The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-09-13
PATRICK CALVIN DEAD.
Passes Away In Luzon After Somewhat
Stormy Career.


Passes Away In Luzon After a Somewhat
Stormy Career.
Patrick Calvin, who attracted al
most national attention a few years
ago as the owner of reputed fabulous
gold mines in the Klondilsa, and who
is widely known in this vicinity, the
scene of his first endeavors, is no
more. While prospecting in the noun
tains of Luzon, in the far-off Philip
pines, he fell a victim to the dread dis
ease cholera and the end quickly came.
Such is the news received last week
from Manila by the people of Helena,
Mont, says the Belle Plaine Herald
Few men have had a more aston
ishingly varied career than his. Tin
smith and millionaire, politician and
miner, his life was an active one, and
he had more than the usual number
Of ups and downs. The scene of his
ambitious efforts extended over one
half the globe, from the British Isles
to the Philippines. His meteoric
flights sometimes dazzled his former
townspeople, who knew him best in
the old days as a big-hearted, whole
souled, enthusiastic Irishman.
Pat Calvin came to Belle Plaine
from Ireland in 1874, and obtained EN-
ployment as a tinsmith in the hard
ware store of D. Callahan. Later he
engaged in the hardware business for
himself, and while 1rere was married
to Miss Mary E. Hessian of LIE Suealr
county. Minneapolis and Elbow Lake
had him as a resident for q brief
period, and in 1856 he left for Helena,
Mont. There as a solicitor for the
Helena Independent he achieved I'M
usual success. Politics, a field in
which even while here he displayed
much activity, presented to him
chances which he could not resist. He
threw his whole self into the strife
and soon became an important factor
in the political life Of the city, which
eliminated, in 1892, in his being made
city marshal. A reverse of fortune fol
lowed, and when next heard of he was
plying the simple trade OF tinsmith in
the town of Juneau on the island
fringcd coast of southern Alaska. Con.
Guiding that there was money to be
made in selling miners supplies to the
miners along the Yukon, With a stock
of goods he made the parilous journey
over the then untrodden, almost un.
known passes into the heart of Alaska
and arrived ut Circle City.
1t was a most opportune move
While the outside world was vet wait
ing for the report Of the great gold
discoveries of the Klondike, Pat Gal
win was at the door, When the first
rlmors of the gold finds came down
the river he hnstcned to Dawson. and
soon had acquired several valuable
claims Again lis condition was com,
pletcly reversed. He was now a
wealthy mine owner. From out of
that country lumOrs of his good for
tune came. and later when he himself
returned here, bringing display of
nuggets, these reports were intcnsi-
1ia'l. lie went to Europe, visited his
fathers home in Ireland; and in Lon
don organized Il company whose cup
lfal WAS written in seven figures He
was now at the zenith of his career.
returning to America his next venture
was to control Il fleet of vessels on tho
Pacific between san Francisco and
Skaguay. But one boat, the Mary Ell
len, was completed. Fitted out lux
'rl0usly at an enormous cost-it was
declared unscaworthy by the authori-
ties. The loss was very heavy, and it
caused the collapse of the entire
scheme. Reckless speculation drove
nm from one reverse to another and
he seemed powerless to check the tide.
About two years ago he left for the
philippines to retrieve his fallen for
tunes as "a prOspectOr for gold in the
mountains until tine hand OF death
came and ended all. His wife still r.
sides in Los Angeles, where She went
some time ago, living quite comfurta-
bly, on Il fragment of the Yukon wealth
which had fallen to llea.