The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-17

many people who predicted that he
wor. end in Il ditch without cent to
bless himself. Throughout his career
one o.: the most romantic in tho whole
history Of the wonderful wcalth-pro
ducing west, he consistently disap-
pointed prophecy, whether Of good or
evil, so it is not to be wondered at
that MS death should have been under
unexpected circumstances. This man
who at first dug ditchcs, then was a
millionaire many times over, then
went back to digging ditches as a
means to earn his bread, and who,
three years ago, hadn't q cent Of all
his great fortune left, and lived liter
ally by the sweat Of his brow. found
himself at GO years of age postmaster
Of Denver, with an income that put
him beyond danger Of want once more.
A short time before his death he said
that his days of money making we're
over, and that he was quite content to
have enough to live dcccntly upon.
In 1860 Tabor appeared in Califor
MIA Gulch, Colo, where men we're
finding nuggets that were the wonder
Of the world. E.e was then about 80
years old, and had been stoncouttcr
in Massachusetts,. farmer in Kansas,
and member Of the Legislature there,
and finally a sort Of superior tramp
until he struck the diggings. Then,
having come too late to locate claim
for himself, he went to work for an
other man at 50 day. Before long
he had enough saved up to start lit
tie store, and when he was ready to
move to new field he owned about
81 900 in hard earned cash. lie start
cd for Orc, Colo, against the advice
of his friends, who warned him that
he would lose all his little capital in
that then little known locality. This
was the first prophecy to 60 wrong
for Tabor didn't start out as pros
pectoi. Settling at Oro, which was
then beginning it's boom, he opened a
general store, selling food, imple-
ments, tobacco, clothing and notions.
Orc grew to be town Of Z 1000 inhabi-
tants. AS Tabor accumulated money
it was predicted that he would soon
succumb to the mining fever and go
into the business ON his own hook.
But he stuck to the store; stuck to it
even after Oro began to decline and
its best friends saw that it was burst
bubble. In those hard years the
storekeeper lost most Of what he had
made, and his wife, hard working,
Faithful! Irish girl, took il hoardsFs to
help him along. For more than ten
years the Iabors pluckily stood by the
store and saw the town dwiudlc from
1000 to 20 people. Then the hus-
band made up his mind that it was
time to move, 80 what remained Of the
stock was packed mile or two up the
gulch, where there we're rumors Of
good strikes, and business was resum-
cd at the new place.
This new place was subsequently
Leadville, by Tabor's naming. 1t is
said that the name was given in this
way Several old timers were talking
of name for the place when it had
become certain that there was to be a
permanent settlement there, and sew
eral suggestions were made. One
hopeful spirit suggested Goldtown,
latter che metal that common around
here" 1t so happened that the night
before there had been general shoot
ing at the saloon and bullets had flown
In all directions, with fatal results to
three Of the men concerned. Having
this in mind, Tabor spoke up:
''If you're going to call the place
after the metal that's plenty, what's
the matter with Leadville?" he said.
And Leadville it became.
Soon he began to grub-stake needy
prospectors, who, with the outfit furn-
ished by him, would go back into the
hills and hunt for precious metal,
which they usually didn't find. Ia
bor' 3 friends said it was bad business,
and predicted his ultimate ruin, but
he kept adding to his business, and,
despite the items charged to profits
and loss on account Of his grub stake
business, he prospcrcd. 1t was gen
orally supposed that his aid to the
prospectors was not regarded by him
as an investment, but as a charity
which he could afford to dispense
where it was most needed and it is
certain that he saved many men from
want and hunger in this way. Every
body knew that these items Of ,roft
and loss were all loss, and as usual
everybody knew the thing which was