Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-06-12
JOHN w. MACKAY.
Giant Strides of a Pacific Coast
Millionaire.
The Plucky Pioneer Who Began Life on
His Own Hook and Still HoIds
the Hook with the Best
of Them.
NY. Morning Jonrnal.l

~. Y. Morning Journall
Thirty five years ago n 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 en-
tered the harbor OF New York. He was
quite alone, and had left his pleasant
home in the Green Isle to see VIII at an in
domitable will combined with conscien-
tious principles and a determination to
succee would do or him in America.
That forlorn lad was John w. Mackay,
who is now known as K ng OF the Bonanza
Kings, AMI one Of the owners of the great
Commercial Cable.
Young Mackay, bright of facs and
quick of INTEL CT, soon foun employment
in the Office of William II. Webb, the then
famous ship-builder of this city. In the
fall OF 1852 young Mackay joined party
bound fer California, and about the cl Ise
of that year he reached his destination,
having male the passage in a vessel built
by his former employer. He imme-
dat ly engaged In what is known as
placer mining at Allegheny, Sier-
ra County, California, where mod
crate success rewar led h $ effo rts. He did
not drift into mining, aud delve among
the rocks and sand as a make-shift, as
was the case with majority of those who
arrived in Frisco in the Golden Age He
entered mining as a profession. He en-
tered mining to stay, and he did stay.
He did not have luck above that OF other
men, On the contrary, when an aver
age Of the early events of his mining ca
reer is struck he had his full share of
misfortune.
y n 1f1 ,kol 80 N
mining career, and fortune smiled slightly
on him while he was working the placers
in Sierra County. 1t was a sickly sort
of smile. Stillft was a smile, and the re-
suit was he secured sufficient money to
proceed TO Virginia City. Nevada, and in
augurate 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 frown cd upon
him. His funds were speedily exhausted,
and once more he started for a compe
tency. He made his brawny arms earn
him "a day as a timber-man in the
Mexican MINI. He also swung a pick
and shovel in the mines at a similar
ate 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 $:5,-
600 for the purpose of soothing the de-
clining years of beloved mother.
This desire Affords" said one OF his old
friends to the Journal reporter, "a COOL
index to the mans character. Mr. Mackay's
hd lty and rugged integrity are as prom
inent to-day as they were when he worked
for wages and earned Ill that he received"
The frs. substant al start made by Mr..
Mackay was in connection with the Ken
tuck Mine, in Gold Hill. After many
changes Of fortune he became associated
". tn J. NJ. Walker, brother of ex- Governor
Walker of Virginia, in 1868. This firm was
enlarged by tho addition Of Messrs. Flood
and O'Brien in 1854, AMI so continued until
1868, when Senator James G. Fair took the
place OF Mr.. Walker.
The career OF Mr.. u ,c,say since has been
chiefly motto able for the active part he
has taken in the incess INT and successful
efforts TO obtain further acquisition OF ter
ritory on that marvellous deposit OF ore
known as the Coms.ocS Lode. Backed ly
his constantly incrsas capital he AMI
his partners opened to the world the Won
deriul consolidated Virginia and Calilor-
MIA, known as the "Bonanza" mines.
Mr.. Mackay has made his home at Vir-
ginia City. His decision OF character, his
shrewdness, his application, and last, but
not least, his personal popularity, have
largely contributed to his renowned sue
cess. He is one of the few men whom for
tune has not spoiled.
"Whether at b s mansion in Paris or In
the dripping depths of the mines, he is the
same quiet and transformations John w.
Mackay," rema rked gen leman at the
HOFFMAN House last evening
He is gentleman of herculean build,
easy o. carriage, and has a genial pres
ence.
The existence of the Commercial Cable
Company is due 10 Mr.. Mackay and his
friend Mr.. James Gordon Bennett, and in
deed, it is by the subtitle of the Mackay-
Bennett cables that the system is more
generally known. The system was or
ganized to directly oppose the burden
some Gould combination, and to give the
public an independent, quick AMI cheap
cable service. Some idea Of the enormous
expense OF constructing and putting such
a system into running order may be
CLEANED from the statement that the ca
bles comprise lit lie shori of 100 miles. 1t
is the first ocean cable that ever had it's
terminus in the heart of the CITY. One ca
be is W, rked directly from Broad and
Wall streets, and m assages and replies
have been received in less than a minute
to ami from London. Mr.. George g. Ward
Is secretary aad general manager.