The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-06-11
NO. IL
The Bonanza KING.
(st. Louis Globe Democrat


led to the retirement of Senator Fair
from the Nevada Bank. This took place
last November, but so reticent is every
one connected with this institution, that
it only leaked out a few days ago. The
bank is one of the largest financial insti-
buttons on the coast, and was incorporated
in May, 1875, about the time when the
bonanza excitement first began to show
signs of waning. Its capital stock was
$500, 900 900, and the incorporators were
the bonanza kings-Flood, 0 'Brien, Mack
ay and Fair-and Louis McLane, the head
of Wells, Fargo g. Co.'s great express
company. McLane retired in aoout two
years, and since then the bonanza men
have ruled the bank, by means of dummy
stockholders, about as effectively as if it
were a mine on the Comstock. The bank
has been little mint in revenue to the
mining millionaires, as they have used it
as tender to all their speculations, and
its accounts have given them fine knowl
edge OF the moneyed strength of the oper-
atorS on Pine street. Last fall it seemed
that Mackay and Fair had a serious fall
| ing out, and Mackay declared he would
either sell out to Fair or buy the Senator's
share. Fair replied that he wouldn't sell
unless Flood would sell also, OF that he
would buy out BOTH He thought at that
time that Mackay was crippled by his tel
egraph and cable schemes, and could not
accept his offer. Mackay, however,
promptly agreed to his terms. and, it is
said, bought the shares Of Flood and
Fair, making him the sole owner OF the
great bank. Flood, as dummy stock
holder, remained in the presidency, and
will discharge the duties of the Office UNI
til next November.
Fair is credited with being the sharpest
and most INSCRIPTIONS of all the bonanza
millionaires. Uncle Billy O'Bren never
had any capacity except for drinking
whiskey, and his chief service in his last
years was to ornament the front of the
bank, leaning against one of the big pillars
and giving out false pointers" in stocks
to the credulous crowd who believed that
he had inside information of rich strikes
of ore. He died, and his sole memorial is
a huge granite and marble tomb in the
Catholic cemetery, for the erection OF
which he had the shrewdness to leave in
will handsome sum. Flood is as square
dealing as man who manipulates mining
stock can be, and his word is said to be as
his bond in any business transaction.
Mackay is more popular here than Flood,
and there is even more confidence IN his
integrity. Like Flood he is very reticent
and has great disinclination to any no.
toriety. never appearing in the newspapers
when he can avoid it. Personally he
doesn't spend s., 500 year upon himself,
as he dresses very plainly in a SLOUGH hat
and an ordinary business suit. but it must
take the revenues of millionaire to meet
the bills of his wife in Paris. Flood is
also very simple III his own tastes, and is
seldom seen at any place of amusement,
but he has an expensive family and is
building a brown-stone palace on Mob
Hill, which will cost 100000 before it
is completed and finished.
The Nevada silver Senator keeps no es-
tablishment since his wife secured di-
vorce and 81, 900 Of the common prop
erty 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 hand
some residence on Pine street, a few
blocks beyond the railroad millionaire's
palace. She goes into the best society and
gives very handsome entertainments. The
secret of her success is, not that she has
education or culture, but that she is with
out any pretense and is a woman of much
social tact and common sense. She has
upon more than one occasion administered
well-deserved rebukes to some of the nou-
offensive at her receptions. Her charities
are many and transformations. About
year ago there were rumors of her ap-
preaching marriage to a journalist of this
city, who was always a welcome guest at
her receptions, but as their relations
haven It changed at this time, this is, per-
haps, the best refutation of the rumOrs.
The Senator, meanwhile, has prepared
fine lot on the crest of Mob Hill ready for
building, but no one can learn anything of
his plans. Rumor last year was busy in
coupling his name with that Of Miss An
ME Carpenter, the niece of Tom Fitch, of
Arizona, the silver-tongued orator, but if
Fair has any matrimonial intentions he
has kept them, with his good qualities, hid
under bushel.