River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-07-24
MACKAY IS DEAD.
President of Postal Telegraph Conn
pany and Former Bonanza King
Expires in London.

London, July 21.-John w. Mackay,
of San Francisco, president of the
Postal Telegraph company, who had
been suffering from heat prostration
since Tuesday last, died at his resi-
dence on Carlton House terrace at
half past six o'clock Sunday evening.
Mr.. Mackay's condition had i'm
proved, but the patient had a bad
night, and Sunday morning a CONSUL
tation was held by three physicians.
Mr.. Mackay grew worse as the day
progressed. He was unconscious
most of the time, and died very
peacefully. The immediate cause of
his death was heart failure. The
right lung was found to be con-
gested and the symptoms indicated
pneumonia. Mrs. Macllay, her
mother and Countess Telfener were
present when Mr.. Macllay died, and
Princess Galatro Colonna arrived
from Paris a half hour after her
stepfather's death.
San Francisco, July 21.-The news
of the death of John w. Mackay in
London caused quite a shock here,
Notwithstanding the public were in
a measure prepared for it by the
previous announcement of his ill
ness. Mr.. Mackay was the last sur
viving member of the four bonanza
kings, Flood, O'Brien and Fair, the
other three having long since died.
For the past IS years Mr. Mackay
had not been actively identified with
the life of this city, but had passed
most of his time in the east, making
annual visits to the coast to look
after his property interests in this
state and Nevada. On the occasion
of his last visit to this city, early
this summer, Mr.. MaclIay completed
arrangements for a landing place
for the new Pacific cable, a project
that he was much interested in.
Mr.. Mackay came to California in
1851 via Panama. He at once en-
tered a mine, working with pick and
shovel in the placers of the Ameri-
can river and at Downieville. In
1859 he went to Virginia City, New,
and began mining on the Comstock
with varying success. His first real
start towards success was made
when he became superintendent of
the Kentucky mine in Gold Hill. In
1868 Mackay formed partnership
with Flood, OBrien and Fair. In
1871 this famous mining quartette
purchased the site of the Bonanza
territory north of the Ophir mine,
on the celebrated COmStOck ledge.
They began work on a lode aban-
doned by Sharon and other large OPP
orators. The enterprise was a fruit
full source of ridicule in mining cir
cles, nothing but financial disaster
being freely predicted.
Without losing heart or patience,
the four men continued, expanding
half million dollars in prospecting
operations. The ledge was struck,
and over $110,000,000 were added to
the worlds stock of precious metals.
No accurate estimate of Mr..
Mackay's holdings in this state and
Nevada can be made, but it will run
up into the millions. He was the
owner of valuable real estate in this
city, and had interests in mines
throughout the state and Nevada.
At one time his wealth was esti-
mated at SAC, O00 900. He was the chief
owner of the Commercial Cable COM
pany, an investment involving many
millions, and is supposed to have had
millions invested in the Postal Tele-
graph company.