Alfred William McCune[2] (June 11, 1849 – March 28, 1927) was an American railroad builder, mine operator, and politician from the state of Utah.

He also owned many profitable mines in Canada, Montana, Peru, and Utah, including the Payne Mine—which paid the most dividends in the history of British Columbia.

Senator in 1899, but after being unable to receive a majority after numerous ballots and accusations of bribery, the state legislature adjourned without electing anyone to the seat.

[10] Raised from infancy in Scotland, Matthew McCune traveled to London in 1835, joined the British Army, and married Sarah Elizabeth Caroline Scott.

[12] When he was 19, he worked as a laborer on the Union Pacific Railroad (then pushing through Echo Canyon in Summit County, Utah), and then ranched cattle for a time with his brother Edward.

With business partner Joel Grover, he began supplying the railroad workers with hay, grain, and provisions.

[13][14] In 1878, McCune added a third business partner, Walter P. Read, and they built the Utah Southern Railroad Extension from Milford to Frisco in 1880–1881.

[12] In 1881, McCune joined Thomas Scofield in opening a 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) cattle and horse ranch in southern Utah.

[14] McCune married Elizabeth Ann Claridge at Endowment House in Salt Lake City on July 1, 1872.

[12][13] Elizabeth, born February 19, 1852, in Hemel Hempstead, England, was the daughter of Samuel Claridge, a convert to the Latter-day Saints movement who had emigrated to the United States in 1853 and became prominent local leader in the church.

[16] The couple made their home in Nephi,[13] had nine children (Alfred Jr., Harry, Earl, Raymond, Sarah Fay, Frank, Jacketta, Marcus, and Elizabeth).

[12][18] But in the winter of 1882, Grover and Read, concerned about economic conditions and worried the firm was over-extended, pulled out of the business.

[12] McCune formed his own company, which bought out a general store near Butte, Montana, and supplied wood fuel to mines in that city.

[19] The new firm also extended the Union Pacific Railroad's Oregon Short Line to Anaconda, Montana and Butte.

[21] Three years later, with McCune having fulfilled most of his wood supply contracts, the couple moved to Salt Lake City.

[19][21] They purchased a home at 2nd West and South Temple streets,[19] near the Union Pacific railroad depot.

Beginning around 1891, McCune purchased interests in a number of highly productive and famous mines in British Columbia, including the Freddie Lee, Krao, Libbie, Maid of Erin, Mountain Chief, Nickel Plate, Skyline, Payne, Two Jacks, and War Eagle.

In April 1889,[19] he purchased a one-third interest in Salt Lake City's streetcar system,[24] and converted it from mule-drawn wagons to electric.

[26] In February 1897, the McCunes undertook a lengthy tour of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and the Far East.

[17] In 1902, the two men set up the Cerro de Pasco Investment Company and added new shareholders, which included businessman Henry Clay Frick, Michael P. Grace, Phoebe Hearst, Darius Ogden Mills, J. P. Morgan, and Hamilton McKown Twombly (an heir to the Vanderbilt fortune).

[5][30] The same year, the government of Peru awarded McCune a contract to survey a railroad route from Huacho to Cerro de Pasco.

[34] The Peruvian government gave McCune 5,000,000 acres (2,000,000 ha) of land if he completed the route, and operated it for 25 years.

[35] Cerro de Pasco Investment Company remained the largest American investor in Peru throughout the 20th century, until it was nationalized in 1974.

[40] Other factors were his support for Free Silver; rumors about immoral acts he may have committed while living in Washington, D.C.; and that the Utah legislature was controlled by Democrats.

Law (a Republican from Cache County and a Cannon supporter) claimed McCune offered him $1,500 for his vote.

[42] McCune strenuously denied the charge, and a seven-member legislative committee was established to investigate the allegation.

[7][42] The legislature adjourned without having chosen a senator,[43] and McCune traveled in Europe for several weeks to regain his health (returning in June 1899).

[49] Judge Orlando Powers, Associate Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, said in 1906 that he understood that McCune was not a Mormon.

[22] The McCunes hired Salt Lake City architect S. C. Dallas to build their home, and then sent him to Europe for two years to study architectural styles.

[63] But Elizabeth fell ill during the trip, and they returned to Salt Lake City and took up residence in the Hotel Utah.