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J
 W. M K
.
John W. MacKay is not only the youngest and the richest of that bonanza
trio—Flood, Fair and MacKay but immense wealth has not spoiled him. He
is of Irish birth, but came to this country before he was of age. When the
gold fever broke out he was one of the first to seek his fortune in that
auriferous country bordering on the Pacific, in California. Contrary to the
general supposition that his great wealth came through 'good luck,' let me
say, it was only by constant toil and slowly acquired experience that he
learned how to tell a non-paying lead from a bonanza. Several times he
seemed about to strike the long-looked for success only to find his brightest
hopes dashed to the earth. But these failures tempered him for the greater
hardships that followed.
The famous "Comstock Lode" is situated among a vast accumulation of
rocks and deep canyons—the result of terrible volcanic eruptions at some
remote period. This mining district was discovered by two Germans in
about 1852-3. Contrary to the opinion expressed by other prospectors, these
Germans saw silver in the rejected ore. Both brothers suddenly dying, the
claim fell to a storekeeper named Comstock who sold out for a few
thousand. Mr. MacKay's investment in the one mine, the "Consolidated
Virginia and California," has paid him unheard of dividends. This mine
produced in a period covering six years, from 1873, gold and silver to the
amount of over sixty-three millions of dollars. The combined profits of the
two mines were over seventy-three and one-half millions of dollars. Mr.
MacKay drifted to this lode, making his first 'hit' in 1863, and in this section
the bulk of his vast fortune was accumulated.
On the 25th of November, 1867, he concluded that he was able to support
a wife, and accordingly married the widow of an old friend (Dr. Thompson)
who had shared his varying fortune of former years when he little dreamed
of the vast wealth that awaited him. This lady is one of the best hands to
help a man spend a fabulous income, of which we are aware. She lives in

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Paris, where she gives the most expensive of entertainments. When General
Grant was in France he was her guest. She supports a private railway
carriage to use at her pleasure, and it would almost exceed belief to describe
the cost of her table service; in fact, she lives in oriental splendor. On the
other hand Mr. MacKay is decidedly pronounced, personally, in favor of
little show. He is far more at home in Virginia City, where he may often be
seen in a genuine mining costume, than at his palatial home in Paris.
The ground had been known for years wherein his great wealth was found,
but it was pronounced worthless. Everything seemingly had to be contested;
confidence was lacking, and what confidence remained was daily agitated
by parties who were jealous rivals. The stock became almost worthless, and
great discontent was manifest when, to make matters worse, a fire broke out
which burned the company's property and valuable machinery. Twelve
hundred feet of ground had to be slowly gone over in search for the right
vein, at a cost of $500,000. Amid great discouragement John W. MacKay
led this apparently forlorn hope to at last be crowned with the success he so
richly deserved. He now is estimated to be worth in the vicinity of
$55,000,000, and although it may seem a somewhat extravagant reward, it
cannot be denied that this vast sum could have been placed in far worse
hands.
Both Mr. and Mrs. MacKay are very liberal toward charitable purposes.
They were especially complimented by Pope Leo XIII for their charitable
deeds. As Mr. MacKay is but about fifty years of age, it is hard to
conjecture his possible future. While many features in his career seem to
justify the belief in "luck," still, to the close observer, it is manifest that had
he not possessed great endurance, and known no such thing as fail, the
world would never have known of John W. MacKay. Surely, great effort is
the price of great success, 
.

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