The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-08-24
DEATH "a OF HARRY cANTwELL

1
we'll and favorably known to many
citizens throughout St. Francois coun-
| ty, being a member of the mining
company that first started develop
ment of lead mining in this county,
which has now grown into the great
est lead mining district in the world:
Harry ]. Cantwell Of st. Louis, who
won and lost fortunes in the mining
business, died last night at Hot
Springs, Ark.
For many years Cantwell was a
spectacular mine operator He was
one of the first to realize the financial
opportunities in the Lead Belt district
of Southeast Missouri and amassed a
fortune in lead and zinc. At one time
he was head of the st. Joe Lead Co.,
which has declared millions in divi-
dends since the war in Europe began.
Cantwell met with financial revers-
es in 1896. At that time he had ac-
quired many options on silver mines
in Montana. In that period the Gran
tie Mountain Mine had made millions
for many st. Louisans. Cantwell's
holdings in. other mines were not re-
munerative and he lost the fortune he
had accumulated through his lead and
zinc interests.
William Jennings Bryan in 1896
urged the 16-to-1 standard for silver.
Many Democrats followed the gold
standard, but Cantwell was a staunch
supporter of Bryan in the 1896 cam
paign. Cantwell thought he should ac-
quiTe a newspaper in st. Louis to sup
port the bimetallic principles of
Bryan. Cantwell at that time had
only about 100000. He went to New
York and tried to persuade William
Randolph Hearst to join him in his
plan to start "silver paper" here.
Hearst agreed to furnish 100000 if
the Granite Mountain mine owners
would raise similar sum. Cantwell
tried to get the late L. M. Rumsey,
the late Moses C. Wetmore, Charles
Mcclure, the late Charles Clark and
other "silver men" to finance the pa
per. Cantwell failed to interest the
St. Louisans.
Cooperative Paper Printed.
At that time a cooperative newspa-
-, per, The Evening Journal, was being
! printed on Elm street, between Fifth
and Sixth streets. The reporters,
}. printers and other employees were to
: receive part pay in cash and the rest
in stock-mostly stock.
Cantwell called at the newspaper Of
fee and asked the manager if he
could buy the paper.
"Buy it," retorted the manager
1--WE have nothing to sell but the type,
cases and our stock; the press work
: is done outside"
e Cantwell went to the composing
! room and made a speech to the print
b. ers. "Boys, I'll buy your paper and
pay you cash for your work if you
. will turn the plant over" he said.
T., There was hurried chapel meeting
! of the printers and they agreed to
: give the paper to Cantwell for $4,000
c if he would assure each man job.
e "When you buy this paper" said the
i foreman, "you have got to take thC
printers and reporters with the type
). This was agreed to and the mex
e day Cantwell sought a new home fol
The Evening Journal.
/ He leased the building at 105 North
e Sixth street.
h In two weeks Cantwell graduated
i himself into an editorship. He wrote
t his own editorials and ran his paper
as he himself saw fit. One editoria
each day was written by Bryan him
+ self and Cantwell began to advertise
h his publication as the only "real Bry
q an newspaper" in the nation.
e All the type was hand-set anc
9 Cantwell's weekly payroll was not il
4 keeping with his bank account. Wher
!, the free-silver campaign was at it
v height, Cantwell tried to get NOR,
4 money.
" The Democratic National Commit
4 tee would not advance him dollar
The "silvermen" who had made mil
lions in Granite Mountain refused t.
e "antc", to use Cantwell's favorite ex
. preston, but the Evening Journal
z owner never let his employees realiz
= how near broke he was.
" Cantwell loved the "ponies." H
was fond of specializing on the races
One Saturday he confided to his sport
n ing editor that he must have $1,000
r to meet expenses.
IS 81 am going to the Playground
\. track with you and win enough Q
1t pay the boys off," the editor said.
e He wagered 81 900 on the first ia
~ vorite. He lost. He then bet die
:. Roche $4,000 on the first choice in tn
u second race. A nose finish prevente
= Cantwell from cashing., Then h
8 plunged the entire bank roll on tn
- favorite in the third race. He faile
~ to even get run for his money, a
4 the horse was left at the post.
Cantwell instructed his sporting ed
IS itor to go down to the newspaper fc
/ flee and tell the boys there would b
m no Sunday paper, as she was dea
l. broke.
ID "Be sure and tell them" said h
lie an dig up enough money to pay tn
boys Monday"
is He kept his word.
lie Cantwell for the past ten years ha
le operated with varying success in tn
re mining business. About three year
Or ago ill fortune again came upon hin
lie About IS months ago he heard G
ir lead being discovered at Miami, 0kli
t. He went there and obtained sewers
I'd options from Indians. Luck agai
i'll xt,oc with him He ctY.I1nly IL rioh IN