Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-03-22
A BONANZA KINGS RESIDENCE
In CALIFORNIA.

ference BetUeen Then and Noao-
Bar-rooms and Bonansas-Mosaic
Floors and Marble Nantes.
Perhaps l have slipped from your
sight so long that you have overlooked
the fact that still live, and still de-
light in the beautiful things which God
has given us, as we'll as the elegancies
wrought by the haud of man.
When | last left you, the gates of the
grounds of Leland Stanford, the railroad
king, were just closing upon US. We
had fingered awhile in the house of
millionaire, and had come forth there
from still able to say our soul is our
own, which is better chan some can Go.
Again taking our way toward San
Francisco, we come but little distance
before we halt at stately mansion, fast
approaching completion. 1t is difficult
at first to realize that we have not been
transplanted to old England and are not
standing upon the outer grounds of some
Lords estate, i. SO spacious are the
grounds. so grand the proportions of the
mansion before our eyes, for we are not
| yet quite accustomed to the thought that
mans residence and grounds may cost
him good portion of million dollars,
and still he need not feel any stringency
in his money market.
So it is with the man before whose
gates we now stand, for this is one of
the residences of James G. Flood, one of
the Bonanza quartette, and said to be
prospective father-in- law to Ulysses
Grant, jr., the Generals second son.
Most of us rejoice with exceeding
great joy over the possession of twenty
five feet front. This Flood has covered
land enough to give thousands of US our
front feet and garden patch beside.
But this was not always thus. He
was not "born in the purple" He used
to keep little groggery down near the
city front he and Billy O'Brien, the
Bonanza jewel which was taken to its
final setting more than year ago. The
little shop was a favorite place with
miners, and as the chain-lightning he
furnished slipped down their throats
their tongues were loosened and care
fully guarded secrets crept out from
their hiding places, and seeing their op-
pOrtunity, slipped off the miners ton
CUES, taking refuge in the willing ears
which the Isle of Erin had furnished to
Jim Flood-for he was only Jim, the
barkeeper, then. And so he gathered
the valuable bits of information which
they dropped. along with the other
"bits" which rapidly filled his till.
By and by Jimmy Flood and Billy
O'Brien "caught the fever" and mani
tested more interest in the mines in Ne
vada than they did in the little grog
shop in town. And they purchased ode
claims from men who had grown dis
couraged and lost their grip, adding tt
them other claims owned by restless
men who were glad to shift to othe
quarters. The people talked, as people
always will, and said they were choic'
pair of fools; that the savings of tn
bar-room would vanish long before the,
could strike pay ore; that the claim
would not pan out we'll and so on t.
the end of the chapter
But these two Irlshmen shoveled an,
blasted, working diligently in seaso
and out of season, until one day th
world suddenly knew that, in spite Q
croakers, they had struck it rich, an
: were the owners of large slice of wha
is known as the s'famous Comstoc
Lode" The stock of their mines wen
up like shooting star, changing fror
five dollars to hundreds in two or thre
days. Californians were nearly drive
crazy over the sudden stroke of fortun
and gambling in the shares of thes
mines made fortunes for few and man
beggars and suicides of many.
. At some point of their adventur,
James Fair and John W. Mackey wei
r added to the firm which now wake
rich with marvellous rapidity.
: How many millions are they worth
{ | dinna know, nor do think they ca
D just tell themselves. Probably a goo
S mauy when there are marriage settl
: ments to make, but only few when tt
tax-gatherer passes by. They own
r bank with paid up capital of betwee
r ten and twelve millions; they own
:. controlling interest IN several mines
- |
they own, individually, large sums
= government securities, Floods Sntere
o from four-per-cents, amounting to $50
600 per annum they own in Nevad
y water works, mills, timber lands
everything under heaven they can NAL
: a monopoly of and make money fror
i They are constructing narrow gauI
it railroad down the coast, and good on
) too; they are erecting palatial reside
q ces in and out of town. The fact
!. = they own-well, a good deal; amor
is other things, the reputation of makir
r beggars of more men, women and chi