Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-04-15
THOMAS T. WALSH
DIES At CAPITAL
LIFE OF MULTIMILLIONAIRE MIN
ING MAN ENDS FRIDAY NIGHT
IN WASHINGTON.
ONCE KING LEOPOLD'S PARTNER
From Poverty, He Won Wealth and
Fame as Entertainer Among Roy
atty CT the World.
LOCATES BONANZA IN LEADvILLE.

WASHINGTON. d. c., April 8
Thomas +. Walsh, Colorado multimilhon-
aire mining man. died at his residence
here Friday night after long illness.
Mr.. Walsh was stricken with his last
illness while in the southwest, where he
went in search of health.
Accompanied by physicians and nurses,
he won race against death on fast
train which speeded to Washington.
where he FASTENED to fulfill his last de-
, sire-to see his infant grandchild, known
as the million dollar baby" because of
Mr.. Walshs birthday gift.
For a short time after his arrival here
| bis health seemed improved.
Life Story Like Romance.
The story of Mr.. Walsh's life is like
another Arabian Nights tale. Like
the late Nh Mackay and the Duke of
" wellington, he WIS of Irish birth, was
born in Tipperary, i'll 1881, reached
Worcester. Mass, as Il wheelwright ut
the age of 49, tried his hand at sewer
| contracts and made money, went to the
Black hills after Clusters gold report
II 1878, made 100000 there, and hast
aned to Leadville when the discovery of
carbonate silver ores created q panic of
10y through the west.
While at Deadwood and other places
| IN the Black hills Mr.. Walsh began the
practice of grub stalking" miners, which
led to his fortune. When Il prospector
+ ran out of provisions he gave him the
necessary supplies, taking share of the
mines for his pay. III this way he was
almost sure to find himself part owner
Of now and then valuable property at
The end of the season.
Master Stroke of Ventures.
Then came his master stroke in min
ing ventures. Going outside the Lead
vile district to the lofty mountain region
pendous, the peaks of Alpine proper
tons, and avalanches working havoc
with mines every year. he made the town
of Ouray, nesting i'll the heart of the
Rockies, his headquarters for the San
Juan district.
Seeing some ores from mines at an alti-
tude of $1,000 feet, he was greatly i'm
pressed with their richness. Experts
warned him that practical mining could
no. be done on the mountain tops.
Locates a Bonanza.
Selecting samples, Walsh had them as
sayed and found a bonanza in prospect.
He bought adjoining properties and kept
his men busy prospecting and buying I'M
til he had a large mining territory abso-
| lutely his own.
For years it had been his ambition to
| be the only owner Of a group of mines.
| Now he was master of the situation. He
! ordered expensive machinery on large
scale, erected shelters for reducing ores.
and proceeded Systematically to develop
his mine. Such was the beginning Of
Camp Bird and its millions.
Mr.. Walsh was appointed commission
er from Colorado to the Paris exposition
In 1899. There he began a series of en-
tertalnments that were the talk of Eu-
rope. lie chartered Il steamboat Oh the
River Seine, turned it into a floating
palace, and gave q $4,000 dinner, with
distinguished men as his guests. His
wines could not be surpassed. The music
was furnished by artists from the grand
opera. After this extraordinary feast
at which Americans were entertained in
manner unheard of, Mr.. Walsh, with
his family and friends, chartered a train
! Of five palace cars, luXuriously fitted up
with the silks and decorations used on
the steamer for the banquet and began
tour OF France and Belgium.
The European potentates, always more
or less short i'll their cash accounts. have
! been profoundly interested in the Col
orado mllIionaire's movements. At any
rate, the late King Leopold of Belgium
met Mr.. Walsh at Ostend and they had
a grand dinner at Hotel Ritz, at which
| the Cars band played and the great
singers of Paris were heard. In the
course Of this entertainment the CONVEX
sation naturally turned to finance.
The King said he was making only
about ) per cent. on his investments.
Mr.. Walsh said he always was sure of
10 per cent. on his INSTRUMENTATION
100 to 200 per cent. was more accurate.
He probably did not want to paralyze
the King at one sitting, and so put bis
profits at 10 per cent.
l. Al
the klng was anxious to have Mr.
Walsh investigate and develop in good
American style. While Mr.. Walsh did
not go there himself, he entered into a
business arrangement with the King and
sent trusted experts to size up" the
mines and their value. SO it was that
European monarch became a partner
Of the Colorado millionaire.
While Mr.. Walsh was poor man. he
fell in love with pretty Wisconsin
girl, Miss Carrie Reed, and married her
1t was a case of true love, love at first
sight, and love all the way through life,
with a strong hold on the heart. As
he grew wealthy and her socisl life
widened she was equal to every emer-
gency; in fact, she became society
leader. and when those $4,000 dinners
were given in Europe she was the queen
of the hour. fascinating, brilliant, and
overlooking with kindness and hospital
ity.
Before he began entertaining royalty
Mr.. Walsh was an appreciative and
generous employer. He built a big hotel
for his miners and superintendent, gave
them luxury, with first class meals. good
sleeping rooms with porcelain lined baths,
and everything up to date as you would
find it in a hotel and not mining camp
1t was all a gift, so to speak, to the
miners, costing them no more than at
a mining camp boarding house.
1t was in 1907 that the great tragedy
of his life befell Mr.. Walsh. His only
son. Vinson Walsh. was killed in an al
tomobile accident at Newport, and bis
only daughter. Evelyn Walsh, was so
terribly injured that it was feared she
was criDDled nerrnauently