roughing it-第44章

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deaf　to　all　entreaty；　men　plowed　their　way　through　the　throng　and　rained
checks　of　gold　coin　into　the　cart　and　skurried　away　for　more。　　Hands
clutching　money；　were　thrust　aloft　out　of　the　jam　by　men　who　hoped　this
eloquent　appeal　would　cleave　a　road　their　strugglings　could　not　open。
The　very　Chinamen　and　Indians　caught　the　excitement　and　dashed　their　half
dollars　into　the　cart　without　knowing　or　caring　what　it　was　all　about。
Women　plunged　into　the　crowd；　trimly　attired；　fought　their　way　to　the
cart　with　their　coin；　and　emerged　again；　by　and　by；　with　their　apparel　in
a　state　of　hopeless　dilapidation。　　It　was　the　wildest　mob　Virginia　had
ever　seen　and　the　most　determined　and　ungovernable；　and　when　at　last　it
abated　its　fury　and　dispersed；　it　had　not　a　penny　in　its　pocket。

To　use　its　own　phraseology；　it　came　there　〃flush〃　and　went　away　〃busted。〃

After　that；　the　Commission　got　itself　into　systematic　working　order；　and
for　weeks　the　contributions　flowed　into　its　treasury　in　a　generous
stream。　　Individuals　and　all　sorts　of　organizations　levied　upon
themselves　a　regular　weekly　tax　for　the　sanitary　fund；　graduated
according　to　their　means；　and　there　was　not　another　grand　universal
outburst　till　the　famous　〃Sanitary　Flour　Sack〃　came　our　way。　　Its　history
is　peculiar　and　interesting。　　A　former　schoolmate　of　mine；　by　the　name　of
Reuel　Gridley；　was　living　at　the　little　city　of　Austin；　in　the　Reese
river　country；　at　this　time；　and　was　the　Democratic　candidate　for　mayor。
He　and　the　Republican　candidate　made　an　agreement　that　the　defeated　man
should　be　publicly　presented　with　a　fifty…pound　sack　of　flour　by　the
successful　one；　and　should　carry　it　home　on　his　shoulder。　　Gridley　was
defeated。　　The　new　mayor　gave　him　the　sack　of　flour；　and　he　shouldered　it
and　carried　it　a　mile　or　two；　from　Lower　Austin　to　his　home　in　Upper
Austin；　attended　by　a　band　of　music　and　the　whole　population。　　Arrived
there；　he　said　he　did　not　need　the　flour；　and　asked　what　the　people
thought　he　had　better　do　with　it。　　A　voice　said：

〃Sell　it　to　the　highest　bidder；　for　the　benefit　of　the　Sanitary　fund。〃

The　suggestion　was　greeted　with　a　round　of　applause；　and　Gridley　mounted
a　dry…goods　box　and　assumed　the　role　of　auctioneer。　　The　bids　went　higher
and　higher；　as　the　sympathies　of　the　pioneers　awoke　and　expanded；　till　at
last　the　sack　was　knocked　down　to　a　mill　man　at　two　hundred　and　fifty
dollars；　and　his　check　taken。　　He　was　asked　where　he　would　have　the　flour
delivered；　and　he　said：

〃Nowheresell　it　again。〃

Now　the　cheers　went　up　royally；　and　the　multitude　were　fairly　in　the
spirit　of　the　thing。　　So　Gridley　stood　there　and　shouted　and　perspired
till　the　sun　went　down；　and　when　the　crowd　dispersed　he　had　sold　the　sack
to　three　hundred　different　people；　and　had　taken　in　eight　thousand
dollars　in　gold。　　And　still　the　flour　sack　was　in　his　possession。

The　news　came　to　Virginia；　and　a　telegram　went　back：

〃Fetch　along　your　flour　sack！

Thirty…six　hours　afterward　Gridley　arrived；　and　an　afternoon　mass　meeting
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　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　ha