St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-10


for five years an apprentice to Col. Church
of Fort Hamilton, father of our present
Judge Charles w. Church, to learn the
trade of wheelwright. Some of his biog-
raphers state that he was born i'm the CITY
of New York. l think he is, like his three
other bonanza partners, native of Ireland
If born in New York, he was the son of an
Irish immigrant. Five months before his
time was up he was taken with the Cali
fornia fever and applied to Col. Church to
allow him TO depart, to which his EMPLOYER
consented. In 1S49 He went to California,
sailing around the Horn in the ship Eliza
| beth Ellen. He took the long journey to
avoid expense. For some time he kept a
liquor store in San Francisco, in company
with his friend Mr.. O'Brien. In 1854 he
became known to the financial world as the
leading partner in the firm of Flood &
O'Brien, in connection with the Comstock
and afterward with the Hale 81 Norcross
mines. Flood d O'Brien were the first bo-
nanza kings and Flood first projected the
Nevada bank, in San Francisco, with a paid
up capital OF $40, 1000, 600 in gold and
SIS, 900, 900 or 81. 600, 900 in United States
bonds. Among its directors were Flood.
Fair and Mackay. Mr.. Floods name has
been prominently connected with the Ne
vada bank, Pacific Mail & Mining company.
Pacific Wood, Lumber & Flume company,
San Francisco Gas Light company, Golden
City Chemical works, Virginia 81 Gold Hill
Water company, Giant Powder company.
| Ophir Mine company, and with the Yellow
jacket, Union Consolidated. Scorpion,
Savage, Ophir, Occidental. Hale & Nor
cross, Gould & Curry, Consolidated Vir-
ginia, California, and Best 81 Belcher Min
ing companies. He has had larger income
than any OF
THE RoTHsCHILDs.
Five millions month from the bonanza
mines have been divided among four part
ners, of whom he was one. He has been
assessed at $34, 900, 900 personal property.
He has been buildlnga house on Mob hill
to cost SIS, 600, 900, and has been collecting
| immense treasures in works of art. One of
his greatest treasures is his daughter Jen-
ME; one of his presents to her was the sum
of So, 500. 600 in United States per cents.
She has been several times disposed of. At
one time she was to be given to the church
as nun. at another time to Lord Beau
mont and at third time to Uslyses, son
of Gen. Grant. The last seemed
to be the most serious, for report
| seemingly well founded, had her en-
gagged to him, but he is otherwise pro-
yided for in the family of the recently-de-
ceased Jerome B. Chaffee formerly speaker
of the house in the legislature of Colorado
and delegate to congress from Colorado
territory, and chosen its representative in
the United States senate. Miss Jennie,
presume, can easily find husband when
ever she wishes. Mr.. Flood has a son also.
who is with him. l believe his wife is
living.
When Flood & O'Brien kept their saloon
ir1S GO, Al l>e<I
was taken care of by a man named Finne-
gan. He was faithful man. Flood took
a fancy to him and gave him hint in bo-
nanza times which he was shrewd enough
to take and he became another of the mill
ionaire lrishmen of the Pacific coast.
John w. Mackay was born in Novem-
Der, 1885, in the city of Dublin, Ire
land. He came in his minority to
New York. Was for a time in the
employ of William W. Webb, ship
builder. In the autumn of 1916 he went in
one of Webb's vessels round the Horn to
California; went to Sierra county and COM
menced placer mining. His first fortunate
employment was Oh the Kentuck mine, in
the town of Gold Hill, New. In 1863 he
formed a partnership with J. NJ Walker of
Virginia, which the next year took in
Messrs. Flood and O'Brien. Mr.. Fair aft
erward took Walkers place. They sue
ceeded in opening up the Consolidated Vir-
ginia and California, since known as the
Big Bonanza. On the 25th of November,
1867, Mr.. Mackay married the daughter of Col
Daniel E. Hungerford of the United States
army, and widow of DR.. Thompson,
partner of Mackay, who ha6 been killed by
the falling OF a rock. and adopted Thomp-
sons daughter as his own child, for he had
of 70
that his wife and child were not neglected
in that wild region. This daughter has
recently married an Italian with title
older than any of the mushrooms Of Eng
land.
his Vile, who resides mostly in Europe
was recently presented at the English
court with diamonds, pearls and other trash
sufficient to break donkey's back. She
ought to be able to hire servant to carry
them around for her royal receptions. Her
husband might lend her one of his old
pack mules for the service. Mr. Mackay
now owns, with Mr.. James Gordon Ben
nett, a telegraph cable of his own This
day laborer became in succession the super
i'll tendent of the Caledonian Tunnel and
Mining company, next large owner of the
Kentuck mine, and associating himself
with James G. Fair they got control of the
Hale d NOrcroSS mine. In the Cali
fornia and Nevada records his name is
spelled Mackey, now it is given as Mackay
The fourth of the bonanza kings was
William S. O'Brien, and the only one of
them who has died. He was a native of
Ireland. Heh had sister married to a Mr.
Coleman, who lived at Bay Ridge near
Fort Hamilton. Mr.. Coleman was owner
OF part owner of valuable clay bank in
New Jersey, but had not made much out of
it. Whether Mr.. O'Brien became acquainted
with Flood at Bay Ridge or Fort Hamilton.
[ cannot tell-but at all events he was an
original partner with him. Flood & O'Brien
kept saloon in Washington street, near
SAMSON, in San Francisco, called the '.Auc-
ton Lunch. "They kept no bar. but drew their
liquors from casks, piled one above the
other. The saloon was much frequented
by miners, when over their glasses they
had many interesting "reminiscences of their
fortunes and miSfortuneS in the mines
The saloon owners soon became thoroughly
acquainted with all the details of gold and
silver mining, and they stored away their
knowledge for future use. Mr.. O'Brien
died in 1879. His nephew. son of Mr..
Coleman of Bay Ridge, was with him as a
clerk on salary of 500 month. This
nephew, James Coleman, was graduated at
Georgetown Catholic college. Mr. O'Brien
had presented Mr.. Coleman with
HALF A MILLION
in 4 per cent. United States bonds, and
made him and Mr.. Flood his executors. 1t
is said that he contemplates coming to
congress, and see no reason why he should
not succeed. MI. O'Brien's estate was
valued at O,OOO 600. To each of his two
sisters he left SO, 500, 900. and to seven
nephews and three nieces $500, 900 each.
To the Catholic and Protestant orphan
asylums of San Francisco he left $50, 600
and $4,000. To the Catholic orphan
asylum of San Rafael he left $50, 900. Some
litigation took place in disposlng of the
estate. If l remember rightly a brother.
who was supposed to be dead, turned
up to contest the will, but that
dispute was amicably settled. The
Consolidated Virginia company had some
litigation with Mr.. O'Brien and his estate.
and Judge Finn ordered 81, ZOO, 900 in
United States bonds to be retained to an