Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-31
MUSHROOM WEALTH.
SANDY BOWERS, or NEVADA, AND
HOW he USED HIS THOUSANDS.

m fllttefato MINER VINO WAS NuuhrNiN
Made Enormously Wealthy by ripding
That M. Claim Wa. Included 10 tho
Great Comstock Lode.
The sudden and great accumulation Of
wealth during tho first fifteen years after
the practical Inauguration of the silver
mining In Nevada has no parallel In tho
history Of modern times. Tho fortunes
made during the flush period In Califor-
mia were, to use mild term. unimpor-
tant M compared with those acquired In
Nevada In day or night, simply by tho
fortunate stroke Of u pick.
II was not business capacity nor
shrewdncss IN any form that brought
riches 10 the fortunate ones during that
epoch Of Novada's greatest prosperity.
II was sheer luck as In the greatest
number Of instances those most ignoHint
OF all the business principles wore moro
layishly favored by fortune than their
intellectual supcriors.
Tho case OF Lcmuel l.. Bowers. popu.
lnrly known "a SANDY" Bowers. .
superlatiycly illiterato but very gcnor-
Gus man, IL q fair standardization OF tho
above.
In 1850 he was earning precarious
livelihood by placer mining in Gold can
yon NOV Gold HID. and In tho latter
part Of that year. whom tho discovery Of
silver in the Comstock was announced.
he found that ton feet Of his claim COW
cred portion Of tho lode; mud tho for
mer. after being systematically pros
pccted, gave promise Of great value
The ten feet adjoining his belonged TO q
widow-Mrs. Cowan--his social and in.
tcllectual equal. Sandy and the widow
had known each other u long time and
now, Us new and prosperous era
seemed to dawn for them. they conclud.
cd TO pool their prospective wealth by
getting married. The mining ground
owned by this couple Is what Ia known
Us Crown Point Rayino, Upper Gold
Hill, and was called tho Bowers mine.
A WEALTHY coUPLn.
About the middle Of 1850, while Sandy
was taking out g 1000 per day. no was
offered $500, 900 for his claim and refused
To sell
Neither he nor his vito had ever DO.
fore been accustomed TO any OF tho
greater luxurics which arc at tho com.
mnnd OF boundloga wealth, and having
penchant for display Of Hemicivilized
grandeur, the reader can form an idea
oil the regal doingso tho Bowers house.
hold. They wem in imitation of tho
''Rashor" family, only that tho Bowcrses
added u little more tinsel and red fire.
Thoy believed themselves In pos1ea.
sion OF Aladdin's wonderful lamp, and
regulated their expenses accordingly.
Their hospitality know no bounds ind
they entertained every onc-but in such
style Us TO causo considerable merrimen,
for thoso who made their society debut
before arriving ON tho Comstock.
The Boworses wero then tho wealth.
lest couple In Virginia City, and while
innocently rendering themselves the
subject Of much ridiculo when nc,
present, their ready cash commanded
for them much obscqui0usness ut other
times. In 1859 Sandy conceived tho
idea OF erecting a granite palace on u
little ranch belonging to his wife IN
Washoe valley. This 50 called ranch
was then bowling Wilderness. MARI
Twain once spoke OF this, aud. to con
vey an idea OF its perfect isolation OBJ
served that the first architect sent to the
ranch TO select tho most eligible sito iol
tho structure was killed by tho sayag,
Indians Astounding In that locality
Specifications and plans were soon drawn
on the most ertravagant scale, but IL
full keeping with SGndy's crude concop
ton OF doing the grand thing"
Tho Bowers mine continued TO yiel,
M enormous revenue, u lavgo percent
ngc OF which was devoted TO the com
plction OF the palace in the wilderness,
Tux MANSION.
Bowers mansion, Us tho stTuctur
was named. WINS indeed beautiful
place, and would even ~ this age OF
magnificent style of architecture hav
been an ornament TO Hill. No 81
pcuse was spared in'its ongh equip
ment Hot and cold water was cor
Quoted into the mansion from tho hill
IN tho rear OF the grounds, which b
thnt time had been cultivated in III
most modern style Of the landscape gnl
dener's art.
To convey an idea TO the reader Of III
extravaganza indulgod in the constru,
ton and fitting up Of that establish
ment It Is only necessary TO my tha
every doorlEnob and stair rod WIS mud
OF solid bullion, and all else about III
premises was in strict conformity wit
that degree Of lnyishness.
enEn MO 49,