The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-23
BOWERS MANSION.
A Ruined Palace in Nevada.
fCarson Appeall

tCarson Appeal
All residents of Nevada will recall what a
famous resort Bowers Mansion used to be
in the flush times some fifteen years ago
Sandy Bowers made SOME lucky turns in
Crown Point and Belcher, and almost before
he knew it was worth a cool million, and
some say more. He believed that money
was made to use, and so purchased some
property near WashOe Lake and built his
mansion. 1t was by far the most pretentious
dwelling that had ever been thought of in
Nevada, and when people saw the broad and
solid masonry going up they wondered il
it would not bankrupt its builder After
the house was finished the Bowers went to
Europe for upholstery and furniture. The
house cost about $1,000 to build, and the
furniture cost about as much more 1t was
simple proposition with Bowers to have
everything in sight land - the expense. y
He had about him some bad advisers in
those days. and they led him into all sorts
of extravaganza. lie was open-hearted and
liberal as the day, and the mansion became
favorite resort He was never happier
than when he had big crowd dancing in
his parlOrs and drinking his champagne
He gave grand suppers, balls, and recep
tions, and the bigger the crowd the better
he liked it,
This sort of thing went on for years. and
presently Bowers reached the bottom of hi:
sack. Gradually the property passed out Of
his hands. Ii went little by little. but il
went all the same, and finally Sandy Bowers
died in poverty aud left a widow known as
the "WashOe SeereSS," a good, kind-hearted
genial old lady. who makes a living by re
yealing the future, and is looked upon as
wonderful medium by the Spiritualists
After his death the glories of the mansion
departed, and at the present time it is unin-
habited.
"a few Sundays ago an Appeal reporter
visited the place. The gate was tied up,
and the unbroken road showed that no car
riage had driven through it for many day.
A stroll over the ground showed that they
were really deserted by everything except
birds and jack rabbits. The dancing hall
was empty. and the old bath house, sup
piled with water from the hot springs had
been turned into a sort of hostelrie for the
wayfaring tramps, who, at the approach OF
footsteps. crawled out and betook them
selves TO the hills The fountain, which in bet
ter days had sent Jets of silver high in the
air, and Showered its spray upon the grass
when the wind was high had evidently not
been in state of activity for years. A
black snake lay coiled on the masonry
OnabaShed by human presence. he con
tinued basking in the sun, and wore the all
of party who knew his rights Lizards
udiNCi III Oul VI tltt NlCNiNto vi
stones, and notified toads. with bellies OF
aldermanic patterns, sweated and sweltered
in the grass, the growth of which no lawn
mower ever worried. The house had kept
peace with the premises in the matter of dc
caying The doors were all nailed up and
any one stepping on the porch would wager
any amount that the building was empty
Each tread was multiplied into a score OF
echoes which only empty houses respond
to. A peep through the windows showed
nothing but uncarpeted floors, bare walls
and CHASTITY white ceilings. Bowers had
built fish pond when he was flush, and
not forgetting that scenery was something
placed an island in the center. This wa:
covered with delightful growth of willows
which swept the water with truly pictur
! esque effect The fish, snakes and turtle;
held possession of this spot, and seemed OBJ
livious of Intrusion. The water was per
fectly clear. and from the bottom a curiou.
vegetable growth was discernible, which wa!
in itself a sufficient attraction to repay
visit. The weed was fine and green. and
arose in sucl; heavy masses that half tn,
pond was filled with il.