Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-04

rLtpuisrille oarier- JoernaI.

LpIlsvilie o1Yfef-5 0GgDa!.
Among the hunters of men who have
leaped from imperative poverty and
obscprIty IN this country. II TIE Pas;
half c-ntury, none stand out more
prominently than John ~. Mckay. the
California millionaire. AZ present hvlng
in Para Although much tzs been
written and saId shost him, ~ matter
OF course. bat fev persons are se97aini-
ed With his early life. and the fact that
be was at one time , Resident OF so!-
city has never been made p1Oiic. As a
reporter xa- passing q 3~n Main street
Yesterday. a gentleman sanding at tie
corner of Twelfth street remarked !:
/" You see that building over ihsre
pointing to the house on the northwest
corner Of Ts,itih and Man. Cpon ihe
reporter rsplsIng ~ tn Affirmative, ne
continued ! s1ppOse II So1ld -nr-
Or - number ot p~r-Dns - know 10 A.
Gackay once lived there and Kept So
lOJn. The story IL not generally knoSn,
- be = ~ not man II VIDE ac41aint-
zuce. and when he left the cIty All
thought Of him died ont. OF ibOse vho
used - take drinks from nIs hands
across the counter, bat fex RECON- Il
him in hIs NV -pte
"AIsLg about 1915 Mackay came IN
this city with one or 80 others In
search .! employment. de WAS young
man, strong. active and willing - WORK
al almost anytbIny which would aiford
him 4 good Inv ug. AL Old two story
frame building stood al the corner over
there, and the front room had b,en
ed a. = saloon The proprietor closed
up a fev months before, however, and
the building was left without tenant.
Eackay had some little money, and a.
| the location "a a good one he resolved
! 10 start A bar room there. be made A
| bargain with the proprietor ana secured
| the place, opening up about a W7ei
! later. The room and Its fixtures voalC
| be In strong contrast With the nns
saloons of the present d4y. With thelI
| g1lded counters and fancy bars. HE
| walls were covered with a simple COS
| Of white paint, and the counter =
| long uarrox one made o1t OF pms
boards. Behind 1t WAS a shelf On vi ict
| sat some bottles and glasses. Ills com
Ing was no. taken much notice OF, auc
uoi.- feat enough Interest - inquire
| from where he came or who he was. he
| WAS an energetic and industrious man
polite and attentive to his customers
| AID his short figure and smiling fact
could be seen at all times behind thu
bar. He soon built up a very Rooc
| trade. but he never appeared satisfied
| II Wa evident that he was not intended
| for such an avooation In life, As ne VA
restless, and. like Micawber, constantly
waiting for something TO turn up.
| The long looked for day finally ar
l vtuad and ~ rfAA fAy ftaltfnrnIa Ia
tie expecting that such good fortune ~
fell 10 bis lot was awaiting HIN. IL
lS43 the gold fever WAS at ITS night, anC
every day emlgraDts were leaving To-
the Pacific Coast, eager 70 reap the har
vest of gold which they confidently ex
pected WAS waiting for them. NJ ,ckay
was one Of the first persons In this city
to be afflicted with the fever, and he en-
deavored To induce a number of friend
to 90 with him A party of abou
twenty i've WAS finally 10 Ide up, al h'
Was one of the leaders in it. He solt
his property interests for a small sun
and that was the last heard of him un
til he jumped suddenly into the lap O
fortune"
IL was" said the gentleman. "in Cal
ifornia at the time of his arrival there
and watched his career with considers
BILE Interest. He had previously knoy
Flood and o Brien, and they were ver
fast friends. They were ut that tim
keeping saloon IN San Francisco AN
Mackay worked III the mines. The tw
famous fields of wealth then were III
California and the Consolidated Vii
GINA, aud he worked IN both of then
He WAS very shrewd man, toler Adj
we'll educated, and had some it'll
knowledge of civil engineering. II
clearly saw that money invested In tn
stook of either of these mines was sar
TO bring good results, and every dnlla
he could raise WAS invested in that Wa,
At his instance 4 God and o. Brien Wen
in with him, and the three purch ,se
stock at - a share. Soon afterward
went mp "a 81. and gradually Incre Use
to SIS. La this simple III amer thel
fortunes were made. and almost be for
they knew 1t they were wealthy iuer
Msckay then lived in frame houso o
Suffer street. and his figure became
familiar one to the frequenters OF til
mines.
He was not married then, but Lac
the woman who became his wife 500
sfterward. This in itself Is little 70
nance, and illustrates his character
She was a widow when he became ae
quainted with her, and WAS the daueh
tor of Major HunRerford of New Oh
leans. She married doctor and move
to Nevada City. where the husband die
some time afterwards. He WIS "A pou
msn, and left his wife and child i
rather destitute circumstances. Nj
Mnckay heard Of this som, month
later, and started a subscription for I'll
widows benefit, contributing liberaii
himself, and raising a neat little sun
This 80 touched the widows heart tina
she called on him to thank him for hi
Kindness. She was young and prvtt,
with childish face and Winning way
aud captured Mackay's heart complete
ly. HIS courtship WAS a qaiet one, an
OF short duration. and soon the prett
widow united her destiny with hi.
Mackay WAS then a rich man, but h
kept widening hi. field of action, unit
IN connection with Flood. O'Brien an
Fair, Le established the Nevada Banl
and Louis McLane went from Baltimor
to manage it.
Since that time Mackay's career b A
been familiar to almost every scho,
Soy. Unlike the majority of men. how
ever, he does not forget that he Was one
dependent himself, aud his charity ha
been great. lie i member of th
Catholic Church. and established a
orphan asylum for the children of thf
denomination in Nevada City. which
still supports. Ne is always ready I
give for charity's sake. and IN additio
IL polite and courteous 10 everybody"
| -
M WAS ABVAgD.