The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-10-07
"B0UlDER" THOMPSON, wEAl THDEST NATIVE OF MONTANA, is
SON OF PIONEER WHO GAINED REPUTATION FOR DARING I'M COS

III vi interest TO MOntananS is
sketch of William Boyce Thompson
formerly of Helena, appearing in th'
current Engineering & Mining Jour
nal, New York. The Journal says:
A recital of the achievements O.
William Boyce Thompson suggests {
composite biography of several great
men. How could one man do sc
much before his SIND year? The
answer is simple-Work. This eX-
PLANTATION is like that of the prestidi-
gitator who says, Ladies and gen.
tlemen, the quickness of the hand de-
ceives the eye," and leaves his aud
fence as mystified as before. 1.-The
outstanding characteristic of Colonel
Thompson said one of his intim-
ates, sis his capacity for work. His
evenings are usually spent on work
of some kind" With this recipe,
therefore, for reaching the top, the
young aspirant may go his way, bear
ing in mind that what is meant is
the kind of work that gets results of
the right kind. There it is in a nut
shell.
And the results? Colonel Thomp-
son is to be credited with the success
of Inspiration, Magma and Nevada
Consolidated, of which no mining
man need be told. Less we'll known
is the fact that he was mainly res
ponsible for daylight saving, having
put Senator Calder up to this parsi-
m~onious piece of business in the first
place. His title of colonel dates
from the a when he was commits
49, Is1,fo-on ~ oaIOna1 an1 cant
to Russia as a member of the Red
Cross commission of which he later
became head. He had been actively
backing the Belgian relief work be-
fore this, and it vas through his eff
forts that the Rocky Mountain club,
of which he was vice-president, post
poned the erection of a costly club
house, that the funds might be used
to aid wal sufferers abroad.
Born in Montana
New York's prominent men, more
often than not, were born outside of
the city. Some of them came origin
from Brooklyn and other east
ern points. Thompson from
Montana. To go back to the Begin
ming, he was born in Virginia City, in
SLdIO, III lOOOs lib ldInt1 having |
followed prospecting, mining and
on his own account. His
education was received at Phillips
Exeter, in New Hampshire, and at the
school of mines. Then
came a few years of knocking about
his native state, in which he learned
of the ms and outs of mining.
At the age of 20 he headed again for
he metropolis, determined to sit in
he big game. He came with little
cash and lots of nerve, and before
ong his ability as an organizer was
When the Utah Copper project was
aunched, Thompson, believing in d.
lacking, backed him with money
ind reaped a corresponding reward
lis ability was signally recognized
" the metropolitan business inter
.sts, when, in 1914, he was elected a
.Iirector of the Federal Reserve bank.
this position he resigned last
December, upon his appointment as
hartman of the ways and means
ommittee of the national republican
He is also president of
he Roosevelt Memorial Association.
Deals In Big Plans |
Colonel Thompson's schemes are
ig. Nothing else seems to attract
i'm. One of the more recent ones,
f which comparatively little has
cen published, is the mineral explor-
ton work in China which engineers
presenting him have undertaken.
mother project, now under way, is
lie prospecting and development of
le huge Film Flon ore deposit, in
orthern Manitoba, in which he is
lgaged, together with his associates.
| all his dealings he will have facts
I'd not theories, and goes to heavy
lpense, if necessary, to determine
lem. On this trait, undoubtedly, H
his success. Two P's, patience
persistence, are said to be his
ottoes, and in his successful hand
ng of the Inspiration project these I
Iaracteristics may readily be dist
rned. m
Gets Much Out of Life 1
Although Colonel Thompson has
great wealth, this has not
en- his object. Apparently it is the
of playing the game, rather than .,
e reward that attracts him. Hav-
6 brought Inspiration to successful o.
oduction, he disposed of the prop OF
ty to Anaconda. HI
He has given largely. While in M
lssia he dug heavily into his own :,
rtune to combat the German propa- Us
nda that was designed to draw that
untry from the war. His interests hi
ide from business are varied. He st
seen now as a collector of minerals, :.
W as an exhibitor at the flower =
ow. He belongs to several clubs. =
things considered Colonel Thomp- ~
n gets a great deal out of life. s.