Beautifully engraved certificate from the Preston Peak Company of New York issued in 1916. This historic document was printed by W.N. Perring & Co., Inc. and has an ornate border around it with a vignette of the company's name. This item has the hand signed signatures of the Company's President, George W. Young and Secretary, and is over 95 years old. Issued to George W. Young and signed by him on the verso.
Certificate Vignette Preston Peak Mine. This group consists of two patented claims, namely, the "Hobs" and "Copper Belt," located in 1891; and three unpatented claims, namely, the "Mountain King" and two others, located in 1891. All are situated in T. 17 N., R. 5 E., at an elevation of 4400 feet. They are owned by Charles A. Leib, G. W. Young, T. I. Mathey and others, of 20 Broad street, Boston, Mass. The mine is in the Siskiyou Forest Reserve, and readied by 5 miles of wagon road and 15 miles of trail from Waldo, Oregon. It became involved in legal difficulties and closed down in 1901. The country rock is diorite and serpentine, and the vein is quartz carrying chaleopyrite, pyrite, and values in gold. The ore is in the form of a series of lenses, having a strike of about southwest and northeast, and stands almost vertical in the serpentine. The surface croppings have been proven up for a distance of 200 feet. The mine is opened by a crosscut tunnel 315 feet, and at a distance of 235 feet from the portal a 48-foot winze in ore all the way. There was also 37 feet of drifting done around the ore body, and 400 feet of drifting on the tunnel level looking for more ore, but only small kidneys were found. At 650 feet below the upper tunnel a second tunnel was run 55 feet in length, but the work was stopped. No ore was ever shipped. The mine has not been working for some years and the camp buildings have fallen to decay. Preston Peak is a dominant feature of the Siskiyou Wilderness. Many peaks in the wilderness rise to over 6,000 feet but none come to within 500 feet of approaching the height of Preston Peak. From the summit on a clear day the Pacific Ocean is visible along with peaks in the Klamath Mountains and Cascade Range. John Hart, in his book Hiking the Bigfoot Country says of the peak: "At a mile and some above sea level it is by no means the highest peak in the Klamath Mountains...Yet there is no mountain in northern California which I remember with more pleasure. They say that early travellers on the Klamath River, glimpsing the mountain above them, thought it was 10,000 feet tall."[3] The Forest Service designated the peak and watershed around the peak the Preston Peak Botanical and Geological Area because of the rare plants and associations of plants that can be found. Here the Alaska cedar and noble fir reach the southern terminus of their range and share habitat with the northwest California endemic Brewer spruce and Port Orford cedar. There is also an interesting population of high elevation Pacific yew on the peak that, along with a few other population in the Klamath Mountains, may justify reclassification as at least a subspecies. A few other rare plants living on or around the peak are the phantom orchid and Siskiyou frittilary. RHODES JOURNAL OF BANKING AND THE BANKERS' MAGAZINE CONSOLIDATED 1905 GEORGE W. YOUNG & CO. With the growth of New York in financial importance, the field of private bankingalready occupied by some of the strongest houses in the monetary worldbecomes more and more attractive. Freedom from the restrictions of State and Federal banking laws affords a wider field of operations and greater possibilities of profits, without implying any necessary relaxation of the rules always imposed by considerations of safety. For, primarily, safety in banking is not a matter that can be assured by law. It depends chiefly upon the character of the management. The head of the new private banking firm of Geo. W. Young & Co., New York city, has justly earned a reputation for financial sagacity. His achievements are of a kind entitling him to rank among the most successful bankers of the country. That these are not mere random statements is amply shown by the history of the United States Mortgage and Trust Company, of New York, under his management. From 1893 to the close of 1904, under his direction, the deposits increased from $3,228,658 to $30,269,789, and surplus and profits accumulated to the extent of $4,072,734. During Mr. Young's management the earnings of the company were in excess of $6,250,000; of this amount $2,250,000 was paid in dividends and $4,000,000 added to surplus account. Mr. Young has had such a notably successful business career, that a brief record of it will be found interesting. He was born of Scotch-Irish parentage in Jersey City, on July 1, 1864, and attended the public schools of that city, afterwards taking the evening scientific course at Cooper Union. At the age of thirteen, he entered the employ of the law firm of L. & A. Zabriskie as an office boy, and subsequently, for a time, studied law. Shortly after, he secured a position in the Hudson County Bank, of Jersey City, and when only eighteen was promoted to the position of receiving teller. At this time he successfully passed a competitive examination for a cadetship at West Point, and received his commission from President Arthur; but the death of his father rendered necessary his retaining his position in the bank. When barely past his majority, he became Secretary and Treasurer of the New Jersey Title Guarantee and Trust Company. At twenty-eight he was elected Second Vice-President and Treasurer of the United States Mortgage Company (now United States Mortgage and Trust Company), and at the age of twenty-nine was chosen its President; commanding recognition at once as not only one of the youngest but one of the most able New York leaders in the world of business and finance. The results of his management of this company have been referred to above. On March 30, 1905, Mr. Young resigned as President of the United States Mortgage and Trust Company, to found the banking house of Geo. W. Young & Co. He continues, as chairman of the board of directors, to give the company the benefit of his knowledge of Investments and his wide experience in financial affairs. On his resignation as President, the board of directors of the United States Mortgage and Trust Company adopted the following: "Whereas, Mr. George W. Young, who for the past ten years has been President of this company, now declines to be a candidate for re-election, we desire to spread the following resolution on the minutes: Resolved, That we recognize the exellent, energetic and intelligent services which Mr. Young has rendered the company during his incumbency, and we feel that the high position which the company has attained has been in large measure owing to his earnest efforts and untiring devotion. Resolved, That in recognition of his services to this company, he be elected chairman to preside at the meetings of the board for the ensuing year; also, Resolved, That we tender Mr. Young our best wishes for success in the banking firm which he has established." The estimation in which he was held, not only by his official associates but by the employees of the company, was evidenced by the presentation to him of a handsome chiming clock, every one in the service of the company uniting in the testimonial. At a dinner, given by Mr. Young, about one hundred officers and employees were present to express their good will. In addition to being so long at the head of the company named, Mr. Young was instrumental in the formation and successful establishment of The Audit Company of New York, Commercial Trust Company of New Jersey, Jersey City Trust Company, Perth Amboy Trust Company and the Windsor Trust Company; and, in addition to being a director in these and in his own company, serves as a director in the following corporations: National Bank of Commerce, Acker, Merrall & Condit Co., Anacostia & Potomac River Railroad Co., Atlantic Securities Co., Bayonne Bank, Brightwood Railway Co., Buffalo Hump Mining Co., Casualty Company of America, City and Suburban Homes Co., City and Suburban Railway Co., Clarksburg Fuel Co., Columbia Railway Co., Continental Investment Co., Eastern Steel Company. Empire State-Idaho Mining & Developing Co., Fairmont Coal Co., Federal Mining ft Smelting Co., Georgetown & Tennallytown Railway Co., Interborough Rapid Transit Co., Lawyers' Surety Co. of N. Y.; Mechanics' Trust Co. of Bayonne; Metropolitan Railway Co., Washington, D. C: N. J. ft Hudson River Railway & Ferry Co., N. Y. Dock Co., Northern N. J. Land Co., O'Rourke Engineering Construction Co., Potomac Electric Power Co., Rapid Transit Subway Construction Co., Registrar & Transfer Co., Somerset Coal Co., Third National Bank, Jersey City, N. J.; Trinity County Gold Mining Co., U. S. Fidelity ft Guaranty Co., U. S. Safe Deposit Co., Washington Investment Co., Washington Railway & Electric Co., Washington ft Rockville Railroad Co., Wolff National Chemical Co. Mr. Young is a member of the Country Club of Lakewood, Deal Golf, Downtown, Lawyers', Manhattan, Maryland, Metropolitan of Washington, Players', Racquet and Tennis, Riding, and Rockaway Hunting Club. In November, 1889, Mr. Young married Miss Natalie Bray, of Jersey City, and their children are Dorothy and George Washington, Jr. Besides their New York residence, they have a charming summer home, "Oakwood Farm," adjoining the Deal Golf Club at Deal Beach, of which club Mr. Young is President. When Mr. Young established the firm of Geo. W. Young ft Co. he purchased the Stock Exchange seat of Bayard Dominick, Sr., paying $83,000 therefor. It may be regarded as certain, in view of the honorable and successful record already made by Mr. Young, that his firm will become among the strongest and most successful in the city. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who's who in finance, banking and insurance - 1911 YOUNG, George Washington Banker; born Jersey City, N. J., July 1, 1864; son of Peter and Mary (Crosby) Young; educated in public and high schools of Jersey City, N. J., and Cooper Union of New York: married, twice; second marriage at London, England, July 20, 1000, Lillian Nordlca; children: Dorothy and George Washington, Jr. (by former marriage). Receiving teller Hudson County National Bank at the ase of 18; became secretary and treasurer of the New Jersey Title Guarantee and Trust Co., at the age of 21; at 28 became vicepresident of the U. S. Mortgage and Trust Co., and at 30 its president, which position he resigned In 1005 to take up private banking under the firm name of George W. Young & Co., of which he Is senior member. Now president and director Consolidated Palo Amartllo Rubber Co., Continental Development Co.: vice-president and director Audit Co., of New York, Mechanics Trust Co., of New Jersey, Union Gas and Electric Co.. Cincinnati, Ohio.; secretary, treasurer and director O'Rourke Engineering Construction Co.; director Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, City and Suburban Homes Co., Commercial Trust Co., of New Jersey, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad Co., Interborough-Metropolltan Co., Jersey City Trust Co., Alma Coal Co., C. K. Davis Coal Co, Clarksburg, Fuel Co., Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Columbia Railway Co., Fairmont Coal Co., Hudson Cooperative Savings and Loan Ass'n, Interborough Rapid Transit Co., International import and Export Co., New York Terminal Co., Northern Railroad Co., of New Jarsey, Here Marquette Railroad Co., Perth Amboy Trust Co., Rapid Transit Subway Construction Co., Registrar and Transfer Co., New York, Riverside and Fort Lee Ferry Co., Third National Bank of Jersey City, N. J., Washington Investment Co., Windsor Trust Co. Member of Chamber of Commerce, Society of Puritans, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New York Zoological Society, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Clubs: Racquet and Tennis, Manhattan, Players, Rockway Hunting, Metropolitan Opera, National Democratic, Economic, Fifth Avenue Association, Automobile of America, Riding. Residence: Deal Beach, N. J. Office: 50 Cedar St.. N. Y. City Who's who in finance, banking and insurance: a biographical ..., Volume 1911 History research by OldCompany.com (old stock certificate research service).