In the bustling, high-stakes world of White Pine, Absent-Minded Nevada, during the exhilarating year of 1869, tales of fortune made and lost were commonplace. This particular era, a testament to the raw energy of frontier life, often saw individuals navigating immense wealth and sudden destitution with a remarkable lack of financial oversight. One such story, originally penned by William Daugherty in 1891 for the Reno Evening Gazette, captures the essence of this epoch, focusing on the astonishing forgetfulness of a prominent saloon keeper named Ed Estes, whose peculiar financial situation perfectly exemplifies the spirit of an absent-minded Nevada.
Ed Estes was a central figure in Hamilton, a thriving hub within White Pine, Nevada. His enterprise was more than just a saloon; it was a sprawling gambling hall, a pulsating heart of the town’s social and economic life. This establishment was perpetually thronged with prospectors, miners, and fortune-seekers, all eager to try their luck or simply escape the harsh realities of frontier existence. Estes, though not a gambler himself, was the shrewd businessman behind the operation. He handled the significant state licenses for numerous gaming tables, which alone amounted to a staggering $2,800 quarterly – a testament to the sheer scale of his business and the volume of money flowing through it. He then leased these tables to others, ensuring a steady stream of income, while also pouring substantial capital into the bar, generating extensive patronage. Such an operation required considerable working capital, and Estes managed it all, often overseeing nightly deposits of large sums into his saloon safe, protected by a dedicated watchman.
The Whirlwind of Wealth and Sudden Distress
Estes was not merely content with his successful saloon; he was also deeply invested in various mining enterprises, which demanded considerable financial outlays. In the wild, speculative boomtown environment of 1869, money often seemed to come and go in torrents. It was this freewheeling approach to finance that ultimately led Estes into a predicament that, in hindsight, seems almost unbelievable. He handled money with a certain carelessness, perhaps born from the ease with which it initially flowed, and when the inevitable downturn or ‘collapse’ came, he found himself in a dire situation. His once-deep pockets were suddenly empty, and, more bafflingly, he was utterly unable to account for where his substantial fortune had vanished. He simply could not recall the details of its dissipation.
Amidst this personal financial crisis, a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of eastern parties who expressed interest in his mining properties. Desperate to make a favorable impression and secure a much-needed deal, Estes resolved to entertain them lavishly during their brief visit. This planned hospitality, however, came with a price tag of $200 – a sum he simply did not possess. In his moment of need, he turned to a friend, seeking a loan, only to be met with the unfortunate news that his friend was also financially constrained. The friend, however, offered a suggestion: try the First National Bank.
The Astonishing Revelation at the First National Bank
Estes harbored significant doubts about securing a loan from the bank. The First National Bank was known for its stringent policies, typically refusing loans unless backed by unimpeachable, “gilt-edged” security. Nevertheless, out of sheer desperation and with no other recourse, he decided to try his luck. He walked into the bank, approached the cashier, Mr. Gilmore, and attempted to broach the subject of a loan indirectly. “Good morning, Mr. Gilmore,” Estes began, striving for an air of casualness despite his mounting anxiety, “by the way, I hear you are getting pretty close in banking matters lately; how does my account stand?”
His phrasing was far from clear, and his true intent—to pave the way for a loan—was obscured by his nervousness. Estes genuinely believed his account had been balanced and closed long ago, perhaps even depleted. The remark was merely a hesitant opening gambit. Mr. Gilmore, however, remained pleasant and professional. He turned to the balance book, a ledger meticulously documenting every transaction, and after a brief review, delivered news that sent a shockwave through Estes’s already strained nerves. “You have $1,750 credited to your account,” Gilmore informed him calmly. The revelation was so startling, so utterly unexpected, that Estes could barely articulate a response. He struggled to regain his composure, the words catching in his throat.
A Moment of Recovery and a Full Withdrawal
Managing to steady his voice, Estes eventually stammered, “You may give me $250 that I need this morning.” Gilmore, completely unfazed by Estes’s evident surprise, simply replied, “All right; fill out a check,” and promptly handed him a blank check form. Estes, still reeling from the unexpected fortune, found himself too nervous to write. He humbly asked the cashier to fill out the check for him, a request Gilmore obliged without question. This small act of assistance bought Estes a crucial moment to gather his scattered wits, to process the incredible news that he had, in fact, been sitting on a significant sum of money he had completely forgotten about.
As Gilmore was filling out the check, Estes, now more composed and fully grasping the extent of his forgotten wealth, made a sudden decision. “I believe I will need it all today,” he declared, “so fill it out for the total.” The cashier complied, completing the check for the full $1,750. The money was then counted out and handed to Estes, who, eager to conceal his astonishment and the lingering embarrassment of his memory lapse, hurried out of the bank. Later, he confided in a friend about the extraordinary incident, admitting he had absolutely no recollection of having made such a substantial deposit. With a sheepish grin and an invitation for a drink, he offered his humorous, if telling, conclusion: “I must have been pretty drunk when I did it, and I guess that’s what was the matter.” This anecdote truly encapsulates a moment of unforgettable absent-mindedness in Nevada’s vivid past.
The Legacy of Forgetfulness in the Wild West
The story of Ed Estes is more than just a humorous tale of a man’s lapse in memory; it offers a fascinating glimpse into the volatile financial landscape and the often-unconventional lifestyles prevalent during Nevada’s frontier boom years. In places like White Pine, fortunes could be made and lost overnight, and the sheer volume of transactions, coupled with a prevalent culture of indulgence, made such instances of financial forgetfulness perhaps not entirely uncommon. It speaks to a time when meticulous record-keeping for individuals might have been secondary to the thrill of the chase—be it for gold, silver, or the next big gamble. Estes’s candid admission, attributing his forgetfulness to intoxication, further paints a vivid picture of the rough-and-tumble environment that defined much of Absent-Minded Nevada.
Conclusion: A Fortune Remembered
The tale of Ed Estes serves as a captivating historical footnote, illuminating the quirks and characters that populated the American West. It underscores the unique blend of ambition, recklessness, and sheer human fallibility that characterized the “rushing days” of Nevada’s mining boom. From a prominent saloon keeper to a momentarily penniless entrepreneur, Estes’s journey to rediscovering his forgotten fortune is a compelling narrative of chance, oversight, and a touch of frontier mystique. This incident, while humorous, reminds us that even in the most organized systems, human elements—such as a touch of absent-mindedness or the haze of indulgence—can lead to truly unexpected outcomes, making the history of Nevada all the more colorful and endearing. His story remains a classic example of the memorable characters and surprising events that shaped the Silver State’s early history.
