Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-15
TOM WALSH, MILLIONAIRE
WEALTH HAS NOT MADE HIM FOR.
GET HIS FRIENDS,
How He Looks After the Men Who
Work In His
Mine.

The New York Telegraph has published
quite an extended account of Thos. F.
Walsh, the millionaire mine owner who
has excited considerable comment in the
French journals by the uniQueness and
splendor Of some of his entertainments in
Paris. After mentioning some of his recent
functions, the Telegraph says:
1t Is said of him that he never forgets
friend or a service. and his wealth has
never turned his head. Prosperity has
smiled and he smiles back, and Is trying
to make the world around him better,
brighter and happier, filling it just as full
of sunshine as generous, open heart can
do.
He is assisted in this noble work by his
wife. They have been married twenty-one
years, and she was before her marriage
Miss Carrie Reed of southern Wisconsin
Mrs. Walsh possesses the same warm ma
ture of her husband. and what he does not
happen to think of doing she is sure to
suggest.
Success Followed Hard Work.
The success of Mr.. Walsh can hardly be
attributed to luck. but rather to his own
hard work and enterprise. He has never
had any sympathy with ideness, having
continually recognized the dignity and des-
erts of honest labor He was born in Tip
perary, Ireland in 1851, where, after re-
ceiring a fair education. he worked for
several years as a millwright.
He came to America and settled In 1870
at Worcester. Mass, for a few years. Then
ne went to Colorado, and was carpenter
and building contractor at the new camp
or Central City. He had always been in
terested In mining, and from time on he
began to study up the subject during his
spare time. but he never dreamed of It be-
Ing his high road to great fortune
When he moved to Ouray from Lead
vile he gave big affair twice every sum-
mer at the Beaumont. and there he enter
tanned hundreds. Every camp in the San
Juan district was represented. Old friends
from Silverton. Rico. Telluride and Duran
go all poured in for the royalty good time
that has passed into the annals of Colo
RADIO social history.
This custom is still kept up by the man
aser OF MI Walshs mine. the Camp Bird.
with the exception that the Camp Bird
Hotel, owned by Mr.. Walsh, is used as the
scene of gayety. This hotel shows the hui
mainly OF the man. 1t was built in the
most sumptuous style for his employees
expensive resort could offer.
Every Comfort Found There.
There are porcelain baths steam heat,
library, smoking rooms, put in at an enor-
nous cost but made over to the men at
minimum cost. Mr.. Walsh has no strikes.
his men are we'll paid. well housed and well
led. and when once their place is assured
TO them they manifest no desire to leave
lhs motel Will accommodate 400 men, and
the dining room will seat 200 1t is GER
ldihly monument with all its appurte-
nances OF the kindly feeling the millionaire
mine owner has for his workmen.
Inc history of other mines seem very
commonplace when compared with the ro-
nance attached to the Camp Bird mine. He
refused to sell it not long ago for $50 600 600
ana II mas not yet reached its fullest stage
OF development. His income is approx
mated to be 500, OOO per month.
The ambition of his life has been to have
soie ownership OF mine sufficiently rich
ana extensive to enable him to carry out
MS Ideas regarding the working and man
agement Of such property. His notion
mas been that the best ore bodies are to
De round at high attitudes, where the vol
cahic disturbances which bring mineral de-
posts to the surface have been greatest
Mining men in the Ouray district laughed
at MIN when he announced his belief that
valuable deposits existed in the Camp Bird
region. Experts examined the prospects
and agreed to a man that 1t was worthless
territory The difficulties were enormous,
the claim seemed inaccessible. 1t was hard
10 10 nm ma "orKmen to go up to an altitude of
of being ruined by avalanches.
Best Mine in the World,
But he persisted. and today he owns what
Is probably the best equipped mine in the
world. the greatest gold mine. and, what is
more. he is the sole owner. In three years
1t has produced 5000 900. and all this clnk
and glamour of the yellow metal has not
spoiled the man one, jot ,er TITLE.
His wife's health failed three years ago.
and she was advised to2try a lower alti-
tude 1t was then that De concluded to go
to Washington. why're DO purchased the
home OF Jenness Miller. the lecturer Mrs
Miller mad spent fifteen years Of her busy
life In planning and building her home 1t
was filled with beautifuiutapestries costly
paintings and wonderful Ibric-a-brac, which
she had culled in the different art centers
of the world when sire Travelled abroad and
also In this countrytl'F q
Washington did noaf boast Of more lux
urious home. Mr.. Walsh bought 1t com
piete, and the publtet has been the gamer.
for his entertainments have practically left
the doors unbarred to the people.
He doesn't haus5- functions" nor
events" nor "soirees," nor pink teas.
He hates formality of any kind. 1t Is this
democratic way Of doing things that has
surprised the Partisan world They open
their French eyes with establishment and
sometimes visible shrug Is manifested at
the ease with which Mr. Walsh invites
nigh and low to his ball or banquet. His
old friends are not surprised. ut Is so like
Tom Walsh. they say.