Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 107, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1910 — THOMAS R. WALSH. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THOMAS R. WALSH.

A Typical Rneceaafnl Irlihmaa, Who Made Millions Here. “The best thing about tom Walsh Is that he never forgot he was an Irishman,” is ths way a toastmaster once referred to the tact and graciousness of Thomas R. Walsh, whose spectacular career as a millionaire mine owner closed with his death in Washington. From a millwright fresh from Tipperary County with only SSO In his pocket, he won so many millions from his mines in the West that he was consulted in business matters by King Leopold, the recently deceased King of Belgium who was known as "the royal rake." The promoter’s personality is shown in the story he once told of how he was approached by Leopold. “The King edged up to the mining business,” he said, “and, after throwing a few bouquets at me about my shrewdness and ability and my buo

cess, he casually mentioned that he himself was thinking of trying his hand at mfniiig In the Congo Free State. He said If he coura find some capable and shrewd American with successful mining experience, he w'ould like to have him take charge there. Of course, I knew be meant me and that I’d have to Invest in something I didn’t know anything about. So I told Leopold then that If I were to make any further Investments I would prefer my own State, where I know what things are.” But afterward Leopold came to Walsh again and they became Interested in some mining ventures In Colorado. Walsh made and lost a couple of fortunes before good luck finally stuck and made him one of the biggest figures in the mining world. His first SIO,OOO was made In Leadville, Colo., In the days when that town was rich and riotous and the bad men abounded. The height of mining romance was exemplified in his chance discovery of the Camp Bird mine In the San Juan basin for which he afterward refused an ofTer of $35,000,000 and which netted him more than a million a year for a long time. His social success at Newport and Washington was accomplished partly by his wife, who was Miss Carrie Read, and by his daughter Evelyn, who was married not so long ago to Edward McLean, son of John R. McLean, proprietor of the Cincinnati Enquirer. They were responsible for the lavisjj and 'wonderful entertainments given at his three houses in Connecticut, Denver and Washington. The residences themselves were furnished with the prodigality and richness of the royal palaces of Europe. And the hospitality dispensed therein was on a truly royal scale, commensurate with the enormous fortune—estimated at $60,000,000 —which Mr. Walsh had accumulated. Perhaps his greatest social achievement was that which began the Walshes’ social career in 1899, when he was appointed commissioner for Colorado to the Paris Exposition. He chartered a boat on the Seine, spent over a million in decorating it and then proceeded to give entertainments to the rich and gay Parisians. They accepted him at once and it was these series of entertainments that led to the Introduction of the family to the King of Belgium. After a period of this sort of pleasure, Walsh was glad to get back to his mining and farming—he was a farmer, too, and knew about all there was to be known about irrigation. It was for this knowledge that be was appointed a member of the American Academy for the Advancement of the Sciences, the Washington Academy of Science and the National Geographical Society. He was a good after dinner speaker and an enthusiastic clubman, having membership in the best clubs of Denver, Washington and New York. During his residence in Washington, where he moved after making hla fortune, Walsh helped to beautify the capital city as a member of the Board of Trade and he was also a member of other civic organizations In the various cities where he lived.

THOMAS F. WALSH.