Evening journal., 1914-06-30
New News Of Yesterday
How a ProSpector Com
pleted a Milo Dollar
Sale
BY Holland.

ton Of the Northwest | had a good
opportunity to cultivate an extremely
interesting association with the iato
James r wardner," said william II.
AloSander--who Ia prominently lden-
tilted with mining industries Of tho
United states--to me at a time whom
ne was describing some of the early
experiences OF those who were pros
pecting for mining properties In the
Northwest. James f. Wardner
should have been one OF the richest
Of all the Americans who gained
great fortunes in the discovery, pro-
motion, or development OF mining
property, lie was true adventurer,
however, seeking excitement not so
much from the accumulation OF rlch-
es as from success IN searching for
and promoting mining properties.
'Wnrdner founded and built up the
town OF Wardner in BrltiRh Column
pla, and afterward established n min
ing town Of the same name located in
Idaho. There Wardner took hold OF
mining property which was not
thought to be very valuable He sold
that property for $1,000. 900, or at
least his own interest In It. / sup
pose that II he had waited a little
while until the property was fully
developed he could have sold his in-
terest for four or five times that
amount 1t became known as the
Bunker Hill and Sullivan mine. and
under scientific development gained
a worldwide reputation as the larg-
est lead-producing mine operated
anywhere in the world.
"Wardner was paid $1.000,O00 rep
resented by certified check drawn
upon bank in Idaho, with which
those who wanted to secure this
property had made a deposit of con
siderably more than Sl,000,e00 This
check was the first one for 81 COO 900
that had ever passed through an Ida
no bank.
After this check had been paid
over to Wardner. the promoters who
had made the purchase Of him be-
came frightened They were fearful
lest they had paid many times too
much for the property. So they
sought Wardner again on the evening
of the day in which the transaction
was completed. They called lpon
him shortly before midnight They
actually caused him TO be awakened
SO that he might come out and meet
them.
"Ihey said to him that upon sec
md ihousht they wee disposed to
take advantage Of his proposition
that if they were not satisfied with
the purchase the contra might be
cancelled
"'All right said Wardner. but II
is too late now to resume negotia-
tions Suppose you call around 20
see me about 2 or 70 o'clock tomoi
row morning Then I will talk the
matter over with YOU
"They told Wardner that they
would be at his house which was
nothing more than a shack about 10
the next morning. Then they went
away.
"As soon as they We're gone. Ward
ner saddied his horse and rode as
rapidly as he could into the town
where the bank which had certified
the check for sls000,000 was situated
Shortly after sunrise. he found there
some one with whom he negotiated
the check. This man was an inno
sent third party. He took the check
in good faith Having accomplished
this, Wardner rode back to his shan
ty, and there met the men who had
the day before given him the check
for 81, ,000, 900 He told them that he
feared they were too late, for he had
as soon as possible after he had re-
ceived the check turned II over for
valuable consideration to q third par
ty in whose possession the check
then was, unless he had already
cashed II at the bank.
THE mining spectators went away
in much distress of mind But in q
short time they were very glad that
they had secured Wardner's interest
for S1,0O0,0O0, for the mine proved on
examination to be worth a great deal
more than they had paid for IT, The
understanding was that they or those
whom they represented gained a great
profit upon this transaction. but
Wardner did not care. He took his
money and went to British Colum-
bia in search of new adventure.