Irish Labourer's Daughter Betrothed to a Prince.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 83, 3 January 1885, Page 4

Irish Labourer's Daughter Betrothed to a Prince.

The announcement that Miss Eva Mackay, step daughter of the famous Californian Silver King, has been betrothed to an Italian noble, Prince Colonna, opens a curious train of thought to those who love to trace the rise and progress of great families. A Golonna thinks long before he selects a bride. He comes from a race whose members were foremost in Italy long before almost the oldest of our English great houses had been heard of. Colonnas were prominent aristocrats before Rienzi lived, before Louis XL was intrigued, before America had been discovered, before Venice had become great j and after the innumerable vicissitudes of eight centuries, a Colonna is to-day the successful and envied man who is about to marry perhaps the wealthiest young lady on earth. But whence comes the young lady? She is the stepdaughter of an adventurous Irishman, who forty years ago was utterly unknown, except as a young labourer, full of energy, hardheaded, resolute and ambitious, yet with no prospect of becoming anything more than a farmer in the Emerald Me. Young Mackay, however, em igrated " to the West, to the West, to the land of the free, Where mighty Missouri rolls down to the sea," and, when the Californian gold discoveries drew fortunehunters from all quarters, found his way to San Francisco. There he did not take much part in actual gold digging — his instincts being commercial, he preferred to trade ; and, like many other shrewd ad- j venturers, found traffic easier and more profitable than hard, physical work. After several changes he became owner of a drinking saloon, in which he rapidly accumulated capital. With this he was always on the look-out for good bargains and safe investments. But all his successes were eclipsed by the fortunate vonture which made him chief owner of one particular spot. Mr James Fair, a mining engineer, was convinced that this was, if properly explored, a veritable hill of silver. Nor was he alone in his opinion ; for a strong company held it and persevered in a search which, however, had not proved remarkably productive. Fair contrived to draw Mackay into partnership, with the object of securing the whole. They had to work cautiously, since their shrewdness was so well known that where they were seen to lead, a crowd of speculators would always follow. However, they succeeded. After lengthened and ingenious financial scheming, which was, in spite of their caution, watched with general interest, Mackay, Fair, ond two others secured almost all the shares— Mackay, (it is reported, although I the exact truth has never been disclosed) holding one-half. Then they set to work with a will. Ere long they found themselves masters of an almost pure and astoundingly extensive mass of silver ore, more remunerative than the richest gold mine ever opened. All the four were millionaires—and more. Not long ago the "World," in a sketch of Mr Fair proclaimed him as earth's richest man, worth thirty millions, and likely to die worth twice as much. But of late Mr Mackay is the favourite— certainly he is the more prominent. Not yet old and feeble, the Irishman who left his native shores a penniless youth is now richer than the richest European noble ; nor is his "pile" of that unsubstantial and transitory kind which some of us think a peculiarity of all gz'eat Transatlantic fortunes; and it is daily increasing by the unexhausted productiveness of the silver mountain. The wealth of the Asfcor family, gained from an investment in New York real estate, is estimated at £25,000,000, but is cut up among several owners. That of Mr Vandcrbilt, amassed by his father's and his own successful handling of American railways, and by " cornering " markets throughout the States; is (he tells his friends) £40,000,000 ; but so many millionaires of his stamp have collapsed and disappeared that no one feels confident that even he is sure to die a SVestern Rothschild. But Mr Mackays money is all his own ; its production has facilitated trade, and ruined no one,