The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-20


John ". Maekay, the famous '.bonanza
king" recently underwent dangerous
surgical operation in New York city for
the removal OF the vermiform appendix.
Though Mr. Mackay Is 81 years of age and
had but lately entirely recovered from the
effects of the wound inflicted upon him by
San Francisco crank in February last,
the operation was entirely successful
The story Of the famous bonanza
big four" who under the name of
Flood, o'Brien, Mackay and Fair
rose to immense wealth probably
faster than any other four men of modern
times, has often been told. and its details
do not need to be repeated. The riches of
the Rothschilds. the Earrings. the wealth
OF Aston. Stewart and Commodore Van
dsrbilt were of comparatively slow growth.
Jay Gould cannot be fairly counted In the
list. as the twelve millions he won in Erie
was stupendous steal. He secured pos
session of the Erie by fraud and main
tanned himself IN possession only through
the fact that the corrupt courts of
New York city were all members
Of both the Tweed and the Erie
rings. Commodore Vanderbilt by
legitimate effort in open market had once
secured the Erie railroad, but he was
beaten by Gould's going to Jersey City
and printing an over-lssue of stock which
made 1t impossible for Vanderbilt TO be
victorious, as Gould's stock was only
limited by the power of the printing
press. OF course IL the courts had not
been in Gould's hands he could have been
promptly arrested and flung into Jail for
fraudulent over-issue of stock. In this
way Gould secured and kept Erie until he
had stolen it poor. and the English stock
holders we're glad TO hribe him TO let go of
the property, carrying with him 81, co.,
900 OF stolen money.
But the wealth of the bonanza ''big
four" while won with extraordinary
rapidity. was not acquired originally by
the methods of Gould. Something of ex-
eeptional luck attended the successful
operations of all these men, and yet one
at least of them. probably Flood, must
have been gifted with a soundness of judg-
ment, a shrewdness and a capacity for
/ prompt and resolute action that belongs
only to person Of superior talents for
trade. The Colorado millionaire, Tabor,
rose to sudden wealth by grub stalking"
a mining prospeeior after tho manner in
| which Flood and o'Brien did
| Maekay and Fair, but the singu-
lar fact Is that Msckay, Fair.
| o'Brlen and Flood stuck together,
rose TO great wealth together. and
KEEP: their own counsels so perfectly that
( they were able when the big bonanza was
/ exhausted TO conceal the fact and unload
their empty pocket upon the people.
/ There must have been at least one supe.
/ rior head among these mon to whom the
/ others firmly trusted or there would have
been some break. some falling ont among
the friends that would have spoiled their
/ scheme.
All Of these men were Of Irish birth.
! Flood may have come Of the stock OF the
| famous Henry Flood. who as a parIia-
| mcutAry orator and debater wss second
| only 10 Grattan in his day. MAckay's
| name implies that he vas OF scotch
! Lineage, The story Of his life. how he
began as an apprentice to William II.
Webb. the famous ship builder of Ne~
/ York city. and worked his way 10 the top
| of the financial ladder, is well known.
/ All OF these men seem 10 have been intel
/ leetgally superior 20 their early station in
| lie save o'BFien, and he seems to have
! possessed the arr Of winning confidence by
hss sandal ts4awnaF EfaRf seams - Aava
possessed she faculty OF Justly estimating
the worth of various mining properties,
while Fair ard Mackay were excellent
executives Of the plans Of Flood.
Is was a singular chance that threw
these toas yoaas Ir.shmen Of humble con
dision together, and It was stl more
! sjnrp ar thar they kept infisxibly together
witAon; serious brsaS OF quarrel Gntu they
+ had picked at the valuable feathers of
their ostrich sad unloa3ei the dead bird
/ upon deln3e3 paalic lis easy TO call
the success % shexs men luck: IL was not
al lack. for II il bad besn. the bonanza
"h!g Eeas" would have risen no higher
! thsn Tabor. Of Colorado, whose luck was
remarkable, hs1t whose capacity IN utllixe
his luck wAs decidedly lnlerser 10 that OF
the California qaartssse of mining
''shsrrs." And yet the Pacific ecas, Is no,
likely ever again 10 ses repetition OF this
gRria rise from poverty 90 enormous
wealth aeat hAs eeea illustrated By Flood.
o'hsisn, Maeksy and Pair.
The Ataesicaa pahlic knew more Asogs
/ Names and msaiRg ''saaFrs" than they did