El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-04-04
Mackay Had Rapid Raise
From ShiD5UiIders' Apprentice, He
Became Bonanza King and Made
Fortune of S75,O0O,OOO.
: By Madison c. Peters


T Ohm W. MACKAY was born in the
city of Dublin, in 1881. The fam
lily scraped enough together to
bring them over to America in 1870.
! They could get no further than New
York. John did not get much of an
education and at an early age was ap-
prent1ced to a shipbuilder He learned
the trade, but did not like 1t. As soon
as he became his own master, with a
little money he had saved, he turned mis-
race toward California. This was in
1881, two years after the discovery of
gold. When Mackay reached his desti-
nation, he hurried to the gold fields
but did not realize his expectations.
lie prOSpected and mined and tOiled
and waited, with little success. Dis
gusted he Joined the rush which
Travelled towards the new state of Ne
Fada IN 1860. He was destined to have
prominent part in founding that COM
monwealth, as great a part as Penn had
IN founding Pennsylvania.
MaelSay Loyal UniOnist.
It was then war time. The Pacific
states were swept by fierce rivalry Of
sentiment, which echoed the strife and
battle OF the east. The union and Sc
cession were strong for mastery on the
sierra Nevadas al well as on the Blue
S1onate love for the union and in all
slonate love for the Union an din all
mat movement for the preservation
VI tlLO dElL1C states TO the udLlOu, ne
was leading spirit. While doing his
part toward building Nevada and in
assisting in the salvation of the Pa
clfic states from diSuniOn, Mackay con-
tlnued to extend his mining operations.
From the very first fortune was with
him and like Fair he boarded until
he had enough to become one of the
bonanza firm, the others being, Fair.
Flood and O'Brien. Maekay had the
greatest share Of any as he owned
IWO-flTthS Of the firm.
Discovers Two Bonanza Mines.
In 1872 the financial and commercial
world was startled with the discovery
Of what was called THE Bonanza
mines. They were found in a ledge
Of rock in the Sierra Nevada at Vir-
ginia City. The burden of the pre-
clous quartz containing silver and
gold in almost equal parts was lodged
IN pocket Of a couple Of acres in area
and 300 feet deep. There young Mackey
had strolled time and again, never sus-
pectlng the riches that were hidden in
the place. Those riches amounted to
Sl9U,OOO-OOO and Mackay got his share
With Flood and Fair, he established
the Nevada bank, which still continues
the leading financial concern Of the
west. His wealth piled up until it was
counted in the millions
Mackay Laid Transatlantic Gable.
Then he thought he was entitled to a
holiday, so he went to Europe. but his
Du9y u dlu tOuAQ not long remain IN
active. While in France he met James
Gordon Bennett and they became
friends, for they had mutual schemes
which each wanted furthered. Aackay
saw what the cable lines were in for
eign hands which brought them under
monopoly which was growing rich at
public expense. 'Why cant we have
an American cable?" said Mackay to
Bennett The very thing I have long
been thinking Of" returned Bennett.
Both of them Joined and the Mackay-
Bennett cable was laid, which became
the Commercial Cable company Mac
kay lowered the rates to 25 cents a
word and this brought him under the
ban Of Jay Gould, who insisted on SO
cents. Gould spent a lot Of money in
trying to make Mackay amenable to
his wishes, but all in vain. Mackay
mad his way, and his cable company. in
connection with the Postal Telegraph
company, soon covered zoo, 900 miles of
line and brought into connection all the
cities and towns of the country Mac
kay left SI5,OO0,0O0 when he died.