The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-23

Washington, Nov 22.-(Soecial.) )-In the imaginary world of romance, apart from the intolerable gibberish of our inane lat ter-day American historical novel, there are few incidents. from the fortunes of the Count of Monte Cristo onward this way to Sherlock Holmes, so extraordinary as the real fortunes of that former Ala bamien. Thomas Francis Walsh, now multt-millionaire and possessor of the most splendid private residence in the na- uonai capital. a structure which, when fully completed, will dwarf the White House and be fit abode for an emperor.
 MT. walsh, whom powerful men are now vainly urging to enter the list fof the United States Seuatorship from Colo rsdo, of which State he is legally a resi- cent. was less than fifteen years ago a dweller in Birmingham and dead broke" !" HIS wire, one of the most beautiful and influential women in Washington society, and one to whom royalty in the Old world has paid court, is a former Bir- minghsm girl-a Miss Reid, daughter of a and esteemed citizen.
 MT. Walsh is by education a civil en- gineer: In Birmingham in the boom" days he was contractor and builder, dwelling houses on his own account. He went to that town without capital but from the outset he prospered. Having saved money, he built some houses for .hAlSSli, tHNI began DOrrOWlnS or DankS to build more houses. and building still more houses to borrow, being carried off his feet by that spirit which made Bir- mingham the seat of the widest specula- ton in real estate of which there is any American record.
 The collapse came and ruined him, as 1t ruined a multitude of others. He was left practic ally penniless, and seeing no nope Tor himself in town that seemed utterly busted" but which of late years has in realty surpassed the dreams of the Doom spectators, he resolved to go Vest" Meantime he had married Miss Reia, one of two beautiful sisters Whom everybody held in highest esteem; the other sister marrying railroad man, who is now a great magnate in the West and 8 millionaire, and who a few years ago built number of the hand scmest dwelling houses in South Twen- tieth Street. Birmingham and presented them with their rentals of 5000 year to his wife as a. birthday gift.
 MT. Walsh went to Colorado and count ed himself lucky in securing the very or dinary occupation of weigher of ore-stone at gold-smelting works. His pay was SIT all, and he knew nothing of geology didn't know gold-bearing quartz from sandstone; but he vas a wide-awake young man of keenest nature and ac- quired general intelligence. So he came quickly to know quartz when he saw it.. Thus when rock" of unusual richness in gold was brought from the mountains to
 
 the seller of 1t where it came from. The information thus acquired, Walsh jolted down in his notebook.
 One day a miner brought in few bags or rock that was remaryably rich in gold He informed Walsh as to where the rock" was obtained, saying 'it seem- ed about worked out" Walsh made a note of it. and the miner never returned. But the former Alabamian bore the facts of the particular location in his note book and in his mind. One day he found himself with fifteen hundred dollars, sav- ed from his wages and extra work. Then an outfit, and started for the locality in question. Arrived there, he found the miner dead broke" and disheartened. Walsh looked about him, spending a few and exploring the mountain stream that ran through the miners stake-off. In the end he asked the miner to name the sum of money desired for the property. Any old thing" the miner answered in effect. Walsh then offered him $500 for an option on the property for sixty days or so. The miner joyfuly accepted, saying that $500 was about all the property was worth anyway. Within few days Walsh who had left the locality for Leadville. re- turned and took up the option on his own account. giving the miner a thousand dol lars more. Having done this. Walsh sue ceeded at once in interesting one or two men of money in the enterprise.
 It Is said that Mir. Walsh Is now get ting a half million dollars month out of that one mine and he Is now one of the wealthiest men in America. Several years ago he founded the noted seaside resort Chesa peake Beach. forty miles be- low Washington, and built to it the Chesa peake Beach Railway. from Wash ington, which he individually owns. The 'past summer in Europe he and his wife were received and entertained by the oldest and most exclusive nobility of France, and the cables bore hither al- most daily stories of the social honors bestowed upon these Americans. It was discovered by the famous house of Tal- leyrand- Perigord that Mrs. Walsh was related to them by ties of blood though land.
 It has never been my pleasure to meet either MT. Walsh or his charming wife, but the facts herein related are well known to some of the older residents of Birmingham.