John Mackay
eBook - ePub

John Mackay

Silver King in the Gilded Age

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

John Mackay

Silver King in the Gilded Age

About this book

From the early 1870s until his death in 1902, John Mackay was among the richest men in the world and was without a doubt the wealthiest man to emerge from Nevada's fabulous Comstock Lode. Author Michael J. Makley explores how, from his beginnings as a poor Irish immigrant, John Mackay developed a strong work ethic that distinguished him for the rest of his life. He came west to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush and then moved on to Virginia City, Nevada, where he dealt in mining stocks and operated silver mines. After making a fortune in mining, he transferred his energies to banking and communications.
 
John Mackay offers new insight into the life and achievements of this remarkable man. It also places Mackay in the broader context of his time, an era of robber barons and rampant corruption, rapidly advancing technology, national and international capitalism, and flagrant displays of newfound wealth. Even in this context, he stood out, not only for his contributions to Nevada and mining history, but also for his reputation as an important business leader fighting the consolidation and venality of corporate power in the Gilded Age. His actions freed the Comstock from a financial monopoly, resulting in moderated rates for the milling, timber, shipping, transportation, and water that made mining possible and precipitated the discovery and development of the ore field known as the "Big Bonanza."

Makley's book recounts the life and career of one of the most successful men of his age, a capitalist of immense wealth who generously helped those around him and worked diligently in the public interest. This engaging biography will appeal to readers interested in the Comstock Lode and mining in the West during the latter part of the nineteenth century as well as general western history enthusiasts.

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Yes, you can access John Mackay by Michael J. Makley in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Social Science Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. List of Illustrations
  6. Preface
  7. Prologue
  8. 1. Starting Out
  9. 2. The Fountainhead
  10. 3. Hale and Norcross
  11. 4. Competitors
  12. 5. The Con. Virginia
  13. 6. Bonanza Silver and Kings
  14. 7. 1875
  15. 8. Responses
  16. 9. Status and Scandal
  17. 10. To Try Fortune No More
  18. 11. A Changing Cast
  19. 12. The New War
  20. 13. Near Disaster
  21. 14. Losing Control
  22. 15. Universal Eulogy
  23. Notes
  24. Bibliography
  25. Index