The chronicle=news., 1914-06-24
NAN GR0BSTAkEO
BY C, & S. OFFICIAL
DIES WEALTHY

Denver, Colo, June 24.-Thomas
G. Lockhart, whom A. ID. Parker.
vice president of the Colorado 4
Southern Railroad company, grub
staked for twenty years before the
1artnc: ship, succeeded in discovering
mine that was worth while, was
buried in Los Angeles yesterday.
Death occurred Friday as the result
of pneumonia. The funeral was de-
ferred until Mr.. Parker. his associate
for nearly thirty years, could reach
the California city. Gz.r .,-.'.I-.
Nothing could be moIc romantic in
the history of mining than the cur
ious partnership between the untu-
tored prospector and the collegian.
who was learning the railroad busi-
ness from the bottom of the ladder
and which made both of them mil
lionaires several times over.
Mr.. Parker had studied for the
ministry in an Eastern college, but
changed his mind and determined to
become railroad man. His health
was not robust. so he started by
working as a section hand, finding
employment on the Colorado &
Southern on the South Park division.
One Sunday, while enjoying soli-
tary walk along the right of way. he
encountered Lockhart, who had for
many years prospected the Colorado
hills with little success. but with a
conviction that some day he would
strike it rich.
They sat down under tree and
talked mining and geology, of which
Lockhart had practical and Parker
a theoretical knowledge. The result
was that Parker agreed to supply
Lockhart with a certain amount Of
money each month. and that the lat
ter was to use his own judgment in
selecting his field and in disposing
of the finds. Some years Lockhart
found small leads that partly 3aid
expenses, but more often he found
nothing and Parker's income was re-
duced to minimum.
However, as the partnership con-
tinued. Parker advanced in the rail-
road business. He became an ac-
countant and later an auditor for the
company, and the annual drain made
by his mining operations became less
onerous.
1t was not until the Tonopah ex-
citement that the partners finally
hit IL" property. and then it was
Lockhart, who discovered the Tono-
pah Extension mine, at grass roots.
After the partners had done enough
development work to prove the
ground and to more than reimburse
them for the money and labor they
had expended, the property was soli
to Charles NJ. Schwab of the United
States Steel corporation, and asso-
ciates. Each of the partners got
$600,0O0 and upwards of $1,000,000
in stock in the company Schwab
formed. The stock has paid 10 per
cent ever since.
Lockhart later bought prospect
at Gold1ield, which the partners
named the Florence. for $1,4OO, and
which has paid then. more than ST.
100000. Lockhart stayed on the
ground and managed the Florence
until last year. when, believing its
ores exhausted, he resigned as man
agcr and vice president and retired
to Los Angeles. continuing, however.
to hold his interest. Since then he
has become Interested In several
large oil ventures which have earned
him a large amount of money
After fortune smiled upon him,
Lockhart. who barely knew how to
read and write, engaged tutors and
obtained a good education. In fact
he was regarded in his later years as
an unusually well read man. He was
64 years old.