Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-01-22
SILVER-LAND NABOBs.
From the Buffalo Express. I

From the Buffalo Express.l
One of the curious features of Pacific
coast life is the startling uncertainty that
marks mans career in the mines he
may spring from poverty to wealth SC
euddenly as to turn his hair white, and
then after G while he may become poor
again SO suddenly as to make all that
hair fall off and leave his head as clean
as billiard-ball. The great Nevada
silver excitement of $3.50 was prolific
in this sort of viciesitudes.
Two brothers, teamsters, did some
hauling for man ir Virginia City, and
had to take small segregated portion Of
silver mine in lieu of $500 cash. They
gave an outsider third to open the
mine, aud they went on teaming. But
not long. Ten months afterward the
mine was out of debt and paying each
owner $4,000 to $4,000 a month-say
100000 year. They had that hand
some income for just about two years
and they dressed in the loudest kind oi
costumes, and wore mighty diamonds,
and played poker for amusement, these
men who had seldom had $40 at one
time in all their lives before. One Of
them is tending bar for wages now, and
the other is serving his country as com.
mander-in.chief of street-car in San
Francisco at $75 month. BE was very
glad to get that employment, too.
One of the earliest nabobs that Nevada
was delivered of wore $4,000 worth of dia
monds in his bosom, and swore he was
unhappy because he couldn't spend his
money as fast as he made it. But let us
learn from him that persistent effort is
bound to achieve success at last. Within
years time his happiness was secure
for he hadn'ta cent to spend.
Another Nevada nabob boasted an in
come that often reached $4,000 a
month; aud he used to love to tell how
be had worked in the very mine that
yielded it for FIVE dollars q day when he
first came to the country. Three years
sfterward he attained to the far more ex-
cseding grandeur Of working in it again
at four dollars day.
The silver and sege-brush State has
knowledge of another of these pets
of fortune-lifted from actual poverty to
effiuence almost in single night-who
was able to offer 100000 for position
of high official distinction shortly after
ward, and did offer it, and little over a
year ago friend saw him shoveling
anow on the Pacific railroad for living,
away up on the summit of the Sierras,
some seven thousand feet above the level
of comfort and the sea. The friend re-
marked that 1t must be pretty hard work,
though, as the snow was twenty five feet
deep, it promised to be steady job, at
least. Yes, he said, he didn't mind 1t
now, though month or so ego, when it
was sixty-two feet deep and still snow
ing, he wasn't 80 much attached to it.
Such is life.
Then there was John Smith. That
wasn't his name, but we will call him that.
he was good, honest, kind-hesrted fell
low, born and reared in the lower ranks
of life, and miraculously ignorant. He
drove team, and the team belonged to
another man. By and by he married an
excellent woman, who owned a small
ranch-s ranch that paid them a COM
Portable living, for although ityielded but
little hay, waat little it did yield was
worth from $3.50 to $500 in gold per ton
in the market Presently Smith traded
a few acres of the ranch for small uu.
developed silver mine in Gold Hill. He
opened the mine and built a little unpre-
tending ten stamp mill. Eighteen
months afterward he quit raising hay,
for his mining income had reached q
most comfortable figure. Some people
said it was $4,000 month, and others
said it was $4,000. Smith was very rich
anyhow. He built a house out in the
desert-right in the most forbldding and
otherwise bowling desert-and 1t was cur
rently reported that that house cost him
a quarter of a million. Possibly that was
exareerated somewhat, though 1t GER
tsinly vas 3 fine house and costly one.
The bedstesas cost $400 to $500 apiece.
And then the Smiths gent to Europe
and travelled. And when they came back
Saith was never tired of telling about
the fine hogs be had seen in England,
ana tLe gorgeous sheep he had seen in
Spain, and tks 6ns cattle ne had noticed
in the vicinity Of home. re was full OF
the wonder Of the old world, aud advised
evervbody 10 travel. he said q man
never Imagined what surprising things
there we're Ia ths Vorld tillhe had travelled.
One dsy, on board ship, tls passengers
made nm a pool Of $500, which was 70 "
ibe property Of the man who should come
neatsst % guessing the run of the vessel
for the nekt sgenty-four hours Next
day. toward noon, tie agsTes were all 10
the hands of the purser 10 sealed saFel'
oSes. Smith was serene and happy Tor
be had lees hribipg the engineer But
another party vos iss Prizsl Smith
said:
Here, that won't dol BE guessed
two miles uidss of the mark than / did"
The purser said; "Mr. Smith, you
missed Il further than any man on board,
We travelled 20s miles yesterday"
well, sir" said Smith, that's just
where I've got you, for ! guessed tEo
hundred aud nine. II you'll look at my
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