The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-21
MACKAY's RISE TO WEALTH..
Story of the Struggles and Triumph of
the Bonanza kinu.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, July 90
The news of the death of John w.
Mackay, in London, caused quite a
shock here, Notwithstanding the pub
nc was, IN a measure, prepared for it
by the previous announcement of his
illness. Mr.. Mackay was the only sur
VlVlng member of the four bonanza
kings, Flood, OBrien and Fair. the
other three, having long since died.
For the past eighteen years Mr.. Mac
kay had not been actively identified
with the life of this city. but he had
passed most of his time in the East,
only paying visits to the coast to look
after his property interests in this
state and Nevada. On the occasion of
MS last visit to this city, early this
summer, Mr.. Mackay completed ar
rangements for landing place for the
new racine cable, project that he
was much interested in
During a visit, in 1892, Mr.. Mackay
was shot and slightly wounded by w.
II. Rlppey, who had fancied griey-
ance against him dating from the
stockbroking days of the Comstock.
Mr.. Mackay came to California in
1851, via Panama. He at once entered
a mine, working with pick and shovel
IN the placers of the American river
and at Downville. In 1859 he went to
virginia City, New, and began mining
on the COmstock With varying success
his hrst real start toward success was
When he became superintendent of the
Kentucky mine in Gold Hill. In 1853
Mr.. Mackay formed a partnership with
Flood, O'Brien and Fair. In 1871 this
famous mining quartette purchased
the site OF the Bonanza territory north
OF Ophlr mine, on the celebrated Com
stock ledge.
They began work on a lode. aban-
doned by Sharon and other large on
a ant yNVeic,
source of ridicule in mining circles.
nothing but financial disaster being
freely nredicted. Without losing heart
or patience the four men continued ex-
pending half million dollars in pros
pecung operations. The ledge was
struck and more than $110, 900 was
added to the worlds stock of precious
metals.
No accurate estimate of Mr.. Mac
kays holdings in this state and Ne
Vada can be made, but it will run IN
into the millions. He was the owne, aof
valuable real estate in this city aud
hau interests IN mines throughout the
state and Nevada.
John William Mackay was born in
ireland Nov. 2S, 1881, and with his
FAMILY came to this country in 1S4O
He earned his first dollar in q. shin
yard near New York city. In 1871,
when the gold fever was at its height
nc Slei lSu west, gong nrSt to Louis
vile, where a party of TWENTY-FIVE was
formed, which included Flood and Fair
who afterward shared with Mackay the
enormous fortunes taken from the
y, earth on the Pacific coast. Mackay soon
showed remarkable business ability
wisely investing his first small earn
ings on the coast and soon having a
modest fortunes as the result of his
operations in the Hale and Norcross
mines. In 1860 he went to Nevada
and in 1872 opened the fabulously rich
Comstock lode, from which he and his
associates within a few years took
$150,OO0,OOO.
Mackay was once offered the Unit
ed States senatorship, but declined it
having no taste for politics. He went
to New York in the early sos. after
founding, in 1873, the great Bank OF
Nevada in San Francisco. In 1884 he
with James Gordon Bennett, founded
the Commercial Cable company. Mr.
Mackay became known as one of the
greatest financiers of the country, one
of his principal achievements being his
development of the combined Posta
Telegraph and Commercial Cable COM
pany. With all his business activity he
had time to do much for charity. He
married during his early life in the
West the widow of a DR.. Bryant. Mrs
Mackay, through brilliancy of mind
beauty and wealth, has achieved grea-
social success abroad. Two sons were
born to them, John w. Mackay Jr
was killed a few years ago in an acct
dent Clarence H. Mackay, who is wei
known about New York, where he ha:
one of the finest estates in the coun.
try survives.