attorney's office.
The above facts account for the adoption of maritime practice after Mr. Andros settled on this coast. He had a thorough knowledge of all the principles of that branch of legal practice, and gained by a course of experience which crystallized all its difficult intricacies in his retentive memory. But it must not be as- sumed that Mr. Andros has neglected other branches of the legal profes-
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sion. He is thoroughly conversant with commercial law and practice, and being pre-eminently a student has fully equipped himself for at- tending to and doing full justice to any case entrusted to his care. That fact is recognized by litigants, and Mr. Andros is now attorney for cor- porations as well as counsel for the leading insurance companies for their maritime business.
Mr. Andros has been often com- plimented for the careful and thor- ough manuer in which he prepares the cases of clients before submitting them to the court. Having become conversant with every detail, he is capable of presenting in a clear and forcible manner, easily comprehended by court and other listeners, and is thus able to dispatch business with- out wearing out the patience of court or jury. To this painstaking thoroughness may be credited much of his eminent success. Usually in addressing court or jury Mr. Andros presents his case in the clearest lan- quage, and his argument is direct, to the point, plain and convincing. When it pleases him, or the case and the circumstances require, he can clothe his ideas in the language of the accomplished orator.
As before said, Mr. Andros has been a life-long student. He devotes the same untiring patience to the preparation of a case for presenta- tion to the court that he did to mas- tering the intricacies of the law be- fore admission to the bar. He is pardoned for having little time for the social pleasures of clubs or se- cret societies. He belongs only to the Masonic Order, being a member of Golden Gate Commandery, Knights Templar. He married since coming to California, and has one child, a daughter. Being devoted to the law, he has no ambition to be ac- counted a leader in promoting en- terprises unconnected with his profession. Having a pleasant and agreeable home, he has not time nor inclination for the requirements which would be demanded of him were he an active member of a great number of social orders. His rec- ord is that of a tireless worker, and his influence upon the material in- terests of this city has been of the best, and of a character to endure for years. In all that goes to make up a patriotic and influential citizen he is the recognized peer of the worthiest of San Francisco's eminent builders.
WILLIAM H. ARMITAGE.
WILLIAM H. ARMITAGE.
HAT youth, combined with en- ergy and perseverance may ac- complish in San Francisco, can be no better exemplified than by the successful career of one of the city's leading architects - Mr. William H. Armitage.
Mr. Armitage was born in England, January 18, 1861. At an early age he evinced a natural aptitude for the study of fine arts and commenced a technical course in the Sheffield School of Design, gaining amongst other prizes a Third Grade Prize at South Kensington, London, at the age of fifteen and passed the local examina- tion of the University of Cambridge in the same year.
His father being one of the largest terra cotta manufacturers in the north of England, encouraged and assisted him in his earlier studies, and brought up amongst surroundings conducive to the natural advancement of an inate taste for the art of building, and armed with the recommendations of success in his preliminary work, he was articled to the well-known Eng- lish architects, Messrs. Stockton & Gibbs of Sheffield, the senior member of which firm was a pupil of Sir Gilbert G. Scott.
With this firm Mr. Armitage re- ceived a practical education in archi- tecture, with facilities unsurpassed, and which has proved of intrinsic value to him.
The churches, schools, libraries, banks, hospitals, public baths, brewer- ies, and other massive stone and brick structures, both public and private, erected by this firm during the period of Mr. Armitage's apprenticeship, served to familiarize him with the de-
tails and workings of his chosen pro- fession.
In the meantime, possessed of a studious bent of mind, he continued his work at the School of Design, traveled the country, and sketched the best specimens of architecture, read and studied the best works on build- ing construction.
Learning of the large field of oper- ations in this country, and being am- bitious, finally decided to take the steamer for the new world, arriving in New York February 22, 1881.
Here he readily found employment in one of its leading offices on Broad- way. Later, he visited the leading cities in the East, and spent some time in Chicago and Denver, where he aided in the design and construction of some of their heavy buildings.
California having been originally his objective point, he simply remained in those cities for the purpose of ac- quainting himself with the nature of their building improvements. Leav- ing Denver, he arrived in San Fran- cisco on the 6th of April, 1883.
Mr. Armitage having now visited the most interesting parts of this country, and previously having trav- eled in Brazil and other countries, he concluded to make this city his per- manent home, and at once secured a suitable position. Shortly afterwards he married a San Francisco lady, and becoming acquainted with the city and its progressive people, he soon acquired strong friends.
Now, after years of study and prac- tical experience, he established an office and commence in business for himself. Success was assured him from the start. He was not long in building up a lucrative practice, and
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now his business has assumed such proportions that it absorbs his entire time and attention. The busy appear- ance of his office with a number of draughtsmen employed, and the var- ied edifices of his erection, are admired for their stability and elegance, and the care bestowed on all branches of the work reflect credit upon his busi- ness management.
The proofs of his skill are manifest in the buildings he has designed and erected in San Francisco and its neighboring cities. The Dodge Bros. Building, the Meese Building, the Aronson Building and other business blocks and residences of importance were constructed by him. His work, however, is not confined entirely to this city. In San Diego, Fresno, and other cities he has erected buildings of various descriptions; one of his la- test productions being the Farmers'. Bank at Fresno, which is a substantial
and imposing granite, sandstone, and pressed brick structure. He also erected the Electioneer Stable in the same · town, a commodious brick structure, complete in all its appoint- ments, and now he is working upon the plans of a number of large busi- ness structures and residences to be erected in this city.
Having had an extensive experience in the construction of heavy buildings which called for the best architectural ingenuity, and being eminently fa- miliar with every detail of his pro- fession, Mr. Armitage has practically demonstrated his fitness for adorning the profession he holds in the front rank of the San Francisco architectural fraternity.
He is a liberal contributor to all im- provements which tend to advance the city and State, and is, in the fullest sense, one of San Francisco's success- ful and progressive citizens.
ALEXANDER BADLAM.
ALEXANDER BADLAM.
HE subject of this sketch, Mr. Alexander Badlam, was born in Cleveland, O. His ancestors came to America early, before the Colonial days, and settled in New England.
His mother was a native of Maine, and his father was born in Massachu- setts. His father was one of the pioneer settlers of Ohio and Cali- fornia, having reached this State by the overland route, June 3, 1849.
In 1850 his father having returned from California for his family, they joined an emigrant train, and, like thousands of others in those perilous days, started for California. They crossed the plains and were among the party in which the cholera broke out in that memorable year. It is pleasant for Mr. Badlam to tell of his experiences in driving a team from the Missouri River to Sacra- mento, when but fifteen years of age.
In Sacramento, in 1857, he asso- ciated himself with Charles L. Far- rington, Frank Webster, John Ben- son and Nat Ford, and organized what was then well known as the Alta Express Company. Consider- ing that the party had but little capital to begin with, and that they sold out their business at the end of a year for thirty thousand dollars, we must conclude that the tact and sagacity of young Badlam manifest- ed itself on more than one occasion.
In 1863 he was nominated for the Legislature on the Republican ticket, and ran against Ex-Governor John Bigler, beating his opponent almost two to one at the election. It was while serving the people in the capa- city of a legislator he first attracted public notice. There were no thiev- ing schemes or corrupt legislation
foisted upon the people by designing politicians that Mr. Badlam did not expose. The prominence achieved in that gathering soon secured for him more than an ordinary degree of recognition.
In 1869 he was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors by an almost unanimous vote. In that body he persistently and judiciously fought every ring and corrupt meas- ure proposed. This gained for him the approbation of the people, and in 1875 the Supervisors elected Mr. Badlam Assessor. It was in that capacity that he gave the best evi- dence in the world of his ability to have everything reduced to a perfect sytematic order.
The assessments that he made that year gave him a great repu- tation, having been instrumental in compelling the rich men to pay the taxes due to the people.
In the fall of 1875 he was re-elected by the people, receiving a majority of six thousand votes over his adver- sary. At that election the Demo- cratic candidate for Governor, Mr. Irwin, was elected by the same ma- jority, and almost the entire State and County Democratic ticket went into office at the time. Mr. Badlam was noted for his thorough knowl- edge of his business.
He is a married man and the father of three children, the oldest being a young man of 28 years, now engaged in insurance business, and a younger son who has achieved a world-wide reputation as a mechanical engineer and inventor. His daughter, Miss Maude, is an exceedingly accom- plished young lady of society, with a phenomenal range as a vocalist, and fine pianist. Mr. Badlam mar-
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ried, in 1861, Miss Mary Burgess, of Sacramento. She is a lady of medium height and graceful, auburn hair, fair complexion, blue eyes, and was regarded as the handsomest young lady in Sacramento. They live happily together with their chil- dren in a beautiful and neatly fur- nished residence at 1024 Franklin Street. Mr. Badlam himself is a hale, hearty gentleman, with a full
round face. He weighs 200 pounds avoirdupois, and stands about five feet eleven and one-half inches in height. He is kind and generous to his employes, and accommodating to those he has been serving. For the past six years Mr. Badlam has been President of one of the most suc- cessful insurance companies in Cali- fornia, and is interested in railroad building, and many other enterprises.
L. B. BENCHLEY,
LEONIDAS B. BENCHLEY.
F those who may be termed pio- neers, few have been more suc- cessful in the development of California industries than Leonidas B. Benchley. For nearly forty years this gentleman has occupied a prom- iuent position in the eyes of his fel- low-citizens, either as a merchant, municipal legislator or manufacturer, and during a great portion of that time he has been identified with the successful prosecution of one of the most important industries of the city and coast. Like many other leading Californians he is a native of the Em- pire State, but his manhood has been spent in the service of Califor- nia, and so effectually, that his name will always be linked with that of those perpetuated in the history of her industrial development. He was born in Newport, Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1822, and was educated at the Fairfield Academy in the same county.
Arriving at man's estate he became interested in a general merchandise business in his native town. He followed this successfully for sev- eral years, and doubtless would have been contented to have spent all his life in mercantile pursuits had not the call from California reached willing ears all over the Atlantic States, and especially in one of the greatest and most en- terprising of them all-New York. The desire for riches and adventure stirred all the young blood of the land, and Mr. Benchley, then in his manhood's early prime, was not behind the rest in enthusiasm. Biding adieu to the quiet life of a country town, and to the slow pro- gress by which wealth was accumu- lated under such circumstances in
his early days, we soon find him forming one of the grand army bound for the shores of California. Being, however, conservative by nature as well as enterprising, he did not, like many others, start for the golden shores on receipt of the first news of the wonderful discov- ery that had been made within their borders. It was only when exper- ience had assured him that gold mining became a permanent, flour- ishing industry by the far Pacific that he determined to cast in his lot with the founders of the new land. Neither like many others was his sole capital youth, hot blood and enthusiasm. He had sufficient funds when reaching the State to establish a business of his own. He arrived in May, 1850, by the Panama route, and on this side was a passenger on the steamer "Oregon."" He depart- ed immediately for Sacramento, where there was centered the active business and industrial life of the State. They were good times for trade and here Mr. Benchley, em- barked in the wholesale grocery business. In this he was very suc- cessful. All this time, however, San Francisco, which had been com- paratively unimportant was fast giving promise of what its future would be, and with that keen busi- ness insight which has ever char- acterized him, Mr. Benchley soon saw that it was advisable for him to cast in his lot with that of the grow- ing metropolis of the coast. So in May, 1852, he started in the hard- ware business, forming a co-partner- ship with John Bensley and S. M. Alford, under the title of Benchley & Co. The establishment soon be- came one of the leading ones in the
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city, and brought together in fami- liar business and social association a number of the brainiest and most enterprising men in the city. Amongst those besides Mr. Bench- ley himself may be reckoned : William Alvord. D. O. Mills, of the Bank of California ; John Bensley, already mentioned ; Louis McLean and Alvinza Hayward. The fact that San Francisco was headquarters for the distribution of an immense quantity of iron and steel needed in the mines and the various industries of the coast, suggested at an early day to the active mind of Mr. Benchley the desirability of estab- lishing the manufacture of iron and steel on the Pacific Coast. He had frequently conversed with the gentle- men noted, and of the possibilities of success, his office being the place where animated discussions on the subject were carried on and where the project since so successful had at length its inception in May, 1866. These gentlemen finally made up their minds to establish a rolling mill and they started the Pacific Rolling Mill Company, with a capital of $1,000,000. Mr. Benchley practi- cally adventured his whole fortune in it, for from 1869 he gave up his business to become its General Manager, which he has since re- mained. Like all other early en- terprises it has had its alterna- tions of success and adverse for- tune, but the splendid business ability . displayed in its mange- ment at length established it on a thoroughly firm basis as one of the most solid and successful indus- trial institutions in America. It has been more successful than most manufacturing enterprises on this coast, and is the grand crowning success of Mr. Benchley's life and labors. It has now a capacity for the production of from 45,000 to 50,- 000 tons of merchant bar iron and steel annually. The manufacture of steel was added by degrees as de- mand was made for it, but a thor-
oughly complete steel plant was not put in till seven to eight years ago. This, however, is not the only manu- facturing enterprise with which Mr. Benchley has been associated. There have been others. But the only one that we shall now mention is the Pacific Oil and Lead Works, estab- lished in 1863, for the manufacture of linseed oil. Besides Mr. Benchley there were also with him in this en- terprise John Bensley and D. O. Mills. Mr. Benchley retired from the business in 1875. He has in early days been one of our muni- cipal legislators, as he was a mem- ber of the Board of Supervisors in 1856, when chaos reigned, and it needed some judgment and firmness to bring order from confusion and restore the administration of muni- cipal affairs of San Francisco to a sound and healthy basis. He has since, like many other prominent men, been frequently asked to allow himself to be placed in nomination for public office, but his all-absorb- ing business interests have invariably obliged him to decline. He was one of the founders of the Young Men's Christian Association of this city, and is still a member of the Board of Directors. He has been a mem- ber of the First Congregational Church of San Francisco since 1852, and has always been prominently identified with it. He was married in 1845 to Miss Helen A. Kenyon, of Middle Ville, N. Y., a handsome and amiable lady who has borne him five children, three of whom are now living. One, a son, is in business in Los Angeles. His two daughters are married, one residing in Minne- apolis, the other in New York. Out- side of his business interests, Mr. Benchley has been always unobtru- sive and retiring. His tastes are quiet and gentlemanly. Having a happy home he finds his chief pleas- ure in the domestic circle. He is polita without being effusive, and charitable without ostentation, reli- gious in temperament without phar-
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