按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
was held in the Opera House； and the auction began。 But the sack had
come sooner than it was expected； the people were not thoroughly aroused；
and the sale dragged。 At nightfall only five thousand dollars had been
secured； and there was a crestfallen feeling in the community。 However；
there was no disposition to let the matter rest here and acknowledge
vanquishment at the hands of the village of Austin。 Till late in the
night the principal citizens were at work arranging the morrow's
campaign； and when they went to bed they had no fears for the result。
At eleven the next morning a procession of open carriages； attended by
clamorous bands of music and adorned with a moving display of flags；
filed along C street and was soon in danger of blockade by a huzzaing
multitude of citizens。 In the first carriage sat Gridley； with the flour
sack in prominent view； the latter splendid with bright paint and gilt
lettering； also in the same carriage sat the mayor and the recorder。
The other carriages contained the Common Council； the editors and
reporters； and other people of imposing consequence。 The crowd pressed
to the corner of C and Taylor streets； expecting the sale to begin there；
but they were disappointed； and also unspeakably surprised； for the
cavalcade moved on as if Virginia had ceased to be of importance； and
took its way over the 〃divide；〃 toward the small town of Gold Hill。
Telegrams had gone ahead to Gold Hill； Silver City and Dayton； and those
communities were at fever heat and rife for the conflict。 It was a very
hot day； and wonderfully dusty。 At the end of a short half hour we
descended into Gold Hill with drums beating and colors flying； and
enveloped in imposing clouds of dust。 The whole populationmen； women
and children； Chinamen and Indians； were massed in the main street； all
the flags in town were at the mast head； and the blare of the bands was
drowned in cheers。 Gridley stood up and asked who would make the first
bid for the National Sanitary Flour Sack。 Gen。 W。 said：
〃The Yellow Jacket silver mining company offers a thousand dollars；
coin！〃
A tempest of applause followed。 A telegram carried the news to Virginia；
and fifteen minutes afterward that city's population was massed in the
streets devouring the tidingsfor it was part of the programme that the
bulletin boards should do a good work that day。 Every few minutes a new
dispatch was bulletined from Gold Hill； and still the excitement grew。
Telegrams began to return to us from Virginia beseeching Gridley to bring
back the flour sack； but such was not the plan of the campaign。 At the
end of an hour Gold Hill's small population had paid a figure for the
flour sack that awoke all the enthusiasm of Virginia when the grand total
was displayed upon the bulletin boards。 Then the Gridley cavalcade moved
on； a giant refreshed with new lager beer and plenty of itfor the
people brought it to the carriages without waiting to measure itand
within three hours more the expedition had carried Silver City and Dayton
by storm and was on its way back covered with glory。 Every move had been
telegraphed and bulletined； and as the procession entered Virginia and
filed down C street at half past eight in the evening the town was abroad
in the thoroughfares； torches were glaring； flags flying； bands playing；
cheer on cheer cleaving the air； and the city ready to surrender at
discretion。 The auction began； every bid was greeted with bursts of
applause； and at the end of two hours and a half a population of fifteen
thousand souls had paid in coin for a fifty…pound sack of flour a sum
equal to forty thousand dollars in greenbacks！ It was at a rate in the
neighborhood of three dollars for each man； woman and child of the
population。 The grand total would have been twice as large； but the
streets were very narrow； and hundreds who wanted to bid could not get
within a block of the stand； and could not make themselves heard。 These
grew tired of waiting and many of them went home long before the auction
was over。 This was the greatest day Virginia ever saw； perhaps。
Gridley sold the sack in Carson city and several California towns； also
in San Francisco。 Then he took it east and sold it in one or two
Atlantic cities； I think。 I am not sure of that； but I know that he
finally carried it to St。 Louis； where a monster Sanitary Fair was being
held； and after selling it there for a large sum and helping on the
enthusiasm by displaying the portly silver bricks which Nevada's donation
had produced； he had the flour baked up into small cakes and retailed
them at high prices。
It was estimated that when the flour sack's mission was ended it had been
sold for a grand total of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in
greenbacks！ This is probably the only instance on record where common
family flour brought three thousand dollars a pound in the public market。
It is due to Mr。 Gridley's memory to mention that the expenses of his
sanitary flour sack expedition of fifteen thousand miles； going and
returning； were paid in large part if not entirely； out of his own
pocket。 The time he gave to it was not less than three months。
Mr。 Gridley was a soldier in the Mexican war and a pioneer Californian。
He died at Stockton； California； in December； 1870； greatly regretted。
CHAPTER XLVI。
There were nabobs in those daysin the 〃flush times；〃 I mean。 Every
rich strike in the mines created one or two。 I call to mind several of
these。 They were careless； easy…going fellows； as a general thing； and
the community at large was as much benefited by their riches as they were
themselvespossibly more； in some cases。
Two cousins； teamsters； did some hauling for a man and had to take a
small segregated portion of a silver mine in lieu of 300 cash。 They
gave an outsider a third to open the mine； and they went on teaming。 But
not long。 Ten months afterward the mine was out of debt and paying each
owner 8；000 to 10；000 a monthsay 100；000 a year。
One of the earliest nabobs that Nevada was delivered of wore 6；000 worth
of diamonds in his bosom； and swore he was unhappy because he could not
spend his money as fast as he made it。
Another Nevada nabob boasted an income that often reached 16；000 a
month； and he used to love to tell how he had worked in the very mine
that yielded it； for five dollars a day； when he first came to the
country。
The silver and sage…brush State has knowledge of another of these pets of
fortunelifted from actual poverty to affluence almost in a single
nightwho was able to offer 100；000 for a position of high official
distinction； shortly afterward； and did offer itbut failed to get it；
his politics not being as sound as his bank account。
Then there was John Smith。 He was a good； honest； kind…hearted soul；
born and reared in the lower ranks of life； and miraculously ignorant。
He drove a team； and owned a small rancha ranch that paid him a
comfortable living； for although it yielded but little hay； what little
it did yield was worth from 250 to 300 in gold per ton in the market。
Presently Smith traded a few acres of the ranch for a small undevelo