The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-07-16
HIS SECRET DIED WITH HIM
COLONEL [. T. FORD IS DEAD,
Ahd Ills Wonderful Process For Ex-
 tracting Gold Is Lost.

Death has sealed forever the lips of
 Colonel Larkin L. Ford and though a
 chemist from the great Carnegie steel
 plant hung over his bedside ready to
 pay him millions for his secret process
 of handling ores, he died without re-
 vealing word. From the time he was
 stricken with apoplexy until the end
 came, there was not a moment when
 ne was able to speak coherently, and
 ms secret, worth untold millions, died
 with him.
 Colonel Ford had worked for twelve
 years on process of treating ore of a
 smelting grade without the expense
 of smelting it. He achieved a start
 ling success, and was ably, by the use
 of a few inexpensive chemicals, to eX-
 tract the gold from ore of any richness
 Without smelting it. He guarded the process with jealous care, conducting
 all his experiments in his own room, and making a confident of nobody
 When he was sure he had mastered the process he wrote. to some large Eastern firms, and as result the Car
 negie people became interested. A month ago they sent one of their ex- pert chemists here, and he has gone as far as Colonel Ford would allow him in the process. The old man would not allow the method of treatment to be known, but he permitted the experts to witness the results. Mill runs of hundred pounds of rich ore would be taken into the colonel's room, and would extract the gold as perfectly as a shelter could do it. Without know ing how it was done, the expert was satisfied, and quickly agreed to make a contract with the inventor By its terms Colonel Ford was to receive round sum down, and royalty from each and every mill that was estab- lished. It has been reckoned that with in few years his income would have been s1,ooO,0O0 a year.
 But just on the eve of the day when he was to have made his secret known, his brain gave way under the awful strain to which it had been subjected for twelve years. He had a stroke of apoplexy, and from the time when he was stricken until his death there was never moment when he could com municate his secret to those who would gladly pay millions for it.
 Only last oMnday Colonel Ford was talking to a friend of thirty years standing Never mind, old man." he said "I'll be on my feet in a few more days, and I'll put you on your feet, too Don't you worry about money matters; from this time on I'll have | more than we both can use" But he | now has no need of the money, and it | Is beyond his power to help his friend. |
 Colonel Ford was at one time one of | the wealthy men of Colorado. He was | 3 miner in the early days of Leadville ! and made much money out of the dis | ,overy of gold in California gulch La ter he discovered the London mine at | he head of Mosquito range, and sold t for $400,00 He kept on accumulat ng by shrewd mining deals, and was 1 'eputed to be worth considerably more han million at one time. He lost all. however, and the last twelve 7eafs of his life were devoted to the discovery which brought his death in ts crowning hour. He leaves a daughter, Mrs. Maude Vord-H Hopkins, who lives at 114O Twelfth street, and two stepsons, Clar- nee and Charles French Ford. They rave not definitely decided upon the uneral arrangements, but the body will be inferred in one of the Denver eIneteries Monday.-From the Denver lost