The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-08-21
The yIiIIionaires of California

Death has been making sad havoc among
the millionaires and great men of California
during the past year. In that short space she
has lost by death, one of her most renowned
lawyers, in the person Of the late William B.
FELTON,.
Among the millionaires, we have TO chron-
icle the names of Hopkins, the railroad king,
who left millions 70 his relatives but not
cent to charitable purposes. Next we have
the late William S. O'Brien, the banker and
mining stock operator, who left very large
fortune, part of which he humanely bequeathed
to charitable and proper uses, and the remain
der to his immediate relatives. Next on the
list, is Isaac Friedlander, the grain king who
was for many years the largest and heaviest
grain operator ON the American continent. We
do not know how his worldly affairs footed up
after his death but in the business circles of
San Francisco he will be missed. Last, but
by no means the least, comes the renowned
Michael Reese, native of Frankfort, Germany,
but for many years a citizen of California, the
latter portion of his life he spent in San Fran
cisco. By tact, industry and fortunate invest
ments, he accumulated very large fortune,
running into the millions. He was bachelor,
famous for his parsimony and gastronomic pro-
pensities. A few weeks before his death he con-
ceived the idea of paying visit to his native
city, Frankfort, where he arrived just in time
to give up his last breath where he had drawn
his first. How singular and mysterious this
latter incident in the life of the man seems
If we are to credit the newspaper reports from
San Francisco, Mr.. Reese, in his will has left
some charitable bequests but from his char
acter for closeness in money matters, we in
cline to the belief, that there must be some
mistake about his doing so, still, we hope the
report is true.
Thus it is seen that death has been busy
among the noted characters of San Francisco
for year past, and one by one they are pass
ing away. In the above record we have tht
moral lesson taught US of the futility of pla-
cling our affections upon things earthly. Money
may purchase position in society; money may
bring independence of all outward want, ant
serve for the time being the purpose of graft
| flying our desires but it is useless as dros
when death knocks at the door, for death ii
no respecter of persons or conditions. None,
cannot purchase moments exemption from
the grave. nay more:
"An angels arm can't keep from the grave,
Legions of angels can't conine there"
To those who are toiling day and night to la,
up heaps of gold, whose souls are wrapped VI
in the all-absorbing thought of getting rich
the lesson taught by the untimely taking Of
of so many noted millionaires in Californi
should not be forgotten.
"Win gold and wear it, is true and trit
motto. The lot of the miser must be the mos
unhappy of all earthly conditions. The low
of money causes many men, and women too
misery untold, and when they have it, it bring
them nothing but anxiety and distress. Better
far better, to have crust with contentment
than all the wealth of Golconda, without tru
peace ard serenity of soul, which can only
secured by conscience void of offence towar
our fellow-man, and peace with God the Fathe
of us all.