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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 undeveloped
silver mine in Gold Hill。 He opened the mine and built a little
unpretending ten…stamp mill。 Eighteen months afterward he retired from
the hay business； for his mining income had reached a most comfortable
figure。 Some people said it was 30；000 a month； and others said it was
60；000。 Smith was very rich at any rate。
And then he went to Europe and traveled。 And when he came back he was
never tired of telling about the fine hogs he had seen in England； and
the gorgeous sheep he had seen in Spain； and the fine cattle he had
noticed in the vicinity of Rome。 He was full of wonders of the old
world； and advised everybody to travel。 He said a man never imagined
what surprising things there were in the world till he had traveled。
One day； on board ship； the passengers made up a pool of 500； which was
to be the property of the man who should come nearest to guessing the run
of the vessel for the next twenty…four hours。 Next day； toward noon； the
figures were all in the purser's hands in sealed envelopes。 Smith was
serene and happy； for he had been bribing the engineer。 But another
party won the prize！ Smith said：
Here； that won't do！ He guessed two miles wider of the mark than I did。〃
The purser said； 〃Mr。 Smith； you missed it further than any man on board。
We traveled two hundred and eight miles yesterday。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 said Smith； 〃that's just where I've got you； for I guessed
two hundred and nine。 If you'll look at my figgers again you'll find a 2
and two 0's； which stands for 200； don't it？and after 'em you'll find a
9 （2009）； which stands for two hundred and nine。 I reckon I'll take that
money； if you please。〃
The Gould & Curry claim comprised twelve hundred feet； and it all
belonged originally to the two men whose names it bears。 Mr。 Curry owned
two thirds of itand he said that he sold it out for twenty…five hundred
dollars in cash； and an old plug horse that ate up his market value in
hay and barley in seventeen days by the watch。 And he said that Gould
sold out for a pair of second…hand government blankets and a bottle of
whisky that killed nine men in three hours； and that an unoffending
stranger that smelt the cork was disabled for life。 Four years afterward
the mine thus disposed of was worth in the San Francisco market seven
millions six hundred thousand dollars in gold coin。
In the early days a poverty…stricken Mexican who lived in a canyon
directly back of Virginia City； had a stream of water as large as a man's
wrist trickling from the hill…side on his premises。 The Ophir Company
segregated a hundred feet of their mine and traded it to him for the
stream of water。 The hundred feet proved to be the richest part of the
entire mine； four years after the swap； its market value （including its
mill） was 1；500；000。
An individual who owned twenty feet in the Ophir mine before its great
riches were revealed to men； traded it for a horse； and a very sorry
looking brute he was； too。 A year or so afterward； when