The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-05-31
BONANZA N
THE RISE OF FOUC
MONTE CRISH
From Humble Surrounding
Achieved Fame and For
The Great Comstock
and the Big Bonan4

There were four Monte Cristos
United States. Now there are p
The recent death of James Clair
IN Heidelberg, Germany, reduces
pair the four bonanza kings OF
Pacific Slope. These are ex-Ur
States Senator James G. Fair and )
W. Mackay.
The career of this quartet of favorl'
of Fortune, the sorry old jade who 81
most men more kicks than she DO
smiles-is the most remarkable record q
rise from poverty to affiuence IN TINS
country of quickly acquired fortunes.
These four quick-witted Irishmen wen!s
to California with thousands OF other
men who, when they started in the race
for riches had every advantage OF them,
but their competitors never overtook
them after they were once started
To the people of San Francisco
where the four men were best known
Mr.. Flood was the embodiment OF every
thing omnipotent in financial specuia-
ton. It has been said that he was born
in Ireland. This is not true. He was
himself authority for the statement that
he was born in New York, October 70,
1926, and that he received common
school educatin in the metropolis. II
1s40 he went to California, did somg
placer mining on the Yuba River, bur
met with indifferent success. In 100
he had accumulated about $4,000, and re
turned to New York He found the
his modest puIS lid not con- 2Trfts.
fortune, and he returned to the West
In San Francisco he, with William 8
O'Brien-afterward his bonanza partner
engaged in the saloon business. THEFT
saloon was dubbed the ''Auction Lunch
BARI AT that time the business of Saa
Francisco was transacted within the area
of half dozen squares. The ships were
discharged, the political speeches were
made. the merchandise of the town sold,
the games of chance run, the theatres,
the dance halls, the duels and the hang
ings by the Vigilance Committee-al
we're carried to a happy consumnAtion
within the six busting blocks of wooden
shanties,
Thither on, occasions came John ".
Mackay, bright, alert miner from the
Comstock, and James G. Fair, another
fine but entirely different type Of he
sturdy Nevada gold-seeker. O'Brisn
was intimate with Fair; Fair had tie
confidence of Mackay, and in course 4
time a social friendship and tinancfe
combination were formed which af4
ward made the four men interested
most notable possessors of sudde1 =
acquired wealth in the West.
Flood was the fnancier of thd
partnership then as later on. o.
was the good natured, easy-going,
speak-ill Irishman, who had more
nature than ability, and who ser
cement the friendship of the rem :
quartet. Fair was the shrewd,
supicious adventurer who nj
more than five cents of any d
got into his vigorous grasJ -: :
was the same John W. as no
less princeIy scale. BE aspir
early date only to control the
stock lode on which the ill-fat
Alvinger, Hayward and othe
held imperious sway.
Flood, the balance wheel :.
conservative fnancier of 4 #
ship, was satisfied wiki
pect of controlling one
starter, and so eventually l.
got the stock of the Lii
where they wanted it,
ton Lunch Bar - was
in a new coat of pei
cut-glass and oth
peritY.