The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-06-29

r..ir Hundred million Dollars and How
they Got All that Wealth.

my good fortune 10 meet socially while
n san Francisco four ~ the most con
.nieuous, the wcalthiest and the mos
influential men on the Pacific coast
These men are Senator Sharon, owner ol
he Palace Hotel aud Belmont, and who
also owns the Water-works which sup.
nv San Francisco; ex-Gov. Leland
stanford, President Of the Central Pa
citic Railroad; j. G.. Flood. chief owner
~ the mines on the Comstock lode
and the Warwick behind the Bank Of
Nevada; and Charles Croker, Presi-
dent IL the Southern Pacific Railroad.
These four gentlemen are worth, sup
nose, one hundred millions Of dollars,
and, a. they are all young. fresh, vigor-
ous. and ambitious, they will. no doubt,
one day have more wealth than all the
rest 81 the inhabitants Of the Pacific
coast combined
Mr.. Flood is strong man--abont
fory-fyc years old. first met him in
his little Office in the Bank Of Nevada,
and aiterward received an invitation
b spend an evening AZ his house.
Mr.. Flood looks like retired gynnast.
He has a bullet head. covered with
cose-cut hair, and supported by a
tremendous neck. Naturally fair, his
face and hands are tanned To that scar
lei red which appears on a young lady's
face after riding all day in stage and
eating 4 big dinner Of bcefsteak and on
ions. Ills hands are large. like
miners, and, il compelled 10 60 into the
mines again, they could shovel and pick
4. much As ANY miner in the camp. The
artists. who like 10 see every muscle Of
man developed, would call Mr.. Flood
handsome: not handsome like the
Apollo Belyedere, but sinewy and grand,
Ike Hercules. His speech is slow and
careful and, unlike Ralston, who was
All outside show, he courts retirement.
Indeed, there are many people i'm San
Francisco who read and talk about
Hood every day who have never seen
him. In this particular he j. like .Jar
Gould. Mr.. Floods partner j. Mr.
O'Brien, practical miner, who lives az
Virginia City, and attend, personally
d the mines, while Flood manipulates
them in his little room in the Bank Of
Nevada, during the day, and retires
quietly 70 his family nj night. His tastes
are modest, and would do for man
worth 800. 900, instead Of $20. OOO. 900. \
Mr.. Flood j. modest and retiring. de-
voting her whole time 70 her husbands
and childrcn's happiness.
Mr.. Flood gave me long account Of
how he first came 10 California, but as
made no notes al the time | can not
recall the dates. He came originally as
miner, and worked in the mines with
varying fortune until he accumulated
5000.
Then. 4 said Mr.. Flood. ~ thought
l wa rich, and haven't thought 50
since ! was happy, too happier than
am now. went back to Illinois 60
ouf farm. thought this $1,000
would keep me All my life.-
But i seems that Mr.. Flood soon used
up his $1,000; soon sold his farm. and
wa back q California again. where six
years ago he and O'Brien kept 4 small
saloon IN san Francisco. and mixed
len-ceni drinks for any body able 10 pa,
ior them, Among Flood and O'Brien's
sequainiances were two miners, John
alackey and James Fair. In their
meanderng~ around the Comstock lode
"a mountain twenty-five miles long
above Virginia City, in which are To-
Gated about thirty Of the richest silver
mines IN Neyada), Fair and Mackey
s n" some ontcroppings Of silver quartz.
~ claim was then owned by a Mr.. ,
Mckinney and others Of Kentucky.
far and Mackey bought the claim fora :
'Hiic, took in Flood and O'Brien Az
laHners,and commenced prospecting.
hat was the resultP'' asked Mr..
Flood.
Why. we soon found we had two of /
u ,ne pest silver mines ever found on the
NVmstock, and by far the richest mines !
" me world. We soon formed a stock /
Dmpany, opened the Consolidated Viz
Una, which has paid 81, OO0.OOO in /,
and the California, which has !,
pId $4,000, 900 in dividends. =
1 ! learn from California banker that !
1000 'Brien, Macky and Fair, as soon !,
I 'hey found how rich the Bonanza
Hlhes We're, Immediately commenced 10 Z
IAr Them. After bearing them awhile. 4
"'s bought out the whole Of the Be- 4
INV. NINE, Consolidated Virginia and
sl;a.l,,ornia, At Sl5 per share. Then they =
v each mine into los, 900 shares, !
nv commenced selling the shares at i
.on scv 70 S75 per share. The people !
,', \, Wild over these mines. Fair went !,
N ashlngton and offered 70 furnish !,
n. government Sl0,OOO,000 in silver )
N. month. Then came those wild Bo- :,
'"l1a times. Every body, from cham !
s;ni % clergyman, bought these !
NV. stocks. San Francisco went i
irr for two years the Bonanza :,
ra are sad 70 have unloaded their \
M" On the people at from $3.50 TO 4
,oel pcr share. Then they watcrcd the i,
WAN, lsn' ana to-day, after grand collapse. !,
.~'Dh mas brought misery and tears "a !.
~.