White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-06

properties were taken over under
purchase there would have been COM
plieated troubles for the townfolks
had 1t not been for the self-sacrific-
ing and clear judgment of Butler.
BY refusing to sell unless all his con-
ditions were allowed he stood a
chance of losing $336,0OO. which
was the price paid for the Tonopah
mines; and during the six months
life of that agreement while he al
managing for the Tonopah Mining
company the mines produced for the
company in royalties 500, 600. Also
he granted permission to persons de-
string lots on Main street to purchase
them for the cost of the survey which
was ten dollars per lot. In his
agreement with the purchasers of the
mines he reserved the right to deliver
deeds of town lots to those who held
his promise; and stipulated that he
should continue in charge of the
mines until all leases had expired,
thus giving each a true equity in
Tonopah. For himself he kept but
one lot.
Twas Jim Butler who determined
that Tonopah should be a four-dol-
lar camp, which is to say hal four
dollars per day should be the wages
paid to miners. At that time no
other camp in Nevada was paying SO
high a price.
When the question of town i'm
%provements arose 1t was this same
man who suggested water, lighting
by electricity, sewers and a fire COM
pany, and he helped to pay for every
town improvement. Some of his
methods were unique, as in the up
building of the fire department. Said
Butler: Boys, | won't put my name
down on that subscription list for a
penny, but you buy the best apparatus
possible with the money the other
fellows put up and l will duplicate
it, He also gave them a building
on a Main street lot, and this to the
exclusion of an offer of sixty dollars
per month ground rental.
Mr.. Buffers advent in camp is al
mo- nc .;u,aIIad hy uriat daadc IF Uan-
crosby. 1t is a well-known fact that
he feeds dozens of hard-luck men,
passes without his lame. Character
istic of his method of treating is an
carload of watermelons for the
youngsters of the camp; and a car
means some money-they were two
dollars apiece at the time of that
charities. though he has been impos'
ed upon more than once, as have al
men of renowned generosity.
The given word of this man Ii
worth as much as any written bono
could be. If a stranger should ash
a man accustomed to dealing with
Butler what the terms of his writer
agreement were, It's likely that he
would receive as reply: I'VE hays
no written agreement. Jim Butler
says he will do so and So" Neither
his word nor his memory has .evel
been questioned. Hundreds o.
thousands of dollars have been sen
to him through the mails by strang
ers, begging that he will invest fol
them as he sees fit; but here Mr.
Butler draws the line, and inyariabl,
returns checks, drafts and money.
Prospectors have found him evel
ready to put up and take a chance
with them: and in this way he has
given many a needy nan the oppor
tunity of his life, and, incidentally
has acquired much valuable proper
ty himself. In knowledge of mine.
he is really wonderful; his predic
tions rarely fail to justify his judg
ment.
When very young Jim served al
drummer boy during the recruiting
of three companies which his home
town furnished the northern arm,
during the war of the rebellion; ant
not the least among his causes fol-
pride is the fact that, from the time
of the tea-party down to date, men o.
his family have been representative.
people and have fought in all the i'm
portant wars of the country.
Jim Butler is affectionately known
as the Father of Tonopah' and he
deserves the name.-Clara +. Doug
las i'm Sunset Magazine.