Re: Rose-Walsh Smelter

I wondered at the similar name to the Kokomo-Walsh smelter. Turns out it's the same Thomas Walsh. An Irishman who prospered in Leadville, he joined with Arthur Wilfley (of Wilfley Table fame) and Ethan Byron in 1892 to build the Kokomo Walsh smelter and operate the White Quail mining properties.

The smelter was never successful with the Tenmile ores, and they gave up on it after 6 months. All was not lost, however, as they had successful investments elsewhere (such as Cripple Creek), and at some point during this time Walsh also became involved in Rico, Ouray and Silverton.

In 1894 Walsh reports that the While Quail was "making about expenses", and in the same year he purchased the Martha Rose smelter in Silverton. By 1895 he had lost interest in Tenmile; that year he sold his interests in the While Quail properties to Wilfley, Byron and Isaac Turner (the superintendent), and bought the Kokomo Walsh smelter, whose equipment he later moved down to the San Juans (presumably to the Rose-Walsh smelter?).