St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-06


shown
II Fair had had desires for re
election Mackay's opposition would
have defeated them It YVES curing
these differences that Hood became
their mediator IN business matters
Each would go 10 him with their per
sonal grievances, and Fioed would at
tend 10 the business of both. and man
aged to retain the confidence Of both
Fairs railroad business was never
source OF pleasure 10 hlLa, notwlth-
standing the enormous profits il
brought him Although he sold 10 5he
Southern Pacific company The narrow
gauge railroad from San Francisco 10
Santa Cruz and his street railroad IN
Oakland. Cal. for about s., 053,G90 more
han they cost him he was glad 10 get
I'D OF them
There are too many thieves II the
railroad business TO waueh, and / an
glad 1 am cut Of il, - said he, after he
had completed the sale.
outstanding ali his wealth.. Sen
ator Fair was q vretchedly lonesome
old man The conduct ana death OF
his i5oIized son James Z. JT., was q
heavy blow 10 him. At the Lick house,
san Francisco one OF his many build
ings. he lived alone in his rooms. He
spent the business hours OF the day
in his Cfhce On Montgomery street ana
ne evenings IN his rooms. From dis
ease Of the kidneys anC dropsy he had
been slowly dying Tor months before
The end came.
Ex-senator Fairs brother n-ia W,
Thomas II Rooney who was associated
with him at Angles Camp and On tha
CousrCck Lode. gives some interesting
"reminiscences regarding the million
alr5' 5 career.
Mr.. Fair was married te my sister,
Theresa Rooney, says he. at Carson
Hill near Angles. Dec 90, 1850 At the
Tine Mr. Fair was with Irwin. the C77n-
er Of the old and rich Ctica mine al
Angles nov owned by Hobart < E1a5--
ward Il was Fair who first developed
and made this mine pay. II is Al Car
son Hi that the rich Morgan mine
owned by Mr.. Fair. is located, and
which for twenty-five years has been
Ted I'D by litigation. A million DOL
lars vas taken out of il orce at one
blast, and l remember walking round
N those hills after a rain and picking
Up So, SO and $40 in nuggets
Mr.. Fair, when he arrived at Cal
aTeras county. had little money. He
=
Snaws Fiat Tu0lOmne county. but II
was about all used up IL litigation. Ia
1851 he owned the Utica Eai- was the
handiest aIl-round mining man I ever
saw. and don't believe there ever was
. more thorough one on the Paci55o
coast
In those days he did al the black
smithInE, paid attention TO ali details.
personally directing the mining am
taking part with pick ana shovel Fair
vas then a perfect specimen Of physi-
cal manhood, and a very handsome tel
low. He wore q short beard. and ms
complexion was clear Ee was an ath-
lere, Is strong as any IN the country.
and also very 5oTlal and witty. Every
dance those days found Fair IN il. 50
totally was he unlike what he became
in after years It was his experience
at Virginia City that began 70 steady
him
His selling the Utica and going on
the COmstcck was 4 lucky hit When Z
question arose between Sharon and
Fair and The other stockholders Of the
Hale < NOTC-OSs and Fair stappad our
Tor Idaho, The subteTfus= disa-ued
Sharon. who allowed Flood d o Brian.
Fairs partners. 10 get control o. the
stock. Then Fair again appeared a.
Virginia. Sharon held q $4,000 mort
gage On the Bacon NH. which Fair got
Sharon was surprised. but asked him
what he would do with l.
d" 7 think III work 2 little Hale &
Norcross ore, replied Mr.. Fair. ana
that was the first inkIi1E MI Sharon
had thai the property had gone from
him After this. along with 1Iackay.
'Brian and Flood, Fair got control Of
many other claims. He began work
ing from the Curry through the Best d
BeIcher 10 the Consolidated Virginia on
the 1.2J1-foot level
While work was progressing he
went East One dav Lackav came
down and said TO the foreman. ! wish
this nina would sinE IN - The fore
man agreed with him that this was
probably the best place for II They
had so little faith in il that they were
not raising the dirt. but were throwing
Il back in the drifts. In the dilemma
some Of the stockholders sent for Fair
When he got there ard vent down and
zaW how things We're he said. Clean
out ali this dirt and rock and drive
straight ahead into the Virginia Ther
did this and struck the greatest DO
nanza ever known III mining. Had !.
-trN Dt5-4 -O- MIN II would not have
been done, though he has not had tle
credit for II. bug II is q fact. I was The
third man down there who saw the
wonderful strike. This is The true story
OF he discovery Of The great Consoli-
dated Virginia bonanza.
Mr.. Fair had no hobbies. was never
interested in literature or art, but was
wholly absorbed with business. "a
finance ne never made a losing. HIS
fortunes increased whether he dealt in
railroads, mines or ranches.
air never worked with a pick al
Virginia I have heard il said he did
but l know better He was always o.
eGpied with affairs OF such importance
as 10 take his whole attention. / first
became acquainted with him through
his coming 10 me for water 10 run
mill which Fair and Davis owned. The
firm afterwards changed 70 Fair Mac
kay Flood < O'Brien. growing bower
1ul with their great discoveries. To my
mind Fair was the brains Of the DO