The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-14
TOM RYAN's DISAPPOINTMENT.
How Former Indianapolitau Lost For
tune and Missed an Opportunity to
Regain 1t.

The following Incidents in the career of
Thomas F. Ryan, a former resident of this city.
are related in the National Republican,:
"Some years ago Tom Ryan, of Indianapolis,
was one of the best-known men in HoOsierdom,
and quito power in Democratic politics, State
and local. Genial, witty, and prince OF good
fellows, he was deservedly a favorite with all
circles and classes, while his large wealth ena-
| bled Linn to give free rein to an open-handed
| generosity that was as unstinted as it I'M
| affected. In an evil day Tom and circle of
| choice spirits, among whom was Pap Alvord,
the shrewd old-tiiDe chairman or the DemOcT alto
| State central committee of Indiana, and DICK
| Bright, the present popular Sergeant-at-arms OF
the Senate, concluded to pool their shekets, and
| give the unsophisticated bulls and bears of the
| Chicago Board of Trade lesson in fHanalsClng
| by 'cornering the oats market. The Chicas0 an
| 1mals took so kindly to this benevolent little
| scheme that when the experiment was brought
| to a conclusion they were picking their teeth
ana crying or more ENTERTAINMENT In the same
| line, while dgesting from half TO three-quarters
| of million dollars kindly left with them by
| their late Hoosier teachers.
"Thi5 little affair, coupled with some unfOrtun-
| ate Endorsements for falling friends, brought
Ryan to bankruptcy, and times grew pretty
| tough for him. After struggling along until
every resource was exhausted, he took Horace
| Greeley's advice and went west, bringing up af-
! ter various adventures at Tucson, A. L. Here
| he made a stand, determined TO do or die, aud
after some months, during which he lodged on
the clay floor of an old 'dObe' hut, rented TO
aim at a charitable rate by wrinkled old
| 'greaser' dame, he caught on to an agency
for a California canned goods house, built up a
good trade among the miners, and began to
prosper.
one of those opportunities that low and then
form the splendid prizes in the great mimi g
lottery where there are SO many heart-breaking
blanks Mining claims in Arizona and New
Mexico are as plentiful as mosquitoes in New
Jersey, and the man who is versed III the ways
of the country pays but little attention to the
numerous claims TO be had at assorted prices
from every old miner and LPospectOf; but now
and then among this ohaf good grain shows up
for the discriminating speculator to recognize,
secure and make a fortune from.
"Some prospectors had been at work in cop
per claim that had attracted Toms attention,
and the results attained convinced him that they
were on the eve of great strike. So he opened
negotiations with them, and made bargain for
the claim at the price or Sc, 900. He did not
possess 5000 cents at the time, but contracted
for three months time to raise the money ill.,
Tom at once wrote TO an old friend who was in
a position to give him the required lift, descrb-
ing the mine aud his reasons for thinking there
was great fortune in it, and asked him to put
in 81 600, ana get seven Others of his old-Jime
friends, whom he named, to each do the same,
and send the sum to him, with the understand
ing that he was to have an equal share and the
management of the property. His friend not APP
preolattDg the opportunity, did not respond
In the meantime, Boston parties inspecting
the claim offered $4,000 for it if Ryan should
prove unable to pay for it before his option ex-
pred Ryan wrote again and again without
avail, and tried in every way possible to inspire
his friends with his faith in the claim, but finally
had to endure the inJolerabe disappointment of
seeing the three months 90 by and his option
expire, without being able to carry out his con-
tract. The Boston men promptly paid over their
$4,000 and took the good thing in. To-day it
IS the celebrated Copper Queen mine capitalized
for SlO0O,OO0, ana not a share TO he had for
love or money. Ryan is now a resident of Kan
sas City, in prosperous circumstances; but i'll or
der to evoke from him an Outburst of eloquent
wrath. profanity and grief, Intermin ged in rich
was that he failed TO acquire the copper mine
out IN Arizona"