New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-22
DEATH OF JAMES C. FLOOD.
HIS LONG ILLNESS ENDS AT HEIDELBERG.
'N0oNscIoUs FOR MANY wEEKs-HIs LIFE
PROLONGED BY oPIATEs--HoNoRs TO HIS

ONooNscIoUs FOR MANY wEEKs-HIs LIFE
PROLONGED BY oPIATEs--HoSons TO HIS
MEMORY IN SAN FRANCISCO
london, Feb 2l.Jsmes c. Flood, of California died
morning
sah Francisco, Feb. 81 Cspecall.rne news of James
- iiooas death was known early this morning. and
Wy AZ O'Clock the flag foated at halfrnsst from the
NoVada Bank Letters received this week by James
:" fiood from his mother forewaInel him that the
Gnu was near For some weeks HIS father had been
unconscious Of what was going on abont him, and
oouiu retain nothing on his stomach. Life was maip
'a'nso solely by opiates, and the patients grea,
Strength OF constitution alone prolonged bis life. The
news OF his death caused excitement Pine Street.
as u had been discounted for months. When Mr.
rlooo lett here last spring for Germany no who
saw him expected that he would ever return. so aged
was ne and SO terribly broken by The fatal disease
winch sapped his life Everything In regard to his
estate was then put in order, so that death merely
means change In ownership Of few pieces Of prop
cry The Comstock mining market, which he
troiied for many years, was unaffected by his
deatl, as his interests in the mines are merely
nominal His health failed him rapidly after the col
lapse OK the wheat deal in which he engaged with
John W. hackay. His eyesight almost left him, and
Kidney trouble Of the worst kind was developed. Sew
eral times hin death was expected. His physicians,
family and friends all urged him to retire completely
from business, ard to spend the remainder Of bis days
In leisure lie was urged TO go TO Carlsbad and try
the merits Of the celebrated mineral springs OF that
place. Mr.. Flood reluctantly consented. Had he
acted promptly his health might have been benefited
but he continued TO busy himself with the affairs
OF the bank and in putting his vast estate In
order until the spring OF last year,
when, in company with Mrs. Flood and
Miss Jennie Flood he quietly left the city for Carlsbad
Previous TO this he retired from the Nevada Bank,
and bis son, james l. Flood, was appointed his suc-
in the boar Of directors besides receiving his
power Of attorney. James l. Flood has since devoted
his entire attention TO putting hts fathers estate In
shape 1t ls believed that Mr.. Flood divided his
estate equally between his wife and two children
after leaving many bequests.
James Clair Flood was born on Staten Island In
1926. His parents were poor and his education was
limited 70 few years in the public schools Of this
city, whittier his parents removed after his BIRTH
Not much Is known OF his youthful days beyond the
fact that he became carpenter probably learning his
trade in the shlpyards OF William H. Webb. In
1e40 young Flood took ship 10 California; being drawn
10 the Edorafo by the tales OF the gold hunters that
had found their way 10 tho East one OIL his fellow
passengers on The Elizabeth Ellen was William s
o'Brlcn, who had been brought to this country from
young men had several hundred dollars between them,
and when they reached san Francisco they opened a
liquor store at Sacramento and Sansome SIS. This
store popular among the restless spirits who
had found their way TO the Pacific Coast The Cali
fcrnle Mining Exchange was opened near Flood and
O'Brien's saloon. The members Of the Exchange
frequented the saloon aud from the discussions there
the young prophecies picked up many valuable
hints
For about six years after landing at San Francisco,
Flood and o'Drcn confined themselves 10 their liquor
store call loans aud small mining ventures. In
1885 they began mors important financial operations
They bought heavily In the stock OF thc Ken
tuck aud other mines OF the Comstock lode. Ihey
were remarkably successful In their ventures and In
short time considerable capital NJ their disposal
About this time their operations confined chiefly
to the Kentlck. Hale and Norcross. Crown Point
and Bccher mines. In 1894 John W. Mackay
and J. NJ Walker became partners OF Flood and
oBrsu aud the operations OF the four men soon COW
cred wide field Their interests, however, were cen
tired IA tho Comsock lode and what they bought for
mere song In time became the source Of great wealth
10 each The rise In the stock Of Hale and NorcrOss
alone amounted about COO PER cent and in tho years
Of 1885, 1865 and 1907 the profits Of the partners from
mi, uino we're more than sl.o0o,OOo Up TO this
time their transactions In mining property aud stochs
werc unequaned.
-Four wears after THIS partnership was formed DIR.
walker withdrew, selling out his interest TO John W.
Msckay James g. Fair, native OF Wales who
had begun as q common miner aud bad passed through
all the rough experiences OF the miues util he had
come 10 be mining superintendent, had before
this bought an interest aud been
common partner, the firm containing I'VE men
Flood o'Brion. Mackay, Waller and Fair. Mackay $
purrhase now eavo him twU-nfths In the
common partnership, and left ope-hith to
each Of the other partners. AT once
the firm extended It's operations and bought
up considerable mining property. in 1871 uloy De-
gan 20 push the development Of their Comsiock mines
with vigor aud IN 1875 the world was startled win
The reports OF the marvellous wealth discovered aha
Hood, Mackay, Fair and oBlien became KNOWN as
the BONANZA Klngs.p TIE stuck Of the Consoilda'eu
Virginia suddenly rose 10 fabulous hguie ana was
taken mp throughout the world. ING piUau0' ~,
this mine and the California In gold ana
silver IA six years was siT2,275,27O, and from 1879
TO 1879 they paid s76,0ooO0o In DIVIDENDS,
When the boom I'm these mines subsidized and the
four partners had each secured fortune tom thelr
lnvestments-and some Of them had added largely
10 their gains by stock speculSuon-ther interests
gradually drew them apart MI Vbneh oied III
1879 The remaining three partners continued 10 act
together in various enterprises tho chief Of which was
the founding In San Francisco OF the NeVaaa BANK
This institution built large block on Montgomeryst,
known "a the Nevada Rank Block II contained a
highly luportant bank which was for time serious
rival TO the great Bank of California Mr. Fair
gradually became involved In other interests ana drawn
from his partners In the bank Finally bis interest
was exungitshsd, Mr. Flood ana Dr. MacAAS
remaining the owners OF tho bank MI flood also
beca,oe heavily interested In real estate In San Fran
cisco, and constructed important business block
ON MarI,etst He also built magnificent bnwn-
stone residence on Rob H' transporting the stone
from the Atlantic Coast, and erected nhe country
lo,,so q, NorIo parS near the Palo Alto farm Of
senator stanford Ills business career was a pros
porous one until a few years ago, when he and his
associates became concerned in various specnlaiions
relating to the wheat crop. One was an effort to
control all the wheat sacks on The racine Ceas'
Another was 10 store all the wheat 10 De shipped py
nw.n0' tiaoiiv thew BECAME involved In the ggan
tc wheat deal by which 4 was sought nls' and coT n
lie wheat market OH the Pacific COsst anu hIl,
,ne,eIv m mantaln an Inflated valuo on thls Wheat
against the markets q Tho wora ggsntIe Con- ~,
scryatIye estimates then made IN san SSI e ss,