The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
JIM WtRBNER OF IDAHO.
His Remarkable Luck and the Story of an
Interesting Telegram.

Jim Wardncr VI Idaho and all over" said ,
Tescrner lust in town from the Pacific Slope.
ought I" b. sUmew here in New York city at this
very minute, for heard he had left for the Eas,
on a prospecting rip Just before ! got down from
SkAgway. Wardncr is genius that cannot be
dowHcd. and besides having one town named
for him in Idaho and another in British koo,enAi.
he has made and lost four fortunes in mines
and Is now starting in on his nth. At least,
his fourth is gone, and he only makes a fortune
when he happens TO BE- out OF one. His last ven.
turc was big. but 1t went wrong He had two
steamboats, ON the kooienai. and started the town
Of Wardner, which went with boom. and Jim
started 10 win u million.
There was rival town across the river hut
they had To depend on Jim's steamboats, for their
stuff. and naturally under the circumstances
Wardncr had the bulge on S,cclion the name
Of the other town one day, when everything
was coming Jims way. both Of his bpa,s went
on the rocks and sunk and Jim wasn't yet in a
fix Ia replace them, In other words IL
busted him, and he got out of il
the hest h" could. which was to GO
oil to Toronto and trade his town site ior
he carried M 10 AXE Bennett and started in IL
down the river for Dawson, Evidently Jm's
Luck wasn't on III" water for his boat Load Of stuG
u bring him m $1,000, when, II hc had had luck.
his $4,000 would easllyhayc been sold for $500 900
AT ne usual Dawson profit That sort Of thing
would have knocked out most men, hut Wnrdn"r
went night ON, and now understand he has got
something 10 present Ia the notice II New York.
crs better than anything he ever struck
Ills black cat farm was one Of the things
that gave him equation for wealth. This
was farm on an island in Puget Sound where
he raised, according In his representations 10 an
Eastern lou nalist, such vast numbers of black
cats that their fur brought him in a fabulous
revenue oi course 1t was a fabric of The fancy,
but the story was told everywhere. and WaTlncrs
black cat farm Was one Of the features NJ the cnas
on paper nj least
Another story is told on him Of time when he
was between fortunes and wanted 10 get TO New
York for u grab stake He was at Vancouver
and as he couldn't SWIM nothing was left him
a. 50 ON but the land So he struck the Canadian
PaCihc Railroad, lie stated his case Ia the agent
and asked him Ia telegraph MIR Shaughnossy
the General Passenger agent al Montreal, 10
thr, effect TINT Mr. Wa-dn'r was at Vancouver
and unless he got transportation he would have
Ia walk. he ohliging agent sent the message
and asked, Shall issue the transportation?
~ ln'eT tnG agen. received 4 reply. Don't Jet
Whrdncr was living eastward on a G. 7. train
Arriving at Montreal Wardncr went To Shnugh-
messy To extend his thanks. md when the G. r A.
saw INN he threw up his hands.
How did YOU get here SO SOON" he asked
"Ovcr the {, T., Of course responded Ward
ner
"lut how Didn't the agent get my telegram
Yes. and II said, Don't let Mr. Wardner walk
and didn't smiled Jim
"'Grcnt Scott" exclaimed Shaughnessv that
telegraph OPERATOR left out n period Tho tclc
gram should have read Don't Let Wardncr
and Shauehncssv gave Wnrdncr a dinner and
Wn-'ncr didn't have Ia walk on 10 New York
either li"'S n great chan IL Jim WaMncr and
he'll be on top again by and by see II he isn't"