Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-28
THE BONANZA KINGS.
Dissolution of the Great Firm-TheIr
 Private Lives and Fortunes. [San Francisco Letter in St Louis Globe-Dem

Dissolution of the Great Firm-TheIr
 Private Lives and Fortunes.
 [San Francisco Letter in St. Louis Globe Demo-
 crat.]
 The reporters for several days nave been trying to get to the real causes which have led to the retirement of Senator Fair from the Nevada bank. This took place last November, but so reticent is every one con nected with this institution that it only leaked out few days ago. The bank is one of the largest financial institutions on the coast and was incorporated in May, 1875, about the time the bonanza excitement first began to show signs of waning. Its capital stock was $5,000,000, and the ineorpo- rators were the bananza kings--Flood, O'Brien, Mackay and Fair-and Louis Nc Lane, the head of Wells, Fargo &r Go. s great express company. MeLane retired in about two years, and since then the bonanza men have ruled the bank, by means of dummy stockholders, about as effectively as though it were mine on the Comstock. The bank has been a little mint in revenue to the min ing millionaires, as they have used it as a tender to all their speculations, and it's ac counts have given them due knowledge of the moneyed strength of the chief operators on Pine street. Last fall it seems that Mac kay aud Fair had serious falling out, and Mackay declared that he would either sell out to Fair or buy the Senator's share. Fair re- piled that he wouldn't sell unless Flood would sell also, or he would buy out both. He thought at the time that Maclzay was crip pied by his telegraph and cable schemes, and could not accept his offer. Mackay, how ever, promptly agreed to his terms, and, it is said, bought the shares of Flood and Fair, making him the sole owner of this great bank. Flood, a dummy stockholder, re- mained in the presidency, and will continue to discharge the duties of that office until next November.
 Fair is credited with being the sharpest d lone Af all hOnanZa millionaires Old Uncle Billy O'Brien never had any capacity except for drinking whis- key, and his chief service in his last years was to ornament the front of the bank, lean ing against of the big pillars and giving out false ''pointers'' in stocks to the credu- lous crowd who believed that he had inside
 information of rich strikes of ore. He died,
 and his sole memorial is huge granite and
 marble tomb in the Catholic cemetery, for
 the erection of which he had the shrewdness
 to leave in his will handsome sum. Flood
 is as square-dealing man who manipu- lates mining stock can be, and his word is said to be good as his bond iu any bushes transaction. Mackay is more popular here than Flood, and there is even more conf dence in his integrity. Like Flood, he is very reticent and has great disinclination to any notoriety, never appearing in the newspapers when he can avoid it. Personal ly he doesn't spend $2, 800 year upon him self as he dresses very plainly in slouch hat and an ordinary business suit, but it must take the revenues of millionair, to meet the bills of his wife in Paris. Flood is also very simple in his own tastes, and is seldom seen at any place of amusement, but he has an expensive family and is building brown stone palace on Mob Hill, which will cost $1, ,OOO, 900 before it is completed and furnished. The Nevada silver Senator keeps no estab- lishment since his wife secured divorce and S4 500, 900 of the common property. Public opinion was against him at the time of the divorce suit of his wife, and nothing has since changed it. She has lived quietly with her children in her handsome resi- dence on Pine street, few blocks beyond the railroad millionaires palaces. She goes into the best society and gives very hand some entertainments. The secret ot her sueeess is not that she has education or culture, but that she is without any pretense and is woman of much social tact and common sense She has upon more than one occasion administered well-deserved re- bukes to some of the nouyeaux riches who have made themselves offensive at her recep tions. Her charities are many and unosten- tatious About year ago there were r1mors of her approaching marriage to a journalist of this city, who was always welcome guest at her receptions, but as their relations haven't changed in this time, this is, per haps, the best refutation of the truth of the | rumors. The Senator, meanwhile, has pre- pared fine lot in the crest of Mob Hill ready for building, but no one can learn any | thing of his plans. Rumor last year was | busy in coupling his name with that or Aiss | Annie Carpenter, the niece of Tom F1tcn, or Arizona, the silyer-tongued orator, but II Fair has any matrimonial intentions he has kept them, with his good qualities, hid under | hal