Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-02
III NAY COME EASY
How Money Is Suddenly
Thrust Upon Men
SANDY BOWERS AND HIS SOCK
. He Disposss Of His Thousands m a
Novel Way - An IhSterate Miner
Made Bonanza King BY Surprise.


wealth during the hrsE fifteen years after /
the practical Inauguration Of the silver |
mining In Nevada has no parallel IN the |
history Of modern TIMES. The fortunes |
mads during the hash period IN Califor-
ma were, 70 Use = nlld term. unimper-
taur as compared with those acquired IN |
Nevada In day or night, simply By the
fortunate stroke OF pick
IL Wa not business capacity nor
shrsxsiness In any form that brought
riches To the fortunate ones during that
epoch OF Nevadas greatest prosperity
Il was sheer luck. IS IN the greatest
number OF instances those most ignorant
Of al tho business principles were more
lasnAly favored by fortune than their
intellectual superiors.
The case OF LemEel l.. Bowers, popu-
larry known as sandy" Bowers,
superlseiyely iilIrerate but very gener-
eos man, Is fair suostantiation or the
above
In 1850 he WAS earning q precarious
livelihood by placer mining In Gold can
yon NOW Gold Hill. and IN tho latter
part Of that year. when the discovery OF
silver in the Constock was announced,
he found that ten feet OF his claim COW
sred . portion Of the lode; and the for
uer, after being systematically pros
oected, gave promise OF great value.
The ten feet adjoining his belonged to
widow-Mrs. Cowan-his social and In
tellectual equal. Sandy and the widow
had known each other long time, and
now. as a new and prosperous era
seemed 10 dawn for them. they conclud-
m 10 pool their prospective wealth by
getting married. The mining ground
owned by this couple is what Is known
rs Crown Point Rsvine, Upper Gold
Hill, and was called the Bowers mine.
WEALTHY COUPLE.
About the middle Of 1860, while Sandy
was taking out $1,000 per day. he was
offered $500. 900 for his claim and refused
20 sell.
Neither he nor his wife had ever be-
lore been accustomed TO any OF the
greater luxuries which are at the COM
nand of boundless wealth, and having
penchant for display of semicivilized
grandeur, the reader can form an idea
IT the regal doings of the Bowers house
lold. They were in imitation OF the
.Rasher" family, only that the Bowerses
,dded little more tinsel and red fire.
They believed themselves in posses
ION of Aladdin's wonderful lamp, and
regulated their expenses accordingly.
Their hospitality knew no bounds and
hey entertained every one-but In such
uyle as to cause considerable merriment
lor those who made their society debut
before arriving on the Comstock.
The Bowerses were then the wealth
lest couple In Virginia City, and while
mnocently rendering themselves the
ubject of much ridicule when MOI
present, their ready cash commanded
for them much obsequiousness at othel
times. In 1852 Sandy conceived thu
idea Of erecting granite palace on ;
little ranch belonging TO his wife IL
Washoe valley. This so called rancl
vas then a bowling wilderness Mari
Twain once spoke of this, and. to con
vey an idea Of its perfect isolation, ob
,erved that the first architect sent to tn
eanch to select the most eligible site TO
he structure was killed by the savag
Indians abounding in that locality
specifications and plans were soon draw
IN the most extravagant scale, but i
hull keeping with Sandy's crude conceT
Non of doing the ''grand thing"
The Bowers mine continued to yiel
N enormous revenue, large percent
age of which was devoted to the CON
pleeion Of the palace in the wilderness.
THE MANSION.
Bowers mansion. as the structur
was named, was indeed beautifr
place, and would even at this age of
magnificent style of architecture hay
been an ornament to Mob Hill. No e,
perse was spared in its thorough equiv
nent. Hot and cold water was col
lucted into the mansion from the hill
IN the rear of the grounds, which b
hat time had been cultivated in Il
most modern style of the landscape ga
lsner's Art
To convey an idea TO the reader Of Il
utravagsnce INDUCED IN the constru
SON and fitting up Of that estsblis
nant il Is only necessary to say TIL
very doorknob and stair rod was mad
4 solid bullion, and all else about Il
remises was in strict conformity wit
hat degree of lavishness-
The whole affair did not cost less tia
$4,000.
The matter Of economy never enter
heir minds In 1855 the revenue fro
ne mine began diminishing from mon
y month, and in 1866 ceased altogeths
The property soon became worthle.
md the few dollars saved from &
Ereck soon followed the rest.
In 1887 Sandy Bowers died. havil
sothing 10 leave to his widow but q
rranite palace and what it containe
3 can be easily imagined that Nj
Bowers. after the extrsvagant care
Me had indulged in for SIX years, foui
. more than disagreeable to be unst
b crafty every whim, a. in the pa
tut 10 meet the expense Of her uena
s,- Wa compelled To gradually disps
II thu library, pictures, work Of a
poexly ARTICLES Of virtu and silverwsl
NC. until her friends scarcely recc
tir-si The interior OF the mansion
For some years Subsequent the ma
son and grounds were used a. picr
esors for the people OF Carson. Virgin
md Reno. but now the pls.'e u hahi
CON only for ewls. Rats and spcoks. +
yiiow n still resident az Nevada. a
arms q living telling fortunes by mes
Srotrh peep stones Cor. Fat