The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-12
KING FOR SIDE PARTNER
How "Tom" Walsh Added Social Dis
tinction to Millions.


Let your mind travel back 10 1879
So 1t was a period of great prosper
ity for the west Bonanza mines had
been discovered at Leadville. From
/ Pixies peak to the Missouri river ev-
cry train was loaded with passengers
and supplies for Leadville- Jay Gould
had recently consolidated the Pacific
roads and built big union station in
Denver.
To reach the greatest mining camp
IN the world the half finished South
| Park railroad was rushed day and
night toward the new city expanding
and roaring under the peaks of the
snowy range. The stage lines con-
Meeting with the railroad terminus.
moving forward canvas town or two
every week, were OVercrOWded. Men
and women, and even children, climb
ing the mountains on foot, swarmed the
roadway Every class OF humanity
was represented in that extraordinary
gold craZed caravan. When an over
loaded stage struck a snow bank in
storm and tumbled over a precipice in
the night there was sure to be a cler-
gyman or two among the passengers,
| ''tenderfooters" travelling with reformed
desperadoes and pretty women. grass
| widows. red-haired adVenturesses and
women of refinement, all wild and
hungry for LeadvilIe. where the streets
assayed silver and gold.
And what a town it wasI A mad,
roaring maelstrom of fortune hunters;
its altitude two miles above the sea. II
was California days over again.
1t is a singular fact, by the way, that
the gold discoveries of the west came
at the end of California 1919,
Pixies peak in 1889, Nevada and Mon
tana groups 1869. Leadville 1879 or
Whereabouts.
Senator Tabor, who not long before
had offered a million dollars worth of
mining stock to square butchers bill
and was turned down with sneers and
abuse from the butchers, was now
king of the town. His Little Pittsburg,
Chrysolite and other great mines had
made him a man of power He was
president of the national bank, was
building opera houses finished in carved
mahogany, putting up high buildings in
Leadville and Denver. While Leadville
poured out wealth by the tens of mil
lions. The gambling houses never
closed. The barber who skinned you
with a dull razor took a half dollar
and shouted Next" while a boy
BACKED your boots and took all your
loose change.
The life and style of everything at
I4eadville focused around the Grand
Central hotel Thomas f Walsh was
the landlord. He was hustler. and
was always looking after the comfort
of his guests. Tall. smiling, confident
and ever at ease, he seemed TO make
money without even turning over his
hand He bought mines and knew
everybody in the country.
| When a friend was short of money
h.
the bookkeeper smiled, said he hoped
to see him soon again and Mr. Walsh
continued doing business with the null
titudes thrOnging the hotel. Senator
Tabor erected palaces in Denver and
finally went to the United States SEN
ate.
Today Tabor is dead and Mr. Walsh,
landlord of the Grand Central hotel,
has risen to worldwide fame. with more
than Tabor's millions behind him. His
income is estimated at $4,000 a day.
and his wealth above $50 600, 600. but
this as not all. Society has opened her
gates to his family. and a king is his
side partner in vast mining operations
in the Congo country in Africa.
The story of Mr.. Walshs life is an
other of those Arabian Nights tales
which is on record and true. Like the
late Mr.. Maekay and the Duke of Wei
lington, he is of Irish birth, was born
in Tipperary in 1861, reached WorceS-
ter, Mass, as a wheelwright at the age
of Is, tried his hand at sewer contract
ing and made money, went to the Black
Hills after Clusters gold report in 1873
made $1,000 there and FASTENED tO
Leadville when the discovery of car
Donate silver ores created a panic OF
joy through the west.
While at Deadwood and otheS places
in the Black Hills Mr.. Walsh I/gan the
practice of grub stalking miners
which led to his fortune. When a pros
pector ran out of provisions he gave
him the necessary supplies, taking q
share of the mines for his pay In this
way he was almost sure to find himself
part owner of now and then a valua bic
property at the end Of the season.
Reaching Leadville with considerable
ready money, he opened the Grand Cen
trail hotel 1t proved a bonanza and
enabled him to get control of good
mines In a few years he was rich and
happy. He had invested in important
properties and become an authority or
mining and particularly on the new
ores being discovered from time tI
time.
Then came his master stroke in min
ing ventures. Going outside the Lead
vile district to the lofty mountain re-
gion of San Juan. where the canyons
proportions and avalanches WORKING
havoc With mines every year, he maoy
the town of Ouray, nesting in the hear
Of the Rockies, his headquarters for tht
San Juan district. Seeing some ore.
from mines at an altitude of L, 0C0 feet
he was greatly impressed with theil
richness. Experts warned him tina
practical mining could not be done or
the mountain tops; that already for
tunes had been sQuandered on similar
projects. and besides avalanches, OIL
snowslides, as they are called there
would eventually sweep away house.
> and machinery and I'LL up shafts am
mines.
So much snow was then maSSed over the
old mines that il was d year or TWO il
melting. Finally he got into the mines
and was shown where the richest sam
pies came from. but he insisted on look
ing around for himself, and in d dis
earded portion of the mine he saw or
the neighboring wall evidences of ricf
ore which the experts declared worthless
he was struck with its peculiar appear
ance-dark spots and markings on White
| rock
Selecting samples, he had them assayed
and found a bonanza in prospect. H'