The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-04-10
GENIUS OF MINES
EXPIRES AFTER 4
GALLANT CONTEST
Thomas F. Walsh Died at His
Home in Washington Late
Last Evening after Quite a
Long Illness.
WORLDS SCIENTISTS
HQN0RED HIS GENIUS

o1tu W uiS ulUuSlty dIlu III.
telIigence Worked His Way
to High Place.
Washington, d. c., April 9.-Thomas
f. Walsh. of Colorado and Washing.
ton, died at 11:25 o'clock last night, at
his home in Massachusetts, avenue.
Death was due to heart trouble. Mr..
Walsh had been in poor health for sew.
eral weeks.
The end came peacefully, without
pain. At the bedside were the men,
bers OF the family and Mr.. Walsh's
physicians.
More than q month ago Mr.. Walsh's
condition became such as to cause ap-
prehension, and 1t was decided that q
trip to Florida might be of benefit to
his shattered health. Accordingly, ac-
companfed by Mrs. Walsh, he went to
Palm Beach, Fla. But the improve
ment hoped for was not to be gained
there. and the party journeyed next to
San Antonio. Texas.
When it became known that Mr..
Walsh's case was desoerste he was
hurried by special train to his Wash
ington home, arriving here Thursday,
March "a.
Born in the county Of Tipperary,
Ireland, in 1851, of a poor family,
Thomas F. Walsh became one of the
wealthiest men and the greatest min
Ing man in the United States.
He was educated in the public
schools of Ireland and later learned the
millwright's trade; this was before he
was 10 years of age. He then emigrat-
ed to America and went to Massachu-
sets. where he earned his living at the
carpentry trade.
He was persuaded to go west and
subsequently established himself in
Leadville, where he engaged in busi-
ness as builder and contractor Later
he built houses in the Black Hills re-
gion and did a little prospecting. Mr..
Walsh never went about the country
with pick on his back. BY close
study he acquired an intimate knowl-
edge of geology, mineralogy and metal
lurgy; the disposition OF ore bodies and
the development and treatment of ores,
and was at his death, the foremost
mining expert of the United States.
Long before Mr.. Walsh became rich
he met and fell in love with Miss Car
rie Reed, a south Wisconsin girl. whom
he married in October, 1879, at Lead
vile, Col. She, although her early
horizon was limited, possessed all the
gifts that should belong to rich mans
wife.
He ran a hotel in his early mining
days, and it was through this business
that he won the admiration and respect
of all the miners who met him. Es-
pecially so, because he would always
welcome a man whether he had luck or
not.
During his spare moments he arrived
at some original theories of mining,
and dreamed of a great fortune. He
made 1t regular practice to grub
stake" prospecting parties in consider
alton of a share of the profits, II any.
One such party in 1876, struck some
thing rich in the Black Hills. Walsh
sold his share in the mine for $1,000
and that was the foundation of his
great fortune.
It was somewhere around 1896 that
Walsh discovered the greatest mine
in the country, the Camp Bird, of
which he was the largest owner. One
day he came to the conclusion that
there were valuable gold and silver
deposits in the high regions around
the ouray district. Old miners laugh
dat him, but he staked out claims and
| set gangs of men to work. The re-
suit of hi sagacity and pluck was the
Camp Bird mine, which yielded S3,OOO.-
600 the first three years of its exist
ence u
Perhaps throughout the world there
can lot be found mine or mining
properties where the condition of the
men working on them is more comfort
able than on the Walsh properties In
Colorado. The men are all well hous-
ed ard all veil fed. Places are pro-
vided where they may dry their
clothes as soon as they come from the
mines. There are baths with porce-
lain tubs and other conveniences. The
living rooms are lighted with electric
ity and heated with steam
In that district of the country where
there is always trouble. there has new
er been a strike in the Walsh proper
ties or any labor disturbances
| Mr.. Walsh was as great success So
cially as he was financially. His
family are members of the exclusive
circles in Washington. Newport and
Paris: and as host Mr.. Walsh had a
most enviable reputation.
| While travelling In France and Bel
gium, in . special train of five pal
ace cars, he met the late King Leopold
| and had him dine on the train with
him. 1t was at this meeting that
these two men became fast friends and
began talking money. His Majesty
complained at the time that his invest
ed money was bringing him only three
per cent and that the revenue was Z
mighty uncertain matter ct that why
Isdraw ten per. cent, said Walsh. 3and
/ its a dead certainty
Az the result Of that meeting walsh
and King Leopold engaged In m e.
terprise to develop mining properties
in the Congo.
Ar. Walsh waa . member = many
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