Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1905-06-03
MALCOLM |.
MACDONALD
Interesting sketch of Tonopah's
Great Mining Engineer,
Who Has a National
Reputation.

tana. Tonopah. Tonopah Extension,
the MeKane-Schwab interests, the
Goldfield. Simmerone, the Goldheld-
Portland Columbia Mountain, the
Southwestern Nevada, the Goldreed
and other Kawich properties, the
phenomenal NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
and Sboshone- Polaris groups, in fact
for about every mining venture Of
note from Searchlight on the south
10 the old Comstock claims on the
north Malcolm L. Macdonald, NJ. E.,
was found to be an extremely busy
a While much of the data rela-
tive to the wonderful resources of
this part of Nevada have been OBJ
tanned from Mr.. Macdonald, all efforts
TO obtain anything of a personal
nature from the gentleman himself
met with scant success. The Call is
indebted to the old time friends of
this pre-eminent engineer-for he is
so proclaimed by the mining men of
this %seetion-for the notes which fol-
low relative to the career of the
young MAI who, probably more than
any other, has demonstrated to IN
vestiug capitalists the value and per-
manency Of southern Nevada mines.
Briefly. he was born in Nevada
within sight of historic Mount David
son. receiving his education in Cali
fornia. In 1883 he located in Butte,
Mont. becoming associated with the
old firm Of Baker & Harper and after
wards succeeding Mr.. Baker as a
member OF the firm. This firm dur
ING Mr.. Macdonald's connection with
it had charge Of the construction of
the celebrated Big Hole dam, the
source of the water supply Of Butte
and the immense smelling plant of
the Anaconda mine, located at the
town oil that name. Associated with
George H. Robinson he was the prin-
eipal expert in the WE'LL known
Colusa PARROT lawsuit, being pitted
in that case against the expert forces
of the Amalgamated.
In connection with this suit, readers
Of The Call may recall the model Of
The underground workings Of this
mine. 1t occupied a conspicuous
place in the mining exhibit at the
st Louis Fair. This model vas con
structed under bis direction and has
served as the type for similar models
used IN conveying knowledge OF I'M
derground workings to courts and
iuries IN many Of the hotly contested
mining suits Of Butte. The record
made by Mr.. Macdonald in the
Colusa.P Parrot case resulted in his
Subsequent employment at different
times by the Amalgamated, the
Clark and the Heinze interests as an
expert in much of the troublesome
litigation which has made the Mon
tana camp famous. To but few
young men shave come oppor-
tunities enjoyed by Mr.. Macdonald
by reason of his connection with this
prolonged, world-famous litigation.
Associated with and matched against
the brightest minds in the mining
profession, he has proven himself
equal to the running and has made
good, He there received q schooling
such as few men can obtain. AT no
stage Of the long continued fight was
his personal or professional probity
called in question. 1t was upon the
advice Of this engineer that the Far
rel Copper Company increased their
holdings in Butte to the extent of
something like $50, 600, 900 and up to
this date they have shown no indi-
cations Of regret.
Coming to Nevada with the late
w. W. Morris in 1908 and again in.
June, 1904, for the purpose of ex-
aiming the eveille and the Montana
Tonopah, it was upon his recommen-
dalton that these splendid properties
were developed Impressed with
what he found here, Mr.. Macdonald
Areturaed to Montana for the purpose
on so adjusting his affairs that he
could leave them. He located per-
manently in Touopah in August. 1904.
His professional career since that
time has been marked by success
after success. Utilizing the knowl-
edge gained in his litigious Butte eX-
periehce, he is known and blessed as
the discoverer Of the richest and
most productive body of ore in this
camp. In his honor they have
christened it the Macdonald" ledge,
and some of the principal mines Of
the camp figure on paying dividends
from 1t for years to come. While
the vein might or might not
have been discovered later, it was
under his insistent direction that the
work was prosecuted which UNI
covered it. In the various com
panies with which he is connected,
his advice is followed implicitly and
seemingly with astonishingly uniform
success. The people of this section
swear by him Many call him lucky,
but back Of II all is the fact that he
Is an interchangeable worker, up early
N The morning, IA burner of the mid
night oil, possessed Of wonderful
executive ability and a shrewd,
Scotch common sense which gets to