4487

California Dry Dock Co. Bond signed by J.C. Flood (Comstock Bonanza King)

Currency:USD Category:Western Americana Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:600.00 - 1,000.00 USD
California Dry Dock Co. Bond signed by J.C. Flood (Comstock Bonanza King)
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Very early #11. $1000 Gold Bond Issued to bearer in 1878. Signed by Oliver Eldridge, President, and W. C. Gibbs, Secretary. Vignette of a dry dock located along the shore of San Francisco Bay, top center under company name. Black border and print. Gilt seal. Uncancelled. Printed by E. Basqui, San Francisco, 15X22 inches, 20 coupons attached. Endorsed on reverse by J. C. Flood and William Alvord. James C. Flood was one of the great San Francisco entrepreneurs that successfully rolled into fortune. The owner of a saloon located right next to the San Francisco Stock Exchange, Flood along with his partner William O'Brien soon became fast friends with John Mackay and James G. Fair, great speculators on the Comstock Lode.



In 1868 Flood and O'Brien opened a stock brokerage firm and, when Mackay and Fair tried to take control of several key Comstock properties, the four soon became partners and went on to make millions. Flood continued his shrewd business deals. He took over the Nevada Bank of San Francisco, at one time the largest bank on the West Coast. He retired and turned over the control of the bank to an incompetent who broke the bank. (McDonald, Virginia city...1982, pp 120-134). Alvord was a key partner to Huntington, Hopkins, and Stanford as part of the Big Four. He was involved with most of the successful early railroads of California including the Placerville Railroad. He was at one time the president of the Bank of California. He started with a hardware store in Marysville in 1853 and moved it to San Francisco where it thrived. Alvord was a favorite in San Francisco, serving on many philanthropic boards and was also elected Mayor. (Bancroft, History of California, vol. 7). Both autographs are extremely rare and these are two of the most powerful men in California's nineteenth century history. Extremely fine. A rare signature of one the famous Bonanza Kings, James C. Flood. (HA #33; 9-20-04-317 P633) State: California City: San Francisco Date: 1878 FHWAC#: 41370