The daily gazette., 1875-01-21
n NEW SENATOR.
Hon: william sharon. the king Of
'"""sfOck." Elected senator
from Nevada

oioh, the Republicans secured q maiorit,
| OF twenty -one on Joint ballot in the Leg
isiatnre, nearly all of the Republicor
members being pledged, before the elec.
tion, to vote for William Sharon for U
.. senator, in place OF William NJ Stew.
aft' whose term expires in March. Sha.
ron accordingly received the cauc,s nom
NATION, and on Tuesday last was elected
| Senator, the election being proclaimed
In Joint session on "Wednesday. He re.
| ceIyed the entire Republican vote.
| Hoh' William Sharon, the new Sena.
tor, wa born on the 9th of January
| ISL, at Smithfield, Jefferson county
Ohio. He lived at home and steadifv
| attended the village school, excenf NJ
bref intervals when he was engaged ON
| his fathers farm
At seventeen the passion for travel
came upon him. The southeastern nor
ton OF his native State was at that time
new, ana although steamboats, were rum
hihg ON the Ohio river to Pittsburg, they
were insignificant crafts, and their trips
were infreqent. He purchased an inter-
est IN hatboat and started for New Or
leans. His experience in this line of
business was unfortunate. In crossing
the falls at Louisville the boat was
wrecked, and serious loss and great in
convenience followed. His partners de-
lrauded the young boatman, and. shorn
OF the prohts OF his Investment. he re-
turned finally from New Orleans. wear
led and disgusted with human natnre
to his native valley.
After working for three years ON the
Old homestead, in which his father gave
nun an interest, he entered Athens Col
iege rs IL student, being then twenty one.
AT enty-five he left college and went
pack TO the farm. In the spring of 1859
ne went across the plains in company
WIN Col' mel ). ID. Fry, the two stopping
Tor awhile Mt Salt Lake City. In August
OF that year he arrived at Sacramento
ut once purchased stock of goods. and
commenced business. The floods of l849
anu 1880 swept his store ont Of existence
put this did not ruin him entirely. In
the winter of 1850 he came to San Fran.
cisco, and began buying and selling real
estate, having his office in small frame
building ON Montgomery street. He con.
tinued buying and selling real estate nm.
I'll 1861, at which time he had accumula-
ted fortune of Sl50,OOO.
In 1861 the Board of Brokers was Or
ganlzed. Mr.. Sharon became a specula.
tor IN stocks, and in six months he had
lost all the property which he had spent
so many years in acquiring. He asked |
employment OF the Bank of California,
and was sent TO Virginia City, Nevada,
70 ADJUST some outstanding claim for |
tnht institution. He afterwards suggest |
ed to the bank that an agency or branch
should be established there. This was
done, and he was placed at its head. I'm
limited powers were granted TO him, and
ne heid the position for many years, to
the great profit of the parent house in
san francisco, finally leaving it at his
own desire, and being succeeded by A
J. Ralston.
Meanwhile Mr. Sharon was gradually
becoming one of the greatest mine-own.
ers in Nevada, and he is now ranked as
the King of the Comstock," by reason
or ms many controlling interests in mines
worked on that great ledge, and in the
mills and railroads which are necessary
adjunct to the mines. His success as a
operator has been due TO his |
ahreWd business tact and management. |
, me Following ''omstock mines are under |
his control and management yellow
Jacket, Dayton, Imperial, Belcher, Em- |
pre-. Mill, Cholar, Eclipse, and Ophir
lie Is also largely Interested in Sierra
Nevada, Caledonia. and Overman, which
are controlled and managed by General
II. +. Morrow, his confidential friend. |
His acquisition of the Ophir mine last
year was q peculiar illustration of the
manner in which the speculat ors in min
ing stocks operate in the Pacific States.
Sharon called several friends together
and they resolved to wrest the control of
the Ophir mine from Baldwin and in
one day 1000 shares We're purchased in |
Sharons interest, thus turning over to |
nm the coveted management A few |
days afterwards Sharon turned his eve 1
npon the Empire Mill, and in one day,
in this case, as in the other, he secured |
control of it also, without regard to ex-
pense. But large as are his interest in /
these mines. his ownership in the Union
Mill and Mining Company yields him a
much larger revenue. This institution
is composed of Sharon, Mills. and Rails
ton, and it owns large number of mills
on the Carson and elsewhere. These
mills are kept constantly employed on
ores from the mines owned in whole OF
in part by Sharon and his friends. The
profits are very large.
The Western papers have recently
been flooded with startling and almost
incredible accounts of the great
Bonanza, as the newest discovery
of ore in the COmstock region has
been styled. This great "bmglc," or
the true heart of the Comstock silver
lode, was discovered only Il few
weeks ago. The huge body of ore is
said to extend through the Consolida-
ted Virginia, California, and Ophir
claims, and to be not less than 1,2O0
feet in length. The ore is very rich,
and will yield from 800 to $1,000 per
ton. Sharon himself stated recently
that the gross yield of the discovery
would be about $500, 900, ,OQ0, anu the
profits from $50, ,000, 900 to $500, ,OOO,-
900. He considered the discovery the
most important event in the history of
The Pacific Coast, and it probably is,
as far as the new Senator is concerned.
If 1T turns out as well as he antici-
patcs, he ought, when he takes his
seat in the Senate, to be beyond the
reach of bribers of all sorts.
Mr.. Sharon also owns What is
known as the CROOKED railroad"
from Keno to Virginia City.
The mills and hosting works in and
about the Comstock consume an i'm
lnense amount of wood. This was
hauled by wagon to Virginia CITY, and