The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-11-24
GLIMPSE OF MARCUS DAILY.

I. T. Connolly, state deputy for
Montana of the Knights of Colum-
bus, is writing "The Story of Mon
tana," for McClure'S Magagine In
the September issue he describes
Marcus DAILY and his connection with
the great copper mines of Butte. Mr..
Connolly writes with rare power and
with thorough knowledge. We give
few paragraphs below.
Inseparably linked with the discov-
cry and development of this treasure
trove of the hills is the name of Mar
Gus Dale, one Of the most remarkable
men who ever came to the west. and
one of the two great protagonists
whose personal feud is a large part
of Montana's history. Through the
treasure of the Butte hill, Daily was
suddenly elevated from the ranks of
the miners to the most powerful sway
any Individual ever achieved over a
western American community.
No multi-millionaire ever came in
to closer contact with all the ele-
ments of a turbid and unblending
population, or exerted such influence
upon them. Around him were his
old companions of the mining levels
of the Comstock in Nevada, whom
he had known in his early struggles.
DAILY was big hearted and generous,
and he assisted these cronies by Civ
ing them temporary leases on por-
tions of his property, allowing them
to enter the ground and take out
wealth enough to live in luxury for
the remainder of their days. Often
times he did not know or care how
much they took. These men in turn
emulated the generosity of their pa
tron, and Butte in time became
known for many an odd tale of ex-
travagance, and many touching
story of charity.
Dale was a man OF medium height
and stocky figure. A splendid, full
rounded head topped well-knit
body. His eye was marvelously
clear, and his voice, in conversation,
was low and mellow. His feet were
small and his hands, despite the hard
ships of his early life, were delicate
and sharply as woman's. He had
had no early advantages. He was
born in Ireland and left that country
when he was not yet fifteen. He
sold newspapers in New York and
later obtained employment as mes
senger in a mercantile or banking
house in that city, where he saved
enough money to take him by water
to California. From there he drifted
up to the Comstock in Nevada, and
then went to Montana. He would
have forced himself up through pow
erty and obscurity had he never dis
covered the Butte hill. No man was
shrewder in his everyday intercourse
with men. Few knew the real work.
ings of his mind-he seemed to divine
the mental processes of others. He
did not belong to that race of poverty
stricken and superior men who
Balzac said, can do everything for
the fortunes of others but nothing
for their own.
Daly's ranch in the Bitter Root
Valley, $50 miles west of Butte, was
his favorite hobby. 1t was six miles
in length and as wide as the valley
that is hemmed by the shadow-drap-
ed, crepuscular mountains which rise
sheer and somber into the sky above
it. Here was the famous "Tammany
Hail." stable that housed Ham
burg, Ogden, Inverness, Bathampton
and Tammany. Here these turf
heroes were groomed and pampered
like the horses of oriental kings.
Miles of electric light wires and
water pipes connected the different
stables and covered trotting tracks.
Dotting the great expanse of foothill
and prairie were the arbor- shaded
lodges of the foremen and keepers
of the ranch, gemming the fields with
clustering islands of green, and or
namenting the deep vistas of the
driveways. Along these were deer
friths, where the game of the hills
frolicked and sported in needless cap
tivity. This was the summer home
of the copper king, and here he Sc
cluded himself from The turmoil OF
the mines and entertained friends.
On this ranch he spent millions. A
single irrigating ditch cost him
| $500, 900.