The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-03-31
THE BLIND PEDDLER.
A True Story Illustrating the Ups
and Downs of Western Life.

and Downs or western Lille.
During the past two months the
"blind peddler" has become n of
the most familiar objects upon our
streets. From early morning until
late at night the respectable appear
ing Old gentleman may be seen vend-
ing his wares, which consist princi-
pally Of jewelry or small articles for
gentlemen's wear, from house to
house, or expatiating upon the merits
of several literary works which he
sells by subscription. He is always
accompanied by a bright little boy,
whose valuable services rs guide and
amenuensis are suggested by the
large goggles which hide from view
the old gentleman's sightless orbs.
Town gossip tells a story of large
profits, the result of the old mans
tact and industry in prosecuting his
modest occupation; of a model farm
back in the States, where, after q
vigorous campaign in the West, he
retires for a season OF luxurious rest;
and of a forty thousand dollar fortune
securely invested in government
bonds. Unfortunately, these rumors
have no foundation in fact, for
through misfortune the old peddler
has become one of those victims of
the ups and downs of western life,
which sift upon the strands of time
so many broken fortunes and disap-
pointed lives. His name is J. A.
Logan, and there are few old Cali
fornians or Nevadaians who will not
recollect the firm of Olds & Logan,
of which he was the junior member,
and which for twenty years
one of the most extern
sive ana successful firms operating
at Marysville, California, and Austin,
Belmont and White Pine in Nevada.
At the latter place they owned and
operated the famous Posthole mine,
and it was here that the partners met
with misfortunes, which laid MI.
Olds in an untimely grave, scattered
their immense wealth to the four
winds, and sent J. A. Logan out into
the world a sightless wanderer, to
earn his bread by his present labori-
Gus occupation. . On June 9Th, 1873,
E. Odds, while riding upon one of his
own quartz wagons neal the Posthsle
mine was precipitated from the
wagon and instantly killed. His
widow is now a resident of this city.
days after the death of his
partner, J. A. Logan, in examining
a blast which had hung fire in the
mine, was blown up and
mangled, resulting in the
loss of his right hand and the total
of his eye-sight. After
his misfortune Mr.. Logan a help
less for two years, during which time
the greater part of the joint estate
FILTERED away by the misman-
agement of agents, and the remain
der, which consisted principally |
of mining claims and other
property of transitory value has since
either been jumped or become value
less. During the past seven years
Mr.. Logan has maintained himself
by his present occupation ,sturdily.de-
clining all proffers of assistance from
the friends of his prosperity, prefer
ing honest independence to eating
the bread Of charity, or placing him.
self under obligations to former
The old mans wants are
few and simple, thanks to a we'll
regulated life and strictly tenn
perate habits, and with the aid of his
bright little assistant, who is a Salt
Lake lad, named Bruce johnson,
be feels abundantly able to hold his
own with the world: but he don't
like the stories which have gone
as to his present wealth, and
says if they were true, he would find
q much easier way of living than that
Of selling books and jewelry.