Bisbee daily review., 1907-09-19
DEATH STEPS IN TO DEFEAT
 FORTUNE
Watson Pickrell Was In Omaha To Get Money For Big Deal When Typhoid Fever Laid Him Low.

PHoENIx. Sept is.-To raise 5ioO,VO0 which be intended to pay J. C. Bothin, who in the earIy days Was engaged in the general merchant disc business in Tucson and Tomb stone. was the mission that took Wat. son Pickrell from Tempe 10 Omaha EySti., where ne died recengiy Of ty- phoid fever contracted while in the east.
 With A. J. Peters. also of Tempe. Pickerell held al the time of his death an option from Bothin on the Carmen island salt beds in the Gulf of CalifoY- nia, not far from Guaymas To se- cure thi5 option, they paid Bothin S6,000. of which Pickerer furnished Si000 and Peters S2.O0O.
 An agreement, drawn up between the parties concerned. called for the transfer of $500 acres of salt beds In Carmen island the purchase prlee being S350,000 of which S100.0o0 was to be paid down by October l. 1907. or the option forfeited.
 To got their proposition in shape to put 1t before eastern capitalists. Pick, erell and Peters organized the Car men Salt company for $1 900 900. fix ing the value of each share at S1GO.
 With maps. reports or experts and transcripts of the office records of BCthin and his associates showing that during the year of 1906 their net profits amounted to S150,900. Pick erell went east.
 When he had raised S39. 900 Of the Sl0o.000 necessary to make the first payment. typhoid fever caused him tO take to his bed, from which hs never rose. Had PickereII lived. Pe- ters believes that he would have raised the necessary funds.
 That the two Tempe men became interested in the Carmen island salt took to GUaymas several months ago to look after one of the warehouses in which Peters is interested
 While seated in 3 small restaurant they saw on the opposite side of the street a sign. which bore the nams of Bothin, also setting forth that he was in the salt business They were curious and crossed the street, enter ing dingy office, in which they found Bothin.
 Bothin explained that he had one of the biggest propositions in the "OlAu- hC ASdlu Ultl luIDdSh, dlHuy after asking several questions, which brought out further information, they left the place. but not with any in tention of giving the matter further attention.
 Returning to Tempe, Peters and Pickerell frequently discussed Car men island, until they became so inn pressed with the possibilities that they returned quietly 10 Guaymas and obtained from Bothin the option.
 Bothin let them examine all the books of the concern to prove his as- sertion that the profits of the busi- ness amounted to s150,000 in one year, the net revenue coming almost entirely from the sale of salt to the fishing industry along the coast of California. Oregon and Washington.
 This second trip made both Pick erell and Peters more enthusiastic than ever, convincing them that for tune had at last smiled broadly upon them, only asking that they expend little effort, and Pickerell went east to his death.
 Though little known. the Carmen salt beds are among the best in the world, and for several years have been producing thousands of tons of salt annually, which does not have to be put through the process of re- Ening before bdng placed on the market
 Through some hidden connection with the surrounding ocean the water rises over a surface CT 5,5f'0 acres and evaporating. leaves a layer of fine salt several inches thick. With scrapers this is gathered upon a plat form, where it dries. The operation is repeated over the same grounds at regular intervals.