THOMAS F. WALSH
WALSH, THOMAS F., mining engineer, capitalist, was born in 1851, on a farm in Baptist Grange, near Fethard, county of Tipperary, Ireland, son of Thomas and Bridget (Scully) Walsh. He was educated in the public schools, learned the millwright and carpenter's trade, and came to the United States in 1870, locating at Worcester, Massachusetts. From there he went to Colorado, in 1872, where he engaged in mining and at the same time made a close practical study of geology, mineralogy and metallurgy. He introduced new methods in the treatment of ores, and subsequently became an extensive operator of mines in many of the mining states and territories of the West, including the celebrated Camp Bird mines and mills, at Ouray, Colorado, of which he was sole owner. He is now one of the richest mine owners of the United States, a director in a number of financial and other institutions, and a large owner of real estate in Washington, District of Columbia, where he now resides.
In 1894, he was delegate-at-large from Colorado to the Republican national convention at Chicago. He was one of the national commissioners to the Paris exposition of 1900. He is in 1906 president of the Irrigation Association of America. He is a mumber of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science; Washington Academy of Science; National Geologic Society; American Association of Mining Engineers; Washington Board of Trade; Washington Business Men's Association; American Chamber of Commerce, Paris, France; American Chamber of Commerce, Naples, Italy; New York Chamber of Commerce; Hellenic Travelers club, of London; and the American Political Science Association. He is also a member of the following clubs: Metropolitan and Cosmos, of Washington; Metropolitan of New York; Denver club, Denver; El Paso club, Colorado Springs; Automobile club of America; life member of the Automobile club of France; the Pilgrims club, of London, and others. Few self-made men have gained such genuine social distinction, both in this country and abroad, as has Mr. Walsh; and for the past decade the members of his family have been familiar
