The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-23
The Story of a California MilliOnaire's
Wealth. $685..

WCdllus
John A. Suffer was indeed the hero of
revolution in the history of civilization.
The first discoverer of the gold at the
Mill Race" is still living, and his is an
example of the fate of those who, in add
ing to the wealth of nations, have i'm
poverished themselves. He has still his
unaudited claims upon the Government
for supplies furnished the army in those
early days, when by his means the infant
settlement was preserved from the depre-
dations of the Indians. 1t is new only
twenty-nine years since Suffers men
brought him handful of glittering sand
found in a mill sluice, and from that day
to the close of 1876 the product Of gold
and silver has been 81, 147, 100000 in this
State alone! 1t is a common mistake to
suppose that this production is regularly
increasing. Far from it. From an in
teresting table of statistics compiled by
the editor Of the Commercial Herald it
appears that the greatest yield was in
1853, namelys $6S,000,000. In 1875 it
was the smallest since 1S4S, namely:
! $17, 700, 600, and this was increased dur
ing the last year only 81, 100000.
To-day l met with James c. Flood.
Who has not heard of the "raid" of Flood
and O'Brien on the Bank of California
and the tragic death of Ralston conse-
quent upon that time of excitement? |
asked Mr.. Flood if all this was true.
All was a lie," he said; "Ralston was
a good fellow; he died, l don't know how
well, the Coroners Jury gave the YER
dict, but tell you this: l did not drive
him to it. He owed me great deal of
money, and only two days before his
death he told me he was in trouble, and
asked me not to present a check of his
for 5000, 600, which l held. kept my
word, and when l heard of the run on
the bank, although l knew it would 90
down, did not call for my money. He
was my friend"
Mr.. Flood is about fifty years of age,
of robust appearance and pleasing adj
dress. He was ready to answer all our
somewhat of his personal history, which
reproduce in brief; for people like to
hear how a self-made" man made him
self out of nothing into golden image
of the value of $25, 10000
" l came out here" he said, Gin 1S49.
was coachmaker by trade, and readily
adapted myself to the business of a car
penter, at which l earned sixteen dollars
a day. But had the gold fever like all
the rest, and so | struck out for the
mines. Well, we had rough time that
winter. 1t was as much as we could do
! to dig ourselves out of the snow without
digging much gold. But ! stuck to it,
and | made $4,000. | thought l was
rich, and so went home and took my
| family out West, where | bought farm
soon found that $4,000 was not fort
une. So we sold out, packed up, and
came here again. ! went into business,
was successful at first, then went under
owing 81 ZOO. l earned that money and
! paid up. From one thing to another |
got into the Hale & Norcrsss mine,
and that gave me my first big start. I've
been in the mining business ever since.
| never bought share of stock that did
not pay for and take away. never sold
share short. Mining is a risk, any
way; but it is a risk almost always the
wrong way to people who speculate on
margins. You ask me about the Bonan-
zas. Well, l believe in them; but you
need not pin your faith on me. I've a
right to do what | like with my own
money. I've got comfortable home of
eight rooms for my little family, and so
spend what l don't want for marketing
and clothes in Bonanzas. I've followed
the Consolidated Virginia and the Cal,
ifOrnia' down from par to twenty-four,
their present price. I've bought $50, 600
shares of the first and $4,000 shares of
the last, and I'm going to follow them
down to the bottom; for Iknow-at least
think that know-that there is more
money in them than has ever been taken
out; anyway | shall stick to it. AS to
those mining boards, / don't care if the
Stock Exchange closes tomorrow, and
| there is never another share bought OF
sold. If the mines fail, why, then III
take the money I've got out of them and
set the timber on fire, and that will be
the end. No, don't go; I'm not busy
Pm never busy now, Twas busy when ]
had to scull around to get five dollars.
Now can afford to pay my clerks and
talk with nay friends. - San francisco
| Letter.