The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16

with white hair and the benevolent aspect of
country parson. His physognomy is no indica
ton of his character, however, as he has the
reputation of being hard at bargain.
Huntington comes out here so seldom that he
Is almost unknown. He finds New York and
Washington the best field for his financial
ability, and there is no question that without
his aid the great railroad property would never
have developed into such power as it is now.
Mark Hopkins who was the financial genius OF
the old Central Pacific triumvrate, died early.
worn out by incessant labor. He built in his
last years huge gothic castle on the very sum-
NIT of Mob Hill, but his mind gave way before
the structure was finished, and when his attend
ant used to lead him up past his own house to
get air and exercise he would often say who is
the BANKED fool that is putting good money into
that ugly houses" He died of gradual softening
of the BRAIN which is responsible for the over
throw of many busy brain i'll this climate, so
conducive to overwork
The Bonanza miionaires are better preserved
than their railway prototypes. Uncle Billy"
O'Brien, as he was Familiarity called, succumbed
to whisky and ideness, his favorite pastime
being TO lean against the pillars of the Nevada
Bank, talk gossip and take drinks with his
croDies. He has magnificent tomb out in the
Catholic Cemetery, for which he had the shrewd-
ness to provide the coin before he drew his last
breath. Flood looks like a hearty Irish con-
tractor, having fine, fresh color, large and
not over intelligent face and full figure He
has spent much money on his country
place at Menlo Park. and he is
now putting up immense brown stone resi-
dence on Mob Hill which is expected to eclipse
all the wooden palaces in thej vicinity. He has
only one son and one daughter, both unmarried
and likely to remain so. He has shown himself
the least ostentatious Of any OF the mlllionares,
but what he may do when his new house is
finished, remains to be seen. His only daughter
Jennie. it will be remembered, was sought after
by young Buck" Grant when he was out here
about two years ago. How far the acquaintance
went is unknown but the story, which is gen
orally credited, is that Miss Jennie discovered
that her sutton was paying too much attention to
other girls, and she refused to have anything
more to do with him.
She is not young woman who would be sought
for her charms of mind or face. She looks like
a well-settled matron of forty, having a large
full, fat face, with heavy features, and she adds
to her mature appearance by brushing her hair
straight back from the face, and doing it up in
the simple and severely plain style affected by
housewives OF thirty years ago. When she APP
pears at parties the opera in full dress she is
even homelier than in street dress, and light col
do not harmonic with her sanguine complex
ion and over-full figure. She has $4,000, 900
in her own right, but she is said to be penurOus
in her tastes and to look closely after every dol
lar that she spends. Her selfish character was
very plainly betrayed by her actions at the last
seasons Italian opera, when Patti and Scalchi
created so great Juror here. Miss Jennie oc
cupied conspicuous position every night in the
costume nightly, and she always carried huge
bouquet. as large around as the bottom of a
bucket. This she displayed throughout the per-
Torrance as a sort of foil to her blazing dia-
monds. but no lyric flights of Diva Patti, and no
soul stirring strains of Scalchs noble voice
moved her cold nature to throw her bouquet as
a tribute to genius. She went home with it
every time, to the great disgust of those of less
means who were more generous with their
flowers.
A very good illustration Of the extreme secre-
tiveness of Senator Fair, is afforded by a recent
attempt of local newspaper to get at the
inside reasons for the change in the management
of the Nevada bank. He knew Fair pretty we'll,
and was cordially received but all his pumping
for Information was a dead failure. The
Nevada Senator had been putting down an
asphaltum covering over the old cobblestone
street pavement in front of the bank Every
question asked about the bank was parted by
some bit of entertaining information about
pavements, and the result was as delicate a bit
of comedy scene as one will ever see on the
stage. Fair is very slow and deliberate in his
talk, always speaking In low tone. Even
when he denounceS his enemies he never lifts his
voice, and he will slowly roll off the most blood
curding maledictions against the people who are
scheming against him in the same quiet tone in
which he would greet passing acquaintance.
All his enterprises carried on with an excess
OF caution, and every move he makes in the
mining world is a complete surpriseto the public
as we'll as to the brokers' who think they get all
their points from the inside Since his wife Sc
cured divorce Fair has had fine lot Mob
Hill carefully graded and walled in. and side
walk built on side of it, but what he proposes
to do with this eligible building plot is more
than any one knows. He is regarded as very
good catch by the worldly minded and schemng
mammas of San Francisco with expensive
daughters on their hands, and any one of score
of these girls would accept his hand tomorrow
if it were offered them, because of the opportu-
nifty which his wife would have Of lording it
over a social clique. One of the daughters of a
well known Southern politician in this city is
mentioned as the damsel who has found greatest
favor in his eyes. but like all of Fairs business,
this is a mystery which the public is not likely
to have explained very speedily.