The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-11-03
MOB HILL.
The Deserted Homes Of the California Mul.
ti-Millionaires.

Strolling up aristocratic California
street, says San Francisco correspOn'
dent, Senator Stanford's home is the
first one seen. A magnificent dwelling
it is. At least 81, 100000 was spent IN
its erection. The decorations of the
rooms cost more than $5OO,0OO, while
the pictures and furniture are valued
at 81 100000. But the owner is not
there. Both the Senator and Mrs.
Stanford are at noted springs in Ger
many, seeking that health that is pos
sessed by nearly every plowboy and
mechanic in the land. Lonely has been
and is that home. Senator Stanford is
the wealthiest man on the Pacific coast,
but unless the advice of his physicians
is-carried out to the letter, the days of
both himself and wife are but few, and
what is worse they are childish. SEN
ator Stanford has neither son nor
daughter to whom to leave his gold.
But to pass on. Immediately ad-
joining Stanford's house, and occupy
ing the remainder of the block, is that
of Mrs. Hopkins-Searles, but known
until her marriage few months since
with Mr.. Searles, OF Massachusetts,, as
Mrs. Mark Hopkins. An imposing ed
ifice, this Hopkins mansion, and cost a
million and half to build. Poor Mark
Hopkins! He planned this house, but
by constant application to business and
the requirement of wealth as the finan-
cier of the Central Pacific company he
lost his reason before it was completed.
One day he was strolling with an at
tendant along the street when he sud-
denly exclaimed: "What internal fool
built that house?" He died soon after.
Last year his widow, worth a round
$4,000, 900, married and is living in
Massachusetts. Only servant occu-
pies the Hopkins mansion. y
Diagonally across the street from
this is the brown-stone residence of
bonanza king James C. Flood. It is
said that this residence cost $3, 600, 900.
Every stone in the building and even
in the fence was brought from Con-
necticut. The fence itself, with its
bronze gates, cost $4,000. But the
house is also tenantless Floods eye
sight has nearly left him. He. with
his wife and daughter, is in Europe
trying to regain health while control
of his business, under the advice of
physicians, has been placed in another's
hands.
Next comes the residence of Mrs.
Cotton, she who was given such prom
inence a few years since by the news
papers on account of her suit against
G.. P. Huntington. In this suit The
famous Huntington letters to Cotton
were produced. Cotton was chief law
adviser Of the Central Pacific railroad.
and since his death his widow has
lived but little at their home. To-day
the curtains are drawn low and the
shutters closed, denoting the absence
of the owner.
The last of the home of the million
aires is that of Charles Crocker, whose
death has just taken place. Between |
a million and quarter and a million
and half was spent in its erection,
but it has not been much occupied of |
late. For months Crocker has been |
lighting against usually fatal dis
ease, and at the time of his death was
absent from his home for the purpose
If restoring his health. His wife was
n New York.
Thus run the homes Of the million
aires. Not a single one is occupied by
is owner. No wonder thinking people
n the city look up to Mob hill and feel
thankful in their hearts that they have
,ealth, if not gold by the million.