The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1922-03-17
IBCRAX KING WINS
THROUGH COURAGE
In Bankruptcy AZ o5, He Takes
Chance And Again Amasscs
Comfortable Fortune.

San Francisco, March Hills life
slogan had b en-: Don't weaken!
What Is age? Courage is the thing!
Refuse TO be beatenl"
So when at the age of SIS, Francis
NJ. C"Borax"D Smith found that his
see, 100000 fortune was gone and
that he was not only broke" but in
debt to the tune of several millions,
he didn't contemplate suicide. Nor
did he quit.
Today, at the age of 10 he is mas
ter of another fortune of several
millions and fighting with both fists
to regain his lost title of "Borax
King" And II he runs true to form
he's likely to get 1t.
How He Started.
An accident, occurring when he was
2S, caused "Borax" Smith to adopt
his fighting philosophy. He had pur-
chased a small timber claim in Neva-
da and taken contract to supply
with fuel a Nevada mine. One day
he returned to find four Mexicans and
an Indian, all armed, cutting down
his wood. Smith had but four cart
ridges and a rifle. But, thought he,
the intruders did not know that. Did
he dare tackle five of them?
Don't weaken!" said his courage.
He fired two shots The trespassers
fled.
II was from this timber claim that
he first saw upon the adjacent desert
the broad white streaks that later
were to make his first fortune. His
borax discovery meant little If you
weakened" There was but little de-
mand for 1t and the price was high.
About 500 tons year was used, he
recalls.
News Of his discovery caused
terrific slump in value. His assoc
ciates quit.
Smith Sticks.
Don't weaken!" said his courage.
Smith stuck. He accumulated a for
tune of some $25, 100000 but only
after he had mechanically packed
bofax out of the desert and created a
big market for it.
Then, with a large income to in
vest, Smith became interested in a
fast ferry system between San Fran
cisco and Oakland which, il is held,
practically made the city of Oakland.
Huge expenditures were involved and
the railroad competition came. At
the age of 65 he had developed cities.
but lost his fortune and plunged into
debt.
Don't weaken!" said his courage.
He saw borax holdings sold to pay
loans. But also he recalls that many
years back he had been one of COM
pany interested in a silver claim that,
TO all appearances, would not pro-
,duce. Smith had thought differently
and put in $3.50, 900, taking stock in
payment. This he had turned over
TO his wife just before the crash
came. And now, in his extremity,
the mine was coming to his rescue.
Stakes All-Wins.
He at once went after borax de-
posits in the Searles Lake region, Sc
cured leases after a hard fight in
Washington and made the mine pay
for his initial equipment. If he fail
ed the mine was lost-and there was
some reason to believe that 1t might.
Just then came word that three pros
pectors had found a borax mine in
Nevada, near the Grand Canyon. He
rode eighty miles on horseback into |
the desert to get there. He didn't
have time to appraise the property |
for competitors were in the field. He
had TO act at once and only upon |
his judgment.
Don't weaken!" said his courage. |
He closed the deal for quarter OF |
a million. And he was 70. II he
judged wrong his last card was gone.
He took the mine while astonished |
rivals looked on.
Today his firm announces that |
there is $4,000, 900 worth of borax
in sight there.
SO he has no cause to regret his
slogan: Courage is the thing! What
is age? Don't weaken"