The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-21
PRODUCT OF THE WEST.
mr.. Mackay Made First Successes on
Coast

hr. Mackay's name was synonym
for business capacity and energy. He
was a man whose death viii prove a
heart blow to thousands Of men IN the
west.
John w. Mackay was born in Dublin,
Ireland, June %. 1881. He came 10
America when mere boy and located
IN New York City. Shortly after the
outbreak of the California gold fever
young Maekay headed a party of about
twenty-five 70 go out there, among
the number being James c. Flood and
William O'Brien- The two latter set
lied in San Francisco in business, and
Mackay went TO the mines, where he
was employed for several years, OBJ
tanning a practical knowledge of min
ing. Within ten years he had already
made and lost small fortune in min
ing. and about the year 1860 ne left
CALIFORNIA for Nevada, where fortune
again smiled on him, and in 1872 the
discovery OF the famous bonanza mines
changed the entire aspect OF his life
To this day the discovery of these vast
deposits OF gold and silver is consid-
cred one of the most remarkable Incl
dents in the history of mining. Mr.
Mackay had already taken into part
nership with him his friends, Flood
and o'Brien, in 1854. and in 1868 James
/ G. Fair Joined the trio. The first i'm
| portant success which they made was
/ during their control of the celebrated
Hale & Norcross mine, which was as
early as 1861. Obtaining through
{ this venture increased capital, they
worked on the Comstock lode. and at
last opened up the Consolidated Viz
sinia and California mines OF the
bonanza mines Mr.. Mackay owned two
| fifths. being double that of each of
his partners. In 1873 the great silver
vein was opened. and from one mine
/ alone Mr. Mackay and Mr.. Fair, who
We're the practical mining members OF
the firm, took out $3.50 00e, 600 in silver
[ and gold. During the active yield of
these mines Mr.. Mackay personally SUI
perintended them. working in their
lower levels as an ordinary miner.
sharing the hardships and priyations
with his fellow workmen, and endear-
| ing himself to them by his good quail
| ties
Mr.. Mackay married the widow of
DR.. Bryant, whom he met in California
/ and who had one child. In 1885 this girl
became Princess of Colonua GaIatro.
Her husband. Don Fernando di Colon
ma, Prince of Galatro, made the ac-
quaintance Of the young woman while
| Mrs. Mackay was residing IN Paris
Z
is still living. His business ventures
have been numerous. In 1878, with Mr.
| Flood and Mr.. Fair, Mr.. Mackay
founded the Bank of Nevada, with its
headquarters in San Francisco. In 1884
in company with James Gordon Ben
nett, Mr.. Maekay laid two cables
across the Atlantic from the United
States to England and France These
cables came under a system known
as the Commercial Gable company, al
though the private property of Mr.
Mackay and Mr. Bennett. In 1885 Mr.
Mackay was offered the nomination as
United States senator from Nevada
with a certainty of his election, bui
this proposition was declined.
Mr.. MackSy was a member of the
Roman Catholic church. to which ht
has been very generous out of his vast
wealth. He was also liberal in his do
nations to other charities. Mr.. Mackay
was very reticent in his manner, bu
courteous and dignified, and was mucf
liked and respected by those who knew
him best.