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

Jim Wardncr VI Idaho and all over" said A
Wes;crncr JUS, In town from the Pacific Slope
ought I" b. somewhere in New York city at this
very minute for heard he had left for the East
on n prospecting zip, Just before got down from
SkAgway. WardnCr is q genius that cannot he
downcd, and besides having one town named
for him in idaho and another in British kootenAi
he has made and lost four fortunes in mines
and Is now starting in on his fifth. 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
81 Wardner which went with BOOM and Jim
started 10 win million.
There was rival town across the river. but
they had To depend on Jim's steamboats, for their
siuh, and naturally, under the circumstances
Wardncr had the bulge on Stcc,on the name
OF the other town. one day, when everything
was coming Jim's way. both Of his bpa.s went
On the rocks and sunk. and Jim wasn't yet in a
fix 10 replace them. In other words. it
busted him, and he got out Of /,
the hest h" could, which was to GO
oil to Toronto and trade his town site Tor
stock of goods These Ia the extent nf $40 900
he carried IN 10 | axe Bennett and started in i,
down Ioyn III" river for dawson Evidently ,,'im's
was wrecked and he only saved enough out Of
i To bring him N $1,000; when, II he had had luck
at the usual Dawson profit That sort Of thing
would have knocked out most men hut Wnrdncr
went righ, on. and now ! understand he has got
something 10 present 10 the notice II New York,
crs better than anything he ever struck
His black ca, farm was one of the things
that gave him reputation for wealth This
was farm on an island in Puget Sound where
he raised, according Ia his representations 10 an
Eastern Iou nalist, such vast numbers Of black
cats that their fur brought him in fabulous
revenue. or course, il was a fabric II the fancy
but the story was told everywhere and Wardncr's
black cat farm Was Of the features IT the coast
on paper nj least
"Anothcr story is told on him Of a time when he
York for grab stake. He was at Vancouver
and as he couldn't swim, nothing was left him
g. 81 on but the land, So he struck the Canadian
Pacific RAILROAD lie stated his case To the agent
the General Passenger Ngcnt al Montreal 10
the elect TINT Mr. Wa-dn'r was at Vancouver
ana unless he got transportation he would have
Ia walk. h" ohliging agent sent the message
ana asked. shall ! issue the transportation?
" Wardner walk, and that same night NJ
Whrdncr was living eastward on a C. + train
Arriving at Montreal Wardncr went 10 Shaugh-
messy To extend his thanks and when the G. Z. A.
saw nm he threw up his hands
How dd YOU get here so soOn?'" he asked
over the [. T., OF course, responded Ward.
"'nut how Didn't the agent ge, my telegram
Yes, and il said: 'Dontlct Mr. Wardner walk
and didn't SMILED Jim
"'Grcnt Scott" exclaimed Shaughnessv, that
Telegraph operator left out a periOd The tclc
gram should have read Don't Let Wardncr
"Thcn wardncr gave Shaurhnessy the ha Ia.
and ShAughnrssv gave Wnrdncr a dinner and
Wh-'nCr didn't have To walk on 10 New York
either Hos q great chan, is Jim WarGncr and
hc'll be on top again by and by, see II he isn't"