The daily gazette., 1877-05-29
JAMES C. FLOODS FORTUNE.
THE STORY OF A CALIFORNIA MILLION.
AIRES WEALTH, AS TOLD BY HIMSELF.
From the E2,e11i120 Post

THE STORY OF A CALIFORNIA MILLION
AIRE's WEALTH, AS TOLD BY HIMSELF.
- From the Evening Post. ,, 90.
SAN FRANCIsoo.s May 2S.-John A.
Sutter was indeed the hero of revolu-
ton in the history of civilization. The
first discoverer of tho gold at the "Mill
Race" is still living, and his is an example
of the fate of those who, in adding to the
wealth of nations, have impoverished
themselves. He has still his unaudited
claims before the Government for sup
plies furnished the army in those early
days when by his means the infant set
tlement was preserved from the depreda-
ton of the Indians. 1t is now only twenty
nine years since Suffers men brought
him handful of glittering sand found in
the mill slurice, and from that day to the
close of 1876 the product Of gold and
silver has been 81 ,147 900 900 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 az
pears that the gratest yield was in 1853,
namely, $68,000,00O. In 1875 it was the
smallest since 1913, namely, $17 zoo, 900,
and this was increased during the last
year only 81 300, 900. tf7e gf /
To day 1 met with James G. Flood.
& OBnen on the Bank of California and
the tragic death of Ralston consequent
upon that time of excitement? / asked
Mr.. Flood if all this was true. "All was
lie," he said, "Ralston was a good fell
low; he died. L don't know how-well,. ).
the coroner's jury gave the verdict, but l
tell you this: did not drive him to it.
He owed me a great deal of money, and
only two days before his death he told
me he was in trouble, and asked me not
to present check of his for $500, 900,
which 1 held. / kent my word, and
when L heard of the run on the bank, al
| though l knew it would 60 down, did
not call for my money. He was my
| friend"
Mr.. Flood is about fifty years of age of
robust appearance, and pleasing address.
He was ready to answer all our ques-
tions, and, moreover, volunteered some
what of his personal history, which re-
produce in brief for people like to hear
| how a "self-made man" made himself
out of nothing into a golden image of the
value of twenty-five millions of dollars.
Il came out here" he said, Sin 1849.
| | was coachmaker by trade, and read
lily adapted myself to the business of
carpenter, at which / earned $l6 day.
But had the gold fever like all the rest,
and so struck out for the mines. Well,
Il
as much as we could do to dig ourselves
out of the snow without digging much
gold But l stuck to ir, and / made
So, 900. l thought was rich, and so l
went home and took my family out
West, where bought farm. soon
found that $1,000 was not fortune. So
we sold out, packed up, and came here
again. 1 went into busin IS, was sue
cessful at first, then went under owing
| $4,000. earned that money and paid up.
From one thing to another 1 got into the
Hale and Norcross mine, and that gave
me my first big start. I've been in the
mining business ever since. l never
bought share of stock that l did not
pay for and take away. l never sold a
share short. Mining is risk, any way:
but it is risk almost always the wrong
way to people who speculate on mar
gins. You ask me about the Bonanzas
Well | believe in them; hut you need not
pin your faith on me. I've right to do
what like with my own money. I've
got a comfortable home of eight rooms
for my little family, and so | spend what
| don't want for marketing and clothes in
Bonanzas. I've followed the 'Consolida-
| ted Virginia and the California down
from par to twenty f1nr, their present
| price. I've bought 1901 900 shares of the
! first and $4,000 shares of the last, and
I'm going to follow them down to the
bottom; for l know-at least think
| that know-thdt there is more money
in item than has ever been taken out;
any way shall stick to it. As to those
mining boards, don care it the Stock
Exchange closes tomorrow, and there IS
never another share bought or sold. If
the mines fail, why then I'll take the
money I've got out of them and set the
tim Der on fire, and that will be the end
, No, don't go; Pm not busy-Pn never
b 'sy now. l was busy when | had to
scull round to get five dollars. Now
can afford to pay my clerks and talk
with nv friends.