Sacramento County
Biographies
WILLIAM O.
BOWERS
WILLIAM
O. BOWERS.--The hotel par excellence
of the Capital City is the “Golden Eagle,” corner of Seventh and K streets, a
location which has always been prominent in the annals of the city, and indeed
has been the site of an hotel from the earliest
period. Here in 1851 Dan Callahan erected his frame lodging-house (which he had
purchased for one span of horses), with its canvas “annex,” upon the flaps of
which the jocose Wrightmire, with a piece of charcoal, drew the figure of an
eagle with outspread wings and serious mien, and dubbed the place the “Golden
Eagle Hotel,” a name which through all the ups and downs of pioneer days clung
to it with the tenacity of a happy thought; but it remained for the present
proprietor to bring it up to the high standard of excellence for which it is so
widely known today. It has been said by an eminent authority that “hotel men
are born, not made;” and certainly, to conduct a large hotel successfully,
requires both social and business qualifications of the highest order. That
these qualities are possessed to an eminent degree by the subject of this
biographical mention is shown both by his past record and by the most casual
visit to this, the leading first-class house in the city. It contains about 100
rooms and accommodates comfortably about 250 people; but Mr. Bowers not
infrequently finds it necessary to secure outside room accommodations for his
guests, who have on occasions numbered as high as 1,000 in a single day. The
parlors, reading-room, office and dining-hall are all large, light, airy and
commodious, excellently kept, and superior to any others in the city, while the
genial proprietor, with a bland courtesy all his own, gives that personal
attention to his guests which is the secret of his success. Mr. Bowers was born
April 26, 1838, a native of the State of New Hampshire, and son of Thomas and
Betsey (Conery) Bowers. His father died some years ago,
but his mother still survives at the advanced age of eighty-nine years, in the
full enjoyment of her mental faculties, and in good health. The early years of
Mr. Bowers’ life were passed at Nashua, New Hampshire, his native place, where
he received his preliminary education. At the age of sixteen he went to
Northfield, Vermont, where he entered the railroad shops of the Vermont Central
as an apprentice. He served his time and then went to Wilmington, North
Carolina, where he resided and engaged in railroading during the war, and after
those troublesome times were over he was commissioned to go abroad, having in
charge the supervision of steamboat work in Europe for over a year, returning
to New York in 1867. He came to the Pacific coast and entered the employ of the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company for a time, and then for three years was engaged
in steam boating. He returned to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company and
continued with them until 1878, when, coming to Sacramento, he became the
proprietor of the “Union House,” Second and K streets, where his extensive
acquaintance and business qualities secured him a fair share of patronage.
After leaving the Southern Pacific Railroad Company he purchased a one-half
interest in the Capital Ale Vaults on J street,
between Third and Fourth streets. He continued the business about four years,
when he became proprietor of the “Union Hotel.” After an experience of five
years at the “Union,” he rented the “Golden Eagle,” securing in this way a
location and accommodations more suited to his abilities as a “Boniface.” Mr.
Bowers belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Union Lodge, No.
332, of Glasgow, Scotland. He also belongs to the order of Elks, and to the
Sacramento Turn-Verein. In 1859 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza E.
Kimball, a native of Barton, Vermont. Here, then, in brief outline, we have a
history of one of the self-made men of the Capital City. But to fully
appreciate the qualities of head and heart which lie at the foundation of his
popularity, one must become a guest at the “Golden Eagle.”
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 11/29/07.
Source: Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated
History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 795-796.
Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Vicky Walker.