St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-18
MACKAYS GOLDEN TRAIL.
The Giant Strides of Americas Great
Millionaire Magnet.
Plucky Pioneer Who Began Life on His
Own Hook.
From the New York Lonrnal

From the New York journal.
Thirty-fve years ago mere lad, whose
pockets were by no means well lined with
the needful, stood upon the deck of one OF
the then famous packet ships as she entered
the harbor of New York. He was quite alone
and had left his pleasant home in the Green
Isle to see what an indomitable will com bined
with conscientious principles and deter
mination to succeed would do for him in
America.
That forlorn lad was John w. Mackay, WHO
is now known as King of the Bonanza Kings
and one of the owners of the great CONNER
cial cable.
Young Mackay, bright of face and quick of
intellect, soon found employment in the Of
flee of William H. Webb, the then famous
shipbuider of this city. In the fall of 1859
young Mackay joined party
BOUND FOR CALIFORNIA.
and about the close of that year he reached
his destination, having made the passage in
vessel built by his former employer. He
Immediately engaged in what is known as
placer mining at Allegheny, Sierra county,
California, where moderate success rewarded
his efforts. He did not drift into mining,
and delve among the rocks and sand as O
make-shft, as was the case with a majority
Of those who arrived in Frisco in the Golden
Age. He entered mining as profession.
He entered mining to stay, and he did stay.
He did not have luck above that of other
men. On the contrary, when an average Of
the early events of his mining career is struck
he had fu charo Of jcfO
His privations were incidental to mining
career, and fortune smiled slightly on him
while he vas working the placers in Sierra
county. 1t was a sickly sort of smile. Still
it was smile, and the result was he secured
sufficient money to proceed to Virginia City,
New, and inaugurate an enterprise of his
own.
In connection with his old friend Kinney
Said he started a tunnel in what was then
known as the Union Ground, north of
THE opHIR MINE.
Here fortune frowned upon him. His funds
were speedily exhausted, and once more he
started for competency. He made his
brawny arms earn him 81 day as a timber
man in the Mexican mine. He also swung
pick and shovel in the mines at similar
rate of remuneration. His ideas of wealth
were very moderate in those times. There
was no limit to his ambition. but his chief
desire was to accumulate $25, 900 for the pur-
pose of soothing the declining years of be-
loved mother,
''This desire affords,'' said one of his old
friends to reporter, ia good index to the
mans character Mr.. Mackay's fidelity and
rugged integrity are as prominent to-day as
they were when he worked for wages and
earned all that he received"
The first substantial start made by Mr..
Mackay was in connection with the Kentuck
mine, in Gold Hill. After many changes of for.
tune he became associated with j. NJ. Walker,
brother of ex-Gov. Walker of Virginia, in
1868. This firm was enlarged by the addition
of Messrs. Flood and O'Brien in 1864, when
Senator james g. Fair took the place of Mr..
Walker.
The career of Mr.. Mackay since has been
chiefly noticeable for the active part he has
taken in the incessaut and successful efforts
to obtain further acquisition of territory on
that marvellous deposit Of ore known as
THE CoMsTocK LODE.
Backed by his constantly increasing capital
he and his partners opened to the world the
wonderful consolidated Virginia and Califor-
mia; known as the Bonanza mines.
Mr.. Mackay has made his home at Virginia
City. His decision of character, his shrewd-
ness, his application, and last, but not least.
his personal popularity, have largely contri.
buted to his renowned success. He is one
Of the few men whom fortune has not
spoiled.
whether at his mansion In Paris or in
the dripping depths of his mines, he is the
same quiet and unostentations John w.
Mackay," remarked gentleman at the Hoff-
man house last evening
He Is gentleman of hercuean build, easy
OF carriage, and has genial presence
The existence Of the Commercial cable
is due to Mr.. Mackay and his friend
Mr.. James Gordon Bennett, and indeed it is
by the subtitle of the Mackay- Bennett cables
that the system is more generally known.
The system was organized to directly oppose
the burdensome Gould com bination and to
give the public an independent. quick and
cheap cable service. Some idea Of the enor-
nous expense of constructing and putting
such system into running order may be
cleaned from the statement that the cables
comprise little short OF 1000 miles. It is the
first ocean cable that ever had its terminus
In the heart Of the city. One cable is worked
directly from Broad and Wall streets, and
and replies have been received in
less than minute TO and from London.
Mr. George G. Ward is secretary and general