Bisbee daily review., 1922-03-15
AGED FORTUNE : MAKER REFUSES
 TO QUIT BROKE
Borax Smith, Penniless After Amassing Millions, Starts
 in to Make Good Again

SAN FRANCISCO. March 14.-lfs life slogan had been: Don't weaken. What is age? Courage is the tnlng! Refuse to be beaten;"
 50 when. at tine age of 65, Francis M. ("Borax") Smith found that his s2O. 900 900 fortune was gone and that he was not only "broke" but in debt to the tune of several millions, he didn't contemplate suicide. NOT did he quit.
 Today, at the age of 73. he is mas ter of another fortune of several mil lions and fighting with both fists to regain his lost title of "BoraX King. And if he runs true to form he's hKe- ly to get 1t.
 How He Started
 An accident, occurring when ne was 2S. caused "Borax" Smith to adopt his fighting philosophy. He had purchased a small timber claim m Nevada and taken contract to sup ply with fuel Nevada mine. one oay he returned to find four MeXicans and an. Indian, all armed. cutting down his wood Smith had but four cartridges and 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.
 It 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- nand for it and the price was hign. About 500 tons a year was used, he recalls.
 News of his discovery caused ter rife slump in value His associates quit.
 Smith Sticks
 Don't weaken," said his courage Smith stuck. He accumulated for tune of some $25, ,000 900, but only af ter he had e-handedly packed bor ax 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, it is held practically made the city of Oakland Huge expenditures were involved and the railroad competition came. Al the age of 65 he had developed cities but lost his fortune and plunged into debt.
 } Don't weaken," said his courage } He saw his borax holdings sold tC , pay loans. But also he recalls tha l amny years back he had been one O. company interested in a silve , claim that, to all appearances. would not produce. Smith had thought diff } ferently and put in S160,000, taking stock in payment This he had turn ed over to his wife just before th' , crash came. And now, in his extrem , ity, the mine was coming to his res cue.
 I Stakes All-Wins He at once went after borax depos l it's in the Searles Lake region; SC . cured leases after a hard fight il l Washington and made the mine pa l. for his initial equipment. If it failet the mine was lost-ard there wa some reason to believe that it might Just then came word that three pros pectors had found boraX mine il Nevada, near the Grand Canyon Fl , rode so miles on horseback into tn desert to get there. He didn't hay time to appraise the property, fo competitors were in the field. H had to act at once and only upon hi judgment.
 Don't weakenl" said his courage He closed the deal for quarter c
 a million. And he was 73. If h judged wrong his last card was gone
 He took the mine while astonishe rivals looked on.
 Today his firm announces tha there is $24OO0,O0O worth of borax sight there.