The Washington herald., 1914-06-29
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Firs. MilliOn-dollar Check cashed
in Idaho.
twhttsa szpresGly for ne HerIld)
NJ Dk. 4. J. EDWARDS.

ny Dk. 4. }. EDWARDS.
was chatting. some time in the spring
of this year. with William II. Alexander.
who is prominently identified with the
/ copper Industry Of the United States,
| principally as an expert authority. He
! gave much OF his experience in this field
/ Of the mining industry at the time he was
a resident of Idaho, Washington. and
4 other States Of the far West. He met in
| those years some eccentric and very in
| teresting characters and had knowledge
/ Of come who at one time were in posses
/ sion OF millions suddenly gained and
who afterward knew again what poverty
was.
| Mr.. Alexander regards the late James
F. Warner as perhaps the most typical
| frontier personality with whom he was
/ ever brought in contact. Mr.. Wardner
was possessed of overabundant energy. 50
great, in fact. that 1t sometimes impaired
| his judgment. He was a man OF both
! physical and moral courage. and for that
/ reason, probably, was willing to accept
chances which would have appalled, the
| average man.
! To illustrate this, Mr.. Alexander re-
! called the following incident:
II remember one occasion when Ward
ner was challenged to play the game of
seven up or 'high-low-jack for S2,5oO
a game. He played several games for
| this big stake. and my recollection is that
he came out about even.
The most interesting feature OF Mr..
Wardner's career OF which / have any
knowledge was the fact that he was the
recipient OF the first million-dollar check
ever paid out for mining properties in
Idaho
"Wardner was the promoter of what
is now known the world over as the
Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines. This
property is famous because II is. or was
at least. until recently, the largest lead
producing mine in the world.
Possibly a year after Wardner pro-
NOTED this great lead mine. two men who
represented large capital which was seek
ing investment in good mining properties
called upon him to negotiate for the pur-
chase Of his interests. They were very
shrewd specimens Of high-grade mining
spectators. They no doubt expected
that Mr.. Wardner. who was only known
as a prospector. would jump at the first
proposition they made to him. They had
not been long in negotiation with Ward
ner before they discovered that he was
just as shrewd as they were. Moreover.
he owned the property and was not par
ticularly anxious to sell. When they
made this discovery they decided 10
throw subterfuge aside and TO make him
the final proposition they had in mind
to make in case they were compelled TO
do so.
They said to him: We will give you
a certified check for 81. 10000 in exchange
for your quit-Claim deed Of all your in
terest in this property
''Wardner did not hesitate about ac-
cepting the proposition, although he was
a good enough actor to conceal his graf
ifcation at the certainty of becoming a
millionaire.
1t did not take long to close the trans
action. nor Gid 1t take long for the news
to spread abroad that for the first time
IN the history of Idaho a single check
certified for 100000 had been paid 10
any one in that State for property OF any
kind
The time is not distant when other
checks for larger amounts were paid for
Idaho properties. but Warner had the
exclusive distinction OF receiving the first
check for 100000 that ever went
through an Idaho bank
Copyright. l9li, By z J. EfWsris. AL rights re
seTyed.I
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell How
a Prospector Completed a Million-dollar
Cal