Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-07-23
MINERS STRANGE CAREER.
Lost His Monty In Mexico and Became
Hermit.

Lost His Monty In Mexico and Became
Hermit.
An American, bent with age, with long,
white beard and feeble step, applied at the
Office Of j. N. Poston, United Suites con-
sular agent ut Torreon, state Of Durango,
Mexico, recently for shelter and food. He
introduced himself as j. Nat Hardin and
stated that for the past 10 years he had
beon living In Mexico. BY degrees the old
man told his story, and 1t developed into u
romance that Is as interesting az 1t Is full
Of pathos. 1t Is the old story Of futile
search after great riches. but in this in
stance the unfortunate person was ut ono
time Of great prominence In business Of
fairs In California.
j. Nat Hardin was born In jackson
county, Tenn, n years ago. He went to
California in 1914 and claims that ho be.
came associated with Senator Hearst In
mining and business deals. Ho mndo con-
siderable money and In 1878 went to
Mexico as the representative OF company
of California capitalists seeking mining
Investments In that country. He went to
tho state of Durang" and located the St.
Marcos and the Socorro silver mines for
his company. These mines all proved rich
and made fortunes for tho company own
ing them After clearing up 5000, 900
Hardin withdrew from the company and
located the Vaca mine for himself. He
purchased expensive mining machinery In
the UI.ted States and began the work Of
developing the property OH an extensive
scale. Just as he saw u big fortune In
sight tho mine was flooded with water, and
he met with Il serious accident which CON.
Gned him to his bed for many mouths.
The water could not be controlled, and he
soon lost all bis wealth. This misfor-
tune disheartened him so greatly that he
thought 1t would be better for his family
to look upon him as dcad, and tho report
reached his wife and two children In Frcs-
no, CAL, that he had diod of mountain
fever.
When his health had improved, Hardin
went into tho hcnrt Of tho Sierrn Madre
mountains, zoo miles from the railroad ut
Durango He found a cavcen, where he
has lived the life of u hermit for the pnst
Ii years, subsisting on wild game and veg
stables which he cultivated. A few weeks
ugo M American ore buyer for tho Inter
national Smelling and Refining company
was making u trip to remote mining camps
In tho Sierra Matre, when no came ACROSS
tho abode Of Hardin, by the side of the
mountain trail. He spont the night with
the old man, and the latter, being In a
reminiscent mood, told his remarkable
story. The orc buyer urged the old man
to give up his hermit life and return to his
family and friends IN California. This
Hurbin agreed to do, but he had no money.
Returning to tho City of Durango, tho orc
buyer tclegrphed tho news that Harbip
was alivo and wanted to return home to a
friend in Fresno, Cal. A quick response
was received from the hermits son, who
photographed the money for tho journey. A
messenger was sent into tho mountains for
Harbin. Ho WAS brought to Durango and
a through ticket to Fresno bought for
him. Hoing feeble, his ticket was other
lost or stolen near hero, and no was put off
the train His son WIS telcgraphcd again,
and the money for another ticket was sont,
and tho old man is now speeding OH his
way to Caiifornia.-Speoial to ST. Louis
Globe Democrat.