The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-15
LUCK OF A T%ENDERFO07,
Rise to Fortune Of Poor Ferdinand
Van Zandt, Who Took His
Own Life.
His Career in Leadville and After
ward as Owner of the
Blue Bird.
A War Party In Tho Drifts-The Hero of
the Lead Horss Cinim"- "
His Wife.

Zig
His Wife.
NEW York, March 14.-Fsrdinand Suy-
dam Van Zandt has probably had az ro-
mantle n career - any Young New Yorker
Of the present generation. His rise to
wealth and influence was eudden, and his
suioids in 4 London hotel has been inex-
plicabis to his many friends in this city
and in4Newport. lie il particularly we'll
known in the latter place, being a third
couain of Elk Gov. Van Zandt OF Rhode
Island, and having lived in Newport for
several years past in tho Carey cottage with
his wife, who il q daughter OF Sir John
Lubbock.
Van Zandt had no money and but little
he turned up in Leadyille. Colo. a tender
foot from New York, but with a hearty
and straightforward manner WHICH won
him many friends from the outset. He
was I tall, powerful and remarkably hand
some me- with some theoretical kaowl-
edge Of mining, acquired in Columbia col
lege, but. willing to fight his way in the
world and to trough il" in his new sur
%roundings.
When Van Zandt landed in Leadville in
1879 hs had no money, and he accepted the
first position which offered itself. while he
could look round for a better opening. In
this way he became cashier in a restaurant
and subsequently, when On the arost Of a
wave Of luck, he used to often laugh over
those sarly experiences. He only rsmained
in the restaurant ! few wssks, and, indeed,
only kept the place AZ offering a good want
age ground to survey the general field and
form useful a~cquaintancss. It was quickly
man, and labor being scarce and = boom on
he received many offers Of employment in
the mines. Several parties were anxious to
secure him. but he finally went with the
owners Of the Adelaide mine, Of which he
became assistant manager.
The Adelaide was in Stray Horse gulch,
in the outskirts Of Leadville, and Van
Xsndt had 125 to $50 men under him in his
new position. AS soon az no got broken into
the work ths manager Of the mine came
east, leaving Van Xandt in sole charge of
the operating of the property. Then a
adjacent mine They had followed a drift
of silver ore from ono direction which the
Adelaide had been working from another
end. Without stopping to call in the as
sistance Of the courts, the miners of the
adjoining property proposed to follow up
Adelaide. Van Zandt felt that he was in
the right, according to the existing law on
the subject, and he prepared to defend the
rights Of the Adelaide mine by barricadinR
tho drifts and carrying on the war under
ground. He marshaled his men and kept
thanking the enemy. They had thought
that in the absence Of tho manager they
could brighten Van Zandt, but he took a
bold stand and maintained his ground,
much 10 the admiration Of the disinter-
eBted mining gossip of Leadville.
When the case was carried into the courts
the decisions we're i'll favor Of the Adelaide
mine. The incident did much to commend
Van Zandt to his employers, and he took a
high place ia the estimation of Leadville.
About this time q friend of his came OUT
from Now York, g young fellow named Pot
ter. who stopped Tor q while with Van
Zandt III Lcadville. Then Potter started
for thu interior Of New Mexico and disap-
peared. His relatives wrote to Van Zandt
at Leadvi!la, and he left there to follow mp
She trail Of tine missing man. Van Zanut
found that Potter had incautiougly dis
played a large roll of bills at Albuquerque,
and como distance outside the town had
heea waylaid by three Me1icans, who killed
him for purnoBes of robbery. Vigorous
and fearless, Van Zandt apprehendsd two
of the miscreants and brought them to
Albuquerque. As soon as tho facts were
known there q wagon and a couple of ropes
were secured and summary Justice was aG-
ministered to the murderers of Potter. Their
dead bodies were swinging fiomS o to o
graph pole within a few hours OF their
being brought into the toWn BY Van Zandt.
He returned to Leadyillo and stayed there
until early in 1882. Then he came to New
York and met Charles G. Francklyn, who
owned some mining property in Utah,
which he WA anxious to realize upon.
Van Zandt offered to take it to Europe for
sale. He was just the man to make a sue
cessful promoter Of American mining com
cal and scisntitic miner, as we'll rs a man of
pleasing manners and address, capable of
holding his own anywhere. London was
his objective point, and he took care to
provide himself beforehand with the proper
credentials. Poor Sam Ward, then in the
sunset Of his fans and power, gage Van
Iandt lettera OF Introduction to Lord Rose
berry, LORD Reay and other influential men
in this British metropolis. They were of
value in securing a foothold
for the nav arrival, who, after the first
relied upon himself to make
his way. Whsn he sold the mining prop
erty in London and cleared 100000 as
commission for doing 60 Van Zandt did
forget Sam Ward. 1t was recalled in
this city that his treatment of Mr.. Ward
characteristic Of the man, of whom
speaks in the highest terms, for
he il said to ave prevented him with
$50, 1000.
1t was through the acquaintance thus
that Van Zandt met his wife. She
had besn Amy Harriet Lubbock. eldest
of Sir John Lubbock, by his first
wife. In March, 1877, sho was married to
Walter Nulholland. During the
she was taken i'll with Roman
foyer in the Eternal City, and just az she
recovering her husband was taken sick
and died. That was in June, barely three
months after the wedding. Mrs. Muihol-
and became Van Zandt's wife in 1884,
Meanwhile his fortunes had risen stead
ily. The commission ON the sale Of the
Utah property was she first large amount
be oyer possessed. He secured the services
IF = former foreman and sent him into
to look after promising mining
properties. This man found the famous
Blue Bird mine. He recommended Van
landt to bay it. and tho bargain was
closed. The Blue Bird developed
being what il called in the YER
"a whale" TIL mine was soon
over 500, 600 q month to Van Zanut.
no Blue Bird WAS in tho same country as
his Anaconda. the Alice and other famous
mines. Its output at times rose to
So. COO Il week, and it ia still we'll up in the