The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-20
GORDON M'KAY PASSES AWAY.
RICE SHOE MACHINERY IN.
VENTOR DEAD IN NEWPORT.
Estate Supposed to He Worth SIS 900 900
Much OF IL Expected to 10 to Har-
vard-His Numerous Inventions and
His Many Gifts to His Divorced wife.

vSAu-hho INuhhCTOub luNcuuOho aul
His Many Gifts to His Divorced Wife.
NEWPORT, r. l., Oct. 19.-Gordon Mckay
died shortly before noon to-day at his
villa on Marine avenue, in this city, after
an illness Of more than q year. His inven-
tions revolutionized the boot and shoe in
dustry Of the world. They shut the doors
Of the little cobbler shops and opened up
big factories run by machinery.
Mr.. Mckay peddled the stock Of his first
corporation from door to door among his
friends and acquaintance in the Berkshire
town of Pittsfeld, where he was born in
1921; among the cotton workers Of Lowell
and Lawrence, where he had ansged
machine shops and among the whaling
population Of New Bedford, and when the
first dividend was declared the holders OF
these shares found themselves practically
wealthy with assurance Of still greater
accumulations. Mr.. Mckay compelled
every one who wore American made shoes
to pay tribute to him. 1t was only small
tax, from half cent to four cents g. pair, but
it enabled him to live in luxurious style. to
give literally to educational institutions
and make princely gifts to friends.
Mr.. McKay's father was a cotton manu-
facturer, and when he died the twelve
year-old boy set himself to learning civil
that capacity on Western railroads and in
Canada. He had love for mechanics.
and when less than II he built machine
shop In his native town. in which 100 men
did all sorts Of jobbing for paper and cotton
mills.
Of the Lawrance Machine Company and
began to learn and do all sorts of things
for manufacturers, so that when the shoe
sewing machine, made by Inventor l.. X.
Blake OF Abingdon, failed to work. Mr..
Mckay was the one practical man who
foresaw it's possibilities, bought the patent,
put in some automatic device and changed
the feeding apparatus until the machine
did its work.
Then Mr.. Mckay took as helpmate
in his enterprise, Robert H. Mathews a
practical man with original ideas, and
when the civil war came. Mr. Mckay was
ready to offer the Government the making
OF army shoes by the machinery in his
factories. Before the end Of 1888 he had
made contracts with nearly seventy firms
to whom he leased his sewing machines,
and in few years he became millionaire.
He formed the Mckay Sewing Machine
Association in 1873 and although there
were several rivals, suits at law established
the rights Of his patents until they became
monopoies In the world. Companies null
tiplied and he got richer, not only in the
sewing machine company, but with the
Mckay heller, Mckay mailing machine,
Mckay lasting machine, each with
separate company, but all more or less
ent wined.
Mr.. Mckay had fine residences in Pitts
field, Cambridge, and Boston, a magnificent
mansion in Washington, to which he took
the young bride Of his old age. Miss Treat
upon whom he lavished every luxury that
money could purchase. When she had
obtained divorce from him, he kept on
giving her SIS 900 a year for spending money
and sending her costly fruits and flowers, and
when she married Baron Adolf Won Bruen-
ing, he sent her a check Of such munifcence
that it astonished every one.
Besides. he had given literally to Harvard
College. to his native town, to various
institutions, and established we'll
equipped manual training school for colored
children In Rhode Island. He also assisted
in the education Of several young women
musically inclined. who, through his gener-
osity have become well known in the world
Of music.
Several years ago Mr.. Mckay decided to
make Newport his home, and purchased
O small place on Marine avenue. This he
had altered and enlarged, until, to-day,
1t is one Of the show places Of Newport.
Mr.. Mckay leaves vast estate, it being
estimated at SIS 900 600, and has only
two relatives to leave it to, Mrs. Dexter and
Miss Catherine Dexter Of Boston. II is
understood that the bulk Of his estate will
60 to Harvard University.