Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-28
A MINERS PALACE.
Wonderful House That Bowers O
Nevada Built at Washoe.


From the Nevada Mining News.
There has probably never been a home
erected or furnished in the west with
such extravaganza or disregard for
money as the Bowers mansion. which
was built by a miner known as Sandy
Bowers. near Washoe City. New. In IS
1t was completed at a cost of $4O7, 900.
There have been many homes that cost
more. but they represented expenditures
for genuine art or rare pieces of old
furniture, imported marbles and such
things. and we're much larger. But the
mansion had but fourteen or fifteen
rooms. two-story structure built Of
the stone quarried near Washoe City
The gold and silver grown SO common
IN Sandy's eyes, according to his way Of
thinking. had as much right to a place
IN his home as it did in Solomon's tenn
pie. The doors swung from heavy silver
plated hinges. Doorknobs and lock
plates were wrought from gold and sill
yer. The keys were of silver pendent
front OF the fine tiled fireplaces were
silver plated. The table service was
none Of your triple plate. 1t was the
solid article. wrought from the purest of
the gold and silver bullion. The nabobs
and nabobesses of the orient never dined
from completer table service Of precious
metals than did Sandy and Mrs Bowers
The handles Of the bowls and pitchers
were made OF gold. and sparkled with
jewels. Engraved on the plate were char
acteristic scenes OF Nevada. One hum
dred thousand dollars worth Of bullion
was worked up in this way by the gold
and stlversmiths Of San Francisco, an
additional force of skilled workers hav-
ing been brought west for the job.
Contrasted with the luxury of the din
ing room was the poverty Of the library.
The furniture Of this necessary adjunct
Of q cultured home was luxurious enough.
but alas. the visitor glancing over the
shelves at the titles on the noroccos or
half-levants. when he would reach for
Plutarch's Lives or Bolingbroke's RE
ticence In Criticism" met only the hollow
response OF cleverly painted sham covers.
1t was library without books. Many
volumed sets were represented by en-
graved leather boards such IS a modern
book agent unfolds to show you the
binding he is selling
Mirrors brought you face to face with
hall wa. French plate covering the
entire side wall. Rich tapestries and
imported lace curtains. brilliant colored
rugs, massive Victorian mahogany an
occasional Queen Anne. a piece Of Coz
freely together, careless Of the proprie-
ties. The corpse Of a professional dec
orator would turn in It's grave If 1t had
even q faint idea what Sandy's luxury
looked like.
A trip abroad had given the Bowerses
some idea on servants, and the house
warming time came and the retinue Of
servants was sworn in; they were pre-
scented with the livery Of the House Of
Bowers. a study Of scarlet and gold lace.
The democratic servants Nevada or Cali
fornia afforded those days wouldn't stand
for the toggery. and the House Of Bow
ers had to exist without a livery. The
site for the mansion was chosen near
natural spring in the side Of the hill. At
IN expense of several thousands two
bathing pools were made and the now OF
water Increased by drilling into the hot
subterranean pools. homeless child
was adopted and christened Persia, and
became the heir Of the House of Bowers.