New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-25
MR. MACKAY'S LIFE.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS ~ THE CAREER OF
THE GREAT FTNANCIER.

! INTERESTING INCIDENTS ~ THE CAREER OF
THE GREAT FTNANCIER.
John william Machay was born In Dublin. ireihu'
! n little more than siXtyone years ago lie '""''
| from hardy line Of scotchmen who had settled ih
tho northern part Of ireland. the Kind OF men VINO
I defended Londonderry IN lis famous SIEGE ms
Immediate parents were poor. bu; they saved enough
| no,oy :, come to Ncw.York when the boy was nine
v.,rs old md established themselves In this city.
| Two years later Mr. Mackay died and the support OF
thc children fell upon the widowed mother. she
Vas brave woman, however, ana was abe 10 Keep
ycung Nlaclav at his books until he secured GOOD
common school education. ~ Il boy his playground
was along Park Row and Oh the sNe OF TIE present
pu,ioficc building which then park.
Youuc Maciay was apprenticcd 70 a shpblldor
after he loft the school bench In the yard where ne
worked many ships were built to 70 around the
Horn to California" TIL" returning sailors oH2h
TALKED Of the slorcs Of the Golden state, ana the
fortunes to be made on the Pacific Coast. Young
Nockav listened 10 the stories, caught the gold
,ovcrr and became one OF the Forty Miners" lie
lid not succeed at first His struggles were severe
nud irving lie welded the pickaNe ana shovel for
years sometimes day abor"r on MS
own account, sometimes for Others. At
times lie was lucky, at times lie WAS
unfortunate: but he never lost his courage
and his indolntable will carried him over every dfi-
Guilty When thirty years old he had mad" and lest
a fortune but he had also acquired knowledge Of
every detail of the mining business, which was to
make him one Of the rich meh Of his time. The
rough workers with whom he was forced often to aNso-
cate soon acknowcdgcd him as leader. and although
they chilled him Puritan at times because of his
tcnucratc habits they recognized his superiority
Mr. Machay left California for Nevada In l7Go. II
was one of the turning points IN his career While
srollng along the streets OF Virginia city few years
ago with John Russell Young Mr. Mackay came TO "A
smoking cavity In the ground at the mouth OF whch
a wndlass slowly grinding
cut Of that hole" said the great fnlncier. d" |
took one hundred and fifty millions of dollars In bull
lon
II was one II tho famous " BONANZA mines whose
li,tory Is 50 familiar now. The discovery OF the
famous Com,tock LODI" was due to the rare knowledge
and perseverance of Mr.. Mackay. Associated with
him in The operation of th" great ." u nanzi' mines
were Jane, G.. Fair. afcrwar1 Senator; Willhm
O'Brirn and James c. Flood. The ont pat Of th,
mines was enormous In four years The mines paid
-, ooo Ooo in dividends on their stock The four
u,rtncs regularly drew s7j00OO each month as their
shares In six years the Comstock mines yielded
more than $500 900 900 In gold and silver Mr.
Mackn, was tie largest stockholder in the mines
owning two hltls of the entire property. In 1879
,hc mines began Ia show symptoms Of exhaustion,
although they are stll worked with profit. The
n cnpital of SlO.CO0.O0O with Il part Of their great
wealth. Later Mr. Mackay and Mr.; Flood established
I'M thc great wheat corner Oi 1887.
In lss4 Mr. Mackay formed partnership with
James Gordon Bennett and laid two cables across The
Atlantic Ocean. They are under management
known rs the Commercial Cailc Company, but gre
really owned by the founders. Inc hRht be-
tween the new cable company and the older ones
was II memorable one but success crowned the
efforts Of the entcrprisng men.
Mr. Mackay for "A Of years has been one OF
IN. best known men In the nitcd states. In lo,5
he Lad the opportunity to become United states
nj. business interests were 50 vast that he coud
,ut atiorJ 10 neglect them. In recent years hc has
uved much abroad. Mrs. Mackay. rs Is wcllhnOwh.
- nronInrnt In society In Paris and London. ana her
entertainments are attended by the best people In
F,,Inmd and France. Her house In Lordon Is
80 G 1nr most mG gniicent In the great capital.
" Wr and Mrs Mackay have one son. John ".
Maciay Jr.. who came Of age few years ago, ami
an adopted daughtei who Is now the wife OF Don
Ferdinand Coonnn. Prince de Galairo scion of one
NJ the most famous houses OF Italy. III: ex Queen
qoheIn of spain asked for the hand OF Miss MI"lIy
Tor her favorle nephew, the Marquis de Val Carlos.
Prince PHILIPPE Dc Ecrbcn lrearz" also made
proposal Of marriage. Both offers were rejected, as
Miss Mnckay had fallen in love with the Italian
Mrs Mackay's sister. Miss Ada lIungerford. who.
ITR. Mrs. Mackay: + an accGonpilshssd woman. @ Is
noted for his generosity. and has relieved hundreds
Of people In distress The relief has been given I'M
ostenatously however. and few persons beyond those
interested ever know OF the kind acts.
The news Of the cOwardy assault upon Mr.. Mackay
was heard with expressions of profound regret In
every part OF the city.
MRS. MACKAY GETS TWO DISPATCHES IN LONDON.
London. Feb 24.-Mrs. Mackay received n dispatch
from America this evening. saying that her husband
had been shot IN San Francisco Another dispatch
celved little after 10 O'Clock. said that the wound
was not serious. and that there was 10 need OF her
goipS 10 san Frapcisco.