The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-05-25


death was rated as third in point of
wealth among all the moneyed men
of the world. he takes a large con-
tract, says the Reno Journal. Yet
this is what b. A. Gamble Is doing
over in the district court this week
and has been doing practically con-
tinuously for the last ] 5 years.
II takes a lot of hghting blood in
man 10 keep up this sort of thing
but there are two reasons for the
condition. One Is that Gamble comes
OF family that does not quit, and
the second Is that the amount in
Yolyed. the property at present
claimed by the Pittsburg Silver Peak
Mining Co, valued at from So .000,-
900 To $40, 1000. 600, is worth fighting
for.
CANDLES uncle. b. Y Gamble. was
noted mining engineer on the Com
stock. There he made a reputation
that carried over the seas and he
travelled to all parts of the world TO
report on mining properties. At one
time he was sent into South Africa by
the British government TO report on
the Rand. and while in Nevada he
prospected a great deal of the coun-
try in the neighborhood of Blair.
II was on one of these expeditions
that the possibilities of the territory
now known as the Silver Peak dis
triet, appealed to him and although
he did not have an opportunity 10
pursue his Investigations he advised
Il. A. Gamble 10 look the ground
over. Al that time Gamble was liy-
ing at Candelaria. He had conducted
n store down there ana was on the
lookout for mining property He
prospected the ground in a general
way and decided that he would nego-
tiate for its purchase. On making in
quiries, he learned that the owner
was John |. Blair of Blairstown, New
Jersey. who had even at that time the
reputation of being "A very wealthy
man.
Gamble wired aud asked for a fig
ure on the property Negotiations
We're then begun. Blair answered
that the property was for sale and
named as a price 100000 This was
in February. 1893. Gamble then
made thorough exploration of the
property. finding that il had been
worked in haphazard fashion. with
shafts sunk here and there. following
gopher hole system OF mining The
bargain did NOT appeal to Gamble as
the best that could be made. and he
accordingly decided to go To see Blair
and close a deal II possible.
In order TO approach the Croesus
with a show of importance that would
at least secure a respectful hearing.
Gamble armed himself with letters
from Judge NJ. \. Murphy, now of
counsel for the opposing side. and
many others high mp in financial and
railroad circles of Nevada. These he
took with him TO New York In
stead of seeing John |. Blair him
self who was over 80 years old. how
ever. Blair's son, Dewitt Clinton
Blair. now one of the parties defend
ant In the suit. met Gamble, who in
turn, referred him to c. ]. Canda.
then secretary of the Silver Peak
mines, a corporation.
After an involved correspondence
with canda. John l. Blair and his
son finally, on March 8, 1898. made
an agreement with Gamble to trans
fer the property for the considera-
ton of 100000. Gamble investigat-
ed again and asked for more time ON
the option and il was extended TO
December 81. 1898. II was extended
a second time TO February. 1894.
Gamble. In the meantime, in order
to secure backing, had let in John b.
Wright. then superintendent of the
old Sacramento division of the South
ern Pacific Co: l.. J. Hanchett, his
father-in-law; +. S. Chadbourne of
San Francisco, then state harbor COM
missioner. and George Croker, son
of the builder of the Central Pacific
railroad, Charles p. Croker, who
was associated with Coils =. Hunt
ington. Secretary Canda was noti-
fled of the enlargement of the inter-
ests, and through Canda another ex-
tension was granted in the name of
John B. Wright. This last named ex
tension was obtained by Hanchett In
the name of John b. Wright without
consulting with Gamble, and the OPP
ton continued so until June, 1894.
Al this time il was deemed advis-
able to procure new contract for am
extended option. The contract was
prepared and submitted to the South
tFn fdtlnt DtOpItf WIN itJtti'b II
and sent a substitute back more def
nitely binding all parties. Secretary
Canda then replied. agreeing to get
in lieu of the obligation of the Silver
Peak mines, the guarantee of John
|. Blair that that corporation would
effeetuate any transaction under
taken to be performed by him. This
was done and the extension made to
August, 1895.
At this stage of the proceedings,
John b. Wright wrote letter to Sec
rotary Canda. instructing him to sub
stitute the name of l.. J. Hanchett for
that of himself without making Gam
BILE or Chadbourne parties In the
transaction at all. This was done
and the contract was made on Sep
TENDER Z, 1894, the parties going
into possession October, 1894. Gam
BILE, who was thus frozen out by
whom he considered his friends and
partners, consulted attorneys and in
..ttt,tnI .,,tt In tho 1iyf riot annrf Of