Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-04-17
MILLIONS or MONEY.
How II WAS Accumulated BY the Famous
y ss5ig Four'- Flood, OsIsrien, Mackay. and
Tair and Their Great Luck.

blest circumstances, all within the space
of ten years, four bonanza kings. They
weren't bonanza kings when they first
opened their eyes and began to kick at
things in general on the Emerald Isle.
But all the same they had it, in them
and when they began to play tag aud
mumble-te-peg they commenced to
dream in a vague sorto way of bonanzas,
and when they became men they all
struck the greatest bonanza the world
has ever known. The story reads like
Monte Cristo."
One of this quartet was named James
Clair Flood. He was known for many
years, owing to his profusion of blonde
locks, as the aGolden 1rishman.' He
was carpenter by trade. Another
was named William S. O'Brien- always
called Billy" O'Brien for short. He
had no trade, but what is known in
these days as hustler. Ireland wasn't
rapid enough for these two. They were
high-spirited, and confident young fell
lows, and they just ached to get in the
swim and swirl around little. They
yearned for velocity. One day they
said to themselves that they thought
they knew their gait pretty we'll, and
they guessed they'd go to America just
to look around little. They did not
know each other, and met for the first
time on board ship. They did good
deal of talking on the voyage, and when
they landed in New York they were
fast friends, and struck up q partner
ship that was not dissolved till death.
When they arrived in New York, and
had chance to take in the town, they
came to the conclusion that, after all, it
was too big. They wanted more breath
ing space. Then they contracted the
mining fever, as mostly every one did
in those days. So, in 1851, they took
passage in the good ship Elizabeth
Ellen, doubled the boisterous Horn and
landed ct Yerba Buena, now San Fran
cisco.
They were in the Ell Dorado Of the
world, treading the golden sands OF
California, the end of the glittering
vista through which the eyes of the
world were gazing with longing. The
fever was at its height. Men were 60
ing wild with excitement. Every ship
brought crowds of eager adventures,
and fortunes were being made in amaz-
ingly short times-weeks, days, even
hours. Flood and O'Brien were as
eager as the rest
What did they do?
Did they cavort around, shrek, invest
the little cash they had in wildcat min
ing schemes?
Go to! Not much.
They started a modest place of re-
freshment in log cabin, and they called
it the auction Lunch" They made
money. They kept right still. They
weren't saying word. By and by they
commenced to lay ont part Of their
profits in small mining ventures. They
accumulated some more money.
Their place was frequented by all
sorts and conditions of men-wrecks
who, with high hopes, had come to the
mines and lost everything; reckless
miners who spent their dust like water;
gamblers, Adventures, all sorts of men.
It was at this time that the quartet
later known as the "Big Four"-was
made complete. Among the occasional
frequenters of the saloon was a bright
young Irishman, named John w.
Mackay. He had been among the
mines for some time, had been picking
and sitting the gravel in running
streams, tramping alone with his blanket
| and tools, but somehow he never man
| aged to strike it rich. But he was an
experienced miner, and was chock full
of ideas and nerve. He didn't have
any money, but Flood and OBrien
| thought his experience would be worth
a good deal to them. They formed a
compact. Mackay knew another young
Irishman, clever engineer, experienced
in mines. His name was James Ct.
Fair. He didn't have cent, but he,
too, was made partner.
By this time Flood and O'Brien were
pretty we'll off. Mackay and Fair took
their kits and went off to prospect
They were not very successful for some
years, and just managed to get along
By and by came the rumors across the
| Sierras that great veins of quartz carry
ing a strange black metal, which ex
perts said was silver, had been discov
cred. Mackay and Fair went ther,
from the placer diggings in the valleys
to the quartz lodes high up in the ic'
and snow and Arctic winds which pou
down from Manitoba with biting in
tensity nobody who has not spent win
ter in Virginia City can imagine. Th'
two made money for themselves and TO
Flood and O'Brien, their quiet, indus
trious partners sway down in Frisco.
Mackay's wife kept miners boarding
house in Virginia City.
Then they struck Consolidated Vir
ginia" in whose shares servant girls sool
after made fortunes and rich men los
them. The way they struck it was curl
GUS. A young man came to Macka.
and Fair one evening and said he had
good claim which he didn't have eithe
time or inclination to work. II the,
would look at it and liked it he woul,
sell it to them cheap They looked a
it, liked it, sent to Flood and O'Briel
for q few hundred dollars, the CLAIM
was bought, the young man took tn
money to Sacramento and drank it up
and Mackay soon discovered that b
and his partners owned the Consoli
dated Virginia, which was destined t
become the most famous mine in tn
world. Then began the search for tn
treasure. For long time the quartz
firm, with all its mining property, too
out little money, but Mackay keI
steadily at work.
The persistence, endurance, and ski
required in hunting the ore body wa
something to discourage most men. FL
perienced miners abandoned the pr
! iect in despair, declaring that it woul