Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-08-06
BONANZA KING At DINNER.

going the rounds of the press about
one of the most liberal, kindest- hearted
and mildest hammered men that God
ever let live:
Mackay always sits with his back in
the corner. He is common place.
looking man, with thin gray halr aud
white mustache. He looks like the
sort of sick man who has gathered
his shekeIs by accident, and should
not take him to be the possessor of
any remarkable degree of intellect.
When Mackay finds that any of his
dinner, through the process Of masti-
cation, has stuck between his teeth,
he does not help himself to quill and
pick it out-not he. That would be
considered impolite in man of his
position. So he just takes his napkin
between his thumb and forefingcr,
rams his whole fist into his mouth, and
hauls out the shred which refuses to
move on. 1t is beautiful and appe-
thing spectacle which he presents
upon these occasions. But he has got
IA barrel Of money, and that makes all
the ditferen &c in the world.-[ LeandeI
Richardson.
We DO not know Mr.. Richardson,
but are satisfied that he is a scrub
newspaper man, who thus vents u
spite inspired by some private grew
ance, as a nobler rich man than John
w. Mackay, or "Pr'nce john" as he
is often referred to in Nevada, never
lived. True, he was formerly a rough,
uncouth miner, working by the day
for the ruling wages. But, while ac-
cumulating wealth, he has also i'm
proved his mind and manners by ev-
cry means in his power, until now he
speaks French, Spanish and English
so correctly and fluent, that a per-
son, not knowing his antecedents,
would think on seeing him that he
was gentleman BORN" as the say
ing is.
AS to his libcrality, two instances
of the many which came under the
writer's personal observation will be
cited. A few years ago, while this
scribe was employed as mining repor-
ter on the Virginia (Nev.) Chronicle,
Mr.. Hull, the "funny man. or humor-
Gus writer of the San Francisco Chron-
icle, died, leaving wife and two CT
three small children in want. Some
of Mr.. Hull's newspaper friends deter
mined to do something toward reliev-
ing their ex-comrade's family, and
Sam Davis, then the humorous or
amusing and sporting reporter Of the
Virginia Chronicle, took the matter in
hand on the Comstock.
In company with this scribe he
;ent to the Con Virginia Office, and
asked to see John Mackay. That
dropped some important
computations - possibly involving
millions of dollars-in which he was
engaged, and received the newspaper
men with the usual cordial welcome.
He then asked il anything special had
brought them?
eyes, john" replied Sam, with be-
wildering familiarity; tive intend to
raise $500 here for the family Of Hull.
Now, me and Picotte Sam never did
go much on grammar will give 81 if
you will give the other $500"
With a smile, as if about to do
something exceedingly pleasant, Mr..
Mackay called out to the chief clerk :
"Mr. Taylor, please write out a
check for $500, payable to bearer"
"Say, john" put in Sam, "hadn't
you better give us a paper payable in
San Francisco ? 1t will save en-
change, you see."
Snake it draft on our San Fran
cisco bank, Mr.. Taylor, with ex-
change" came from Prince John.
"Then make it payable to Mrs.
HUH" bawled out the irrepressible
Sam, while this scribe trcmbled in his
boots at Sans cheek.
Another instance was this :: A
widow, whose husband had lost his
life in the California mine, called at
the Con. Virginia office on a pay day,
while this scribe was there. Four
clerks we're busy paying off. a heavy
walnut table, upon which were piled
several hundred thousand dollars in
stacks of $50 gold pieces, stood within
few feet of window at which the
men were paid off. The men wOuld