The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-11-29
m0MTAMA'S FIRST CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY
WAS MARCUS DAILY, IRISH IMMIGRANT LAD

the death of Marcus DAILY
father of the copper mining IN
dustry in Montana. He came t.
this country in his early youth
alone, an Irish lad, and fought TO-
his livelihood on the streets of New
York City. He died an empire
builder, master of a great industry
He was the direct cause of a dis.
bursement in Montana in wage:
paid to miners alone, of more thar
lS5O,OOO,OOO, the ransom of a state
Some achievement for an untaught
youth, who came to the United
Estates almost barefoot, and no won
der that the youth of the old world
dream of this land as a place just
this side of Paradise.
1t has been said that great mel
of every nation become myths in
two centuries, by reason of their
elevation into a sort of saints cal
endar, through the too lavish
praise of their admirers who, in
their eagerness to do justice to their
idol, depict him as a sort of super
man.
The achievements of Marcus
DAILY and the affectionate regard
in which he is held by those who
knew him we'll, might readily lend
themselves to the creation of a
Daily myth. In dealing with a man
who has left a profound impress
of his personality on a common
wealth of the magnitude and inn
portance of Montana, it is well to
confine oneself to historical facts.
When it was proposed to erect
the monument of bronze to his
memory, where it now stands, in
front of the federal building in
Butte, there were men who x
claimed harshly, to hide the tears
that crpt into their voice, "Daly
needs no statute. His monuments
are scattered over the Butte hill in
the homes he builded for the wild
ows and orphans of Butte"
In the political life of the state he.
ranked as the most powerful nom
office-holder citizen of his time. In
industrial matters he set the pace
and during his lifetime Montana la
Dor ranked as the highest paid, and
the best treated, in the world.
When this plain, unaffected,
modest miner visited New York he
was sought out by the great indus
trial chieftains of the east asd the
financiers of the nations metropo-
lis listened to him with respect and
Difference.
Marcus DAILY came to Montana in
1876, SO the story runs, as repre-
sentative of the Waller Bros. of
Salt Lake, who had bought thee
mine, $4,000. The claim had
been located, according to Gen. c.
Warren, by Rolla Butcher, Jan.
?, 1875. Joseph R. Walker of Salt
Lake made the purchase early in
he fall of 1876 and at once COM
nenced the promotion of "The Al
&c Gold and Silver Mining COM
A history of Montana printed in
1884 says: There was erected a
'0-stamp mill, which, in the month
# December, 1877, commenced to
.educe ores. The mine is under
he superintendent of Marcus
DAILY, who graduated in the Com
took, and who is undoubtedly the
.blest mining superintendent in
1ontana."
Such was the tribute of his con-
emporaries even at that early day. F.
When the o'clock in the chamber
f the Omnipotent" toiled the fatal
our and Marcus DAILY, with per
APPS a little sigh of relief, laid !
own the many and heavy burdens !.
f a life life crammed full of action, !
egret at his death and admiration !
f his marvellous talents yer ex- !,
ressed by public men and in the !
ally press of the whole nation.
These estimates were based on T
is achievements during a quarter {
f a century of endeavor in Mon {
ana-and with one accord they {
ang in sympathy with the senti- I
expressed by that early-day
istorian who dubbed him as the h
olest man in the state in his line. a
When "Old Marcus" as he was 0
ffectionately called by the miners
n the hill went to Silver Bow n
ounty the mining annals of the q
ate had been chiefly placer rec c
Ids. An early register says; "The {,
Ills and bars of Silver Bow county q
ccov,ara1 h,1+ NOT mOrEed IN tO v