AH: Giving Samuel Brannan "King of the Gold Rush" a second chance

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PART FOUR
Young Same Goes to College and beyond!
The time has now come for young Sam to get a proper education. Taking time off from his position within Brannan’s stores and business, Sam accepts an opening at a prestigious university. Majoring of course in business studies, he also picks up several courses in art and the sciences. Young Sam was always said to be ‘bookish’ in the OTL, known to read books on anything and a healthy love for nature. Originally Sam the elder discouraged such things, but now, especially grooming young Sam as his successor, these are encouraged.
Meanwhile, elder Sam, who sees his current land holdings and department stores as entering a period of stability, decides to once more “take a risk” Brannan has always been about risks as well as trying to see what the next “Big Thing” is. During the mid-1870’s much of what was ‘Big’ in the west was cattle. In 1875 Brannan looks for large flat space in California and, on a hunch, decides to buy up more than 1000 acres of land in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley

Over the next four years the cattle market does not preform especially well, however he continues to push the ranch land. Unlike his “experiment” with the railroad to Calastoga, the amount of cash investment into the Kern Cattle Ranch is in comparison minimal, and this time Brannan is certain his hunch will prove correct.

By 1878 Brannan celebrates his 59th Birthday. Aging and having increasing pain in his joints, he none the less continues to push his company and himself while ever remaining the faithful family man. As his experiment in cattle continues and begins, Brannan also spends the next few years expanding in the booming towns of Los Angeles and San Diego. Brannan is certain that in time they ‘might’ grow just as huge as San Francisco.
By 1880 Young Sam is now no longer young. At 35 years old, he has graduated from university and has a fresh new understanding of the world. His father installs in him a larger stake in the company, and tells him it is time for him to “Make a name for himself” And to begin to carve his own destiny.
Sam Jr. decides to travel the world, heading east to tour the great cities of Europe and to see what the rest of the world has to offer him before he begins to take control of the family company.

Sam Jr. spends much of his time visiting the great and powerful, visiting the Kings and Queens of the European royalty.
 
The high society of the European elite was a dangerous place, or so Sam was told by his father.
Leaving France and Germany behind, he felt the need to hire somebody guards for the rest of his trip. The son of a wealthy businessman could very well be a target for kidnappers or worse. As such, Sam hires two bodyguards in Prague in January of 1881 and heads through Germany and into Russia.

In a twist of fate, in March of 1881 Sam Jr is attending a parade in Moscow, there to see Czar Alexander II. In the middle of the parade, an explosion goes off just near the coach of the Czar himself. Sam Jr, flanked by his own body guards watches as one of his men a Russian native himself, dashes to the side of the stricken coach. Just as the Czar is about to emerge, a second blast goes off and is taken by the bodyguard. Sacrificing himself, Alexander II lives on to guide Russia.

In late 1883 he returns home to California, Sam Jr’s time in Europe has changed him. Sam meets with his father, now 63, to make plans for the future. With the Elder Brannan spending more and more time at his estate, Sam Jr. is allowed direct control of the company.
One of Sam Jr first decisions is to take Brannan Industries into timber. After going through the vast, thick forests of Europe, Sam Jr. starts to take in interest in California’s booming logging industry. Sam begins to buy up land around the ‘Hume Lake’ and ‘Kings River’ area. By early 1888 The timber business has started to slow down, undeterred Sam continues to expand, buying up the failing logging company Kings River Lumber Company and expanding his timber holdings to almost 20,000 acres.
 

katchen

Banned
Interesting butterfly. If Samuel Brannan and his Calistoga Railroad fold into the Central Pacific (making Brannan one of the Big Five), the terminus for the Pacific Railroad could be at San Rafael in Marin County rather than in Oakland.
Samuel Brennan Jr. is developing Kings County (Bakersfield). Might there be a railroad to the sea , either over Tejon Pass to Port Huemene in Ventura County or through the Cuyama Valley to Morro Bay in Sam's future? A railroad over Walker and Telegraph Pass through South Central Nevada (Tonopah and Ely) to hook up with the Denver and Rio Grande perhaps or even the Denver, South Park & Pacific --owned by Chicago Burlington & Quincy, (assuming Samuel Brennan Jr. isn't a major Southern Pacific stockholder). Might Samuel Jr. be getting ideas about a trans-Siberian Railroad and have the connections with the Tsar to get the concessions to build it?
 
Sam the elder lost a HUGE amount of money on the Calistoga Railroad.

To both he and his son, they would be rather gun shy about trying to build another railroad on their own. For Kings County, Sam Jr would be using existing rail lines for his timber company there.

If anything, they might build a rail road line near Kern county for the purposes of brining in material for the cattle ranch, and exporting cattle to market.
As far as something over seas. While Sam Jr would earn the favor of the Tsar, his eye is more toward bussines in the states.
 
In the year 1889 Brannan Industries was worth almost 20 Million. The company held numerous department stores in San Francisco and Sacramento, as well as several in Los Angeles and San Diego. It held properties all across the city in some of the most expensive neighborhoods. It also owned 2000 acres in the Kern County Cattle ranch, and over 20,000 acres in Kings River and Converse Basin. All of this had been built and bought through one man, Samuel Brannan. And on May 14, 1889 Samuel passed away at the age of 70.

All of San Francisco turns out for the death of one of its’ most important members. Samuel Brannan helped to put the city on the map; the man had all but started the Gold Rush and now the city mourns the great leaders passing.

All assets of the company are willed over to his Son, who takes full control over the huge Brannan industry. For the next five years, Sam consolidates his holdings and begins to trim the company. As of 1894 at 45 years, Sam has a family of his own, and has started to think of his own future and the future of his kids. In the spring of 1894 He decides to shut down his Timber operations, having never made much profit from them. He orders the halt of all logging, especially around the Converse Basin.

Sam considers it better to set the land aside for ‘future generations’. He decides not to sell the land to other loggers and hold onto the nearly 20,000 acres instead. The Kern County Cattle ranch however is doing quite well, exporting cattle and beef to states across the West. Sam decides to expand the ranch and buys up an additional 5000 acres of land in Kern County.
 
I've been to Calistoga, it's a neat place - one of only three "Old Faithful" geysers in the world and a petrified redwood forest that beats the national park in Arizona, IMHO.

Why did the resort idea fail? Is there any way these natural wonders could have been better exploited to bring more tourists?
 
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Brannan was really just ahead of his time on Calastoga. The concept of the "Vacation" as we know it really didn't exist, things like "tourist spots" were small places usually associated with kitchy stores and lower class people. Brannan tried to make a "resort town" at a time when most people who could afford it wished to do things closer to home.

That isn't to say that Calistoga wasn't 'popular' it was used by many, the problem is that the COST of building the railroad and it, was so huge, it would be decades before Calistoga ever turned a profit to him. Another problem was that he didn't feel it was ever "finished" He would ask to have built (often while drunk) lavish and extravigant dance halls or theaters.

So, it wasn't so much it "failed" so much as it became an endless money pit for him. Thus, the only sensable thing to do was to have him wash his hands of it and sell it off before he builds the railroad in 1864.
 
On Christmas night 1894 while attending a party at the famed San Francisco Cliff House a fire broke out and the house burned to the ground. Sam was caught in the flames trying to save the houses priceless register book and was badly burnt. As he fought his way out of the wreckage he swore he would never again let a fire get the better of him. After that incident, he and Adolph Sutro became good friends. Meeting often and discussing the future of the city.
In 1896 Adolph Sutro, who had once been a Mayor of the city and held millions from the gold rush, was now land rich but cash poor. Sam decides to help his friend and offers to purchases the lands around ‘Mount Sutro with an eye for developing houses and public parkland around what is the largest hill in the city. Adolph agrees and dies just two years later, using the money from the purchase to settle his debts and offer something to give to his children.

In 1897 Sam also took stock of the various department stores across California. He orders the construction of “flagship stores” in several prominent areas of San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego. Inspired by huge stores in New York like MACY’s, Sam expands his most profitable stores into much larger buildings, expanding into the grocery and butcher business as well, selling his meat at a discount for all his stores.

1899 was a momentous time, both for the world as it approached the turning of the century, as well as Sam. In June of 1899, Oil was discovered on the Kern county ranch. At first Sam tries to start up his own oil company, as the oil will be worth more than the cattle ranch ever could. But at this time Standard Oil as at the height of power, and Sam is advised, rather than compete with such titans, to lease the oil fields to them instead.

Standard Oil pushes to try and outright buy the land from Sam for several weeks, but Sam stands firm, refusing several generous offers for purchasing the Kern Cattle Ranch. Ever the shrewd business man, Sam finally gets Standard Oil to agree to simply Lease the land from him. On top of this, he forces into the deal a clause that "should anything happen to Standard Oil, such as it being dissolved, the land would revert to Brannon Holdings"

Standard Oil agrees, after all, what could possibly happen to such a powerful company?
 
Hey I am curious... The year is 1899, and there is a Bunch more that will happen.. Should I start posting the timeline in the AFTER 1900 forum?
 
No, once a TL starts it stays int hat forum; the POD is what matters and it's 1850ish.

Interestign TL, I'd missed it before - I wonder how the younger Brannan will be impacted by the 1906 earthquake.

Did the daughters marry anyone interesting? While you have kept him from becoming part of the Big Four he seems to have enough moneyt hat a sn of one of them might marry one of his daughters. Or, perhaps they simply marry political figures.
 
I'll be hounest, there is not a lot in orginal history to go off from the daughters. I have looked and have not even found the dates the daughters died. ONE of them was known to marry a "Mr.Gjessing" in 1887, but that is about it.
With Sam the elder keeping his fortune, and young Sam enhancing it, I would imagine they would be married off to other wealthy elite bussines men of the time. But aside from that it is hard to say.

As for 1906, I am working on that right now. There is a LOT That happens in the three days that San Francisco burns, and my next post should give most who know that history a hint of what is going to come...
 
It is the turn of the Century! The year 1900 and Sam Jr, at age 55, decides to take Brannan Industries ‘into the future.’ Purchasing a block of old store fronts at the corner of Stockton and Post St, Brannan plans the construction of a large eight story new headquarters for the company. After Sam’s experience back at the Cliff House fire, he orders extensive fire-fighting devices installed thorough out the new building as well as regular “fire drills” to be done once a week every Tuesday by the staff. He also installs an onsite water tank to allow the pumping of water should the mains ever break. The papers at the time make light of his somewhat overreaction to fire safety. Sam simply retorts “I was almost burned once; I won’t be caught with my guard down again!”

With construction for the new offices underway, Sam feels it is time to take the company as a whole in a new direction as well. He decides it is time to start to patrician the company into a Corporation as he wishes to not have to be in direct control over such a massive industry. Putting himself as Chairmen, he reforms Brannan Industries into a new name “Crossroads Incorporated” As Sam says, “This Company from the start was always at the Crossroads of my life.”

Over the next year, as control of the company starts to be taken up by trusted board members, Sam finds himself with more time to pursue other goals. Through his love of nature and conservation, he starts to develop garden and park space around the edge of Mt. Sutro as well as paths to a private garden at the very top of the mountain. Ever the business man, he does charge a modest fee for those wishing to use the park, as well as leasing space for other would be merchants wishing to sell trinkets and food to the park goers.

In early 1901 Sam begins to consider yet another new direction for himself. After amassing so much wealth, he considers it is perhaps time to give some back. Like his father after renouncing the Mormon Church, Sam has never been very religious and made a point of not attending any of the local churches. He makes an announcement that he will do good ‘Because man should help fellow man, not because God commands it, but because it is the right and proper thing to do.” He decides to set up a foundation for giving funds to the needy and helping others.

Purchasing land at the corner of Green St and Jones St, he orders the construction of “Brannan Hall” A museum and place of learning that he hopes to be the first of many. Like the new headquarters, the Museum too is installed with state of the art fire-fighting equipment. Sam, looking for a place to spend time away from the office, also orders construction of a personal ‘office’ attached to the museum which includes a bedroom, library, kitchen and other amenities. In time it becomes a home away from home and Sam often ends up spending nights there instead of going all the way home. Aside from the Museum Sam begins to donate money to schools, Libraries and Universities throughout San Francisco and the rest of California.
 
It is the turn of the Century! The year 1900 and Sam Jr, at age 55, decides to take Brannan Industries ‘into the future.’ Purchasing a block of old store fronts at the corner of Stockton and Post St, Brannan plans the construction of a large eight story new headquarters for the company. After Sam’s experience back at the Cliff House fire, he orders extensive fire-fighting devices installed thorough out the new building as well as regular “fire drills” to be done once a week every Tuesday by the staff. He also installs an onsite water tank to allow the pumping of water should the mains ever break. The papers at the time make light of his somewhat overreaction to fire safety. Sam simply retorts “I was almost burned once; I won’t be caught with my guard down again!”

With construction for the new offices underway, Sam feels it is time to take the company as a whole in a new direction as well. He decides it is time to start to patrician the company into a Corporation as he wishes to not have to be in direct control over such a massive industry. Putting himself as Chairmen, he reforms Brannan Industries into a new name “Crossroads Incorporated” As Sam says, “This Company from the start was always at the Crossroads of my life.”

Over the next year, as control of the company starts to be taken up by trusted board members, Sam finds himself with more time to pursue other goals. Through his love of nature and conservation, he starts to develop garden and park space around the edge of Mt. Sutro as well as paths to a private garden at the very top of the mountain. Ever the business man, he does charge a modest fee for those wishing to use the park, as well as leasing space for other would be merchants wishing to sell trinkets and food to the park goers.

In early 1901 Sam begins to consider yet another new direction for himself. After amassing so much wealth, he considers it is perhaps time to give some back. Like his father after renouncing the Mormon Church, Sam has never been very religious and made a point of not attending any of the local churches. He makes an announcement that he will do good ‘Because man should help fellow man, not because God commands it, but because it is the right and proper thing to do.” He decides to set up a foundation for giving funds to the needy and helping others.

Purchasing land at the corner of Green St and Jones St, he orders the construction of “Brannan Hall” A museum and place of learning that he hopes to be the first of many. Like the new headquarters, the Museum too is installed with state of the art fire-fighting equipment. Sam, looking for a place to spend time away from the office, also orders construction of a personal ‘office’ attached to the museum which includes a bedroom, library, kitchen and other amenities. In time it becomes a home away from home and Sam often ends up spending nights there instead of going all the way home. Aside from the Museum Sam begins to donate money to schools, Libraries and Universities throughout San Francisco and the rest of California.
 
After three years of consolidating the new Corporation as well as setting up his foundation, Sam feels it is time to take a much overdue vacation across country. In the summer of 1903 he sets out across the nation to the east coast to visit New York and Washington. Sam makes several stops along the way, mostly looking for more markets to expand his department stores. He makes stops in towns in Nevada as well as Arizona, spending a few days in Prescott to buy land for future department stores.

Arriving in Washington, Sam Jr. takes time to meet with many lawmakers and representatives, and is granted a meeting with President Roosevelt. An ardent conservationist, Sam Jr. has often admired Roosevelt’s push for the preservation of America’s wild. He professes his past in the timber industry and having held on to the huge amount of land near Kings River, as a show of good faith, he offers half of the land to Roosevelt to be placed in the new national park service. Sam also makes a pledge to support ‘Teddy’ however many times he decides to run for President.

Heading north from DC, Sam Jr. spends a week visiting the huge city of New York and he becomes infatuated with the towering office buildings of down town. At a dinner at the Waldork Astoria hotel, he meets George Boldt, owner and millionaire as well. George Invites Sam to view a ‘Castle’ he is building along the St. Lawrence River. The massive castle, already dubbed ‘Boldts Castel’ Impresses Sam, and he jokes that someday he hopes he may have one just as grand.

Sam returns to New York and spends the winter at the Waldorf hotel, making business connections and enjoying the busy life of New York at the turn of the century. Also, Sam visits George Boldt and his family frequently as the Castle nears completion; going over for dinner and meeting with his family while chatting long into the evenings. On Christmas 1904 Sam offers a series of lavish gifts for both George and his beloved wife as a house warming present while spending Christmas with the Boldt family.
In January 1904 however, he hears that the Wife of George Boldt has passed away. George, devastated at the loss, orders construction on the Castle halted. In his hour of need, Sam goes to him, urging Boldt to finish the Castle as a testament of his love for his wife and a lasting symbol. Boldt agrees and completes the castle, dedicating it to the memory of his late Wife.

As construction started again on the castle, Sam Jr. left for home and back to San Francisco. On returning home, Sam decides to purchase the famous “Cliff House”; now a massive ginger bread style Castle. He over sees some modifications to it, mostly ordering the installation of enhanced firefighting equipment and regular fire drills.
 
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