Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15

screw while down in the Caribbean wallowed
helplessly for more than two weeks, even
tually towed to the nearest port for repairs, and
nearly month late making her delivery.
Jonas did his work well. but, having been
allowed in his contract fixed sum for return
passage to Galveston, he found a way of saving
it. He signed on coaStwise tramp which
stopped at several ports, taking her time He
didn't know it, but there were no fewer than
three men on his trail, running a race to reach
him before he could learn of certain things
None of them caught up with him. He landed
in Galveston and before being discovered and
approached by any one to whom he would
gladly have sold his land for $780, he learned
of big oil strike.
Jones got somewhere between SO 900 900 and
900 for that worthless farm, which he
had been buncoed into possessing. Luck? But
could he have owned it had he not been sufi-
GENTLY thrifty to have 5000 to lend? And if he
hadn't hung rather than take a loss? My
old friend Meek probably would say that if
Jones hadn't been ignoramous he'd have
found that oil himself and made 500 900 600.
One could collect thousands of cases from oil
fields offering debate on luck. I have friend
who sold dozen lots in Santa Monica, Calf,
for half of what they had cost. because he tired
of paying taxes. On one of them found
famous gusher. Another who sold for
900 a piece of ground in Bak srsfeld, on
which later, while working for wages practi-
cal driller, he brought in" 1000 600 well.
One might say in the latter case. that being
have made certain before selling.
The history of mines is replete with strange
condolences. I went broke trying to find
lost piece of Ancient Channel" in Placer
County. Calf. paid off and struck out for
place in Eldorado to look at some property that
could be had on lease.
On the way stopped overnight at road
house tavern and store that had been there
from early days. The owner liked me and beg
ged me to look at what he called mine that
he had owned for years and years, about five
miles up in the hills He had worked it HIM
self several times, but always his money
out, and age was getting him. He had leased
1t on shares three time to me-, who had failed
to find anything and gave up He had so long
insisted that there was gold in her some whar"
that he had become district joke He offered
me half interest if would reopen and work
it for year.
TO PLEASE HIM went up and looked at the
mine 1t full of water, so I couldn't
underground but the outward formation did
look promising. Secretly amused and somewhat
sorry for his persistent, hopeless dreams, went
my way, much to his disappointment took
the other lease and made nothing more than
enough to meet my payroll, and wasted my
time; and when came back that way had a
chance to ponder on what is called luck. The
old chap had found three practical miners who
finding nothing else to do, had leased his mine
on chance, unwatered it, and at the fourth
shot thereafter uncovered what developed into
$175,000 I hadn't missed through bad luck
nor ignorance, but through bad judgment No
bad luck" about it at all.
In Rampant, Alaska, in 1897, Rex Beach-as
good partner as any mean ever had!-and I
had almost choice of LAY" ground on Manook
Creek diggings. We too late to stake.
We worked that Winter to the limit, and ours
was one of the three or four claims on that
entire creek that didn't produce gold enough
to buy beans and bacon. The first nugget,
found just above us, filled a baking powder
can Not bad luck Too hasty decision.
Too eager to save time.
In the Spring of 1911, after spending time
and money and making some rather hard trips
around the Caucasian Mountains and the
Levant, succeeded in getting an option from
the old Turkish government on a manganese
deposit and had myself appointed as special
Government agent to negotiate the SALE
spent what for me was a small fortune In
cabling details to America, got in touch through
J.. Perpont Morgan Gather of the present dis
tinguished banker) with the United States Steel
Corporation, and was instructed to come i'm
mediately, with my full authorization to DEAL
/ did
My commission would have been just $780,
900. It seemed too, that the deal could not
fan through 1t looked almost too good Turkey
wanted $1,000000 cash down for the conces-
sion and was urgent. Too urgent! I was sud-
denly bombarded with cablegrams. Then, at
that very moment, political revolution broke
loose and my concession, or the ability to even
grant one that would hold, blew up, and was
out of pocket about $4,000
Bad luck? Not at all. Engrossed in the
extraordinary mining end of it, had neglected
to foresee the one possibility that could over
throw me-the bubbling Of the young Turk
political pot Now, in connection with this there
is still another feature Of luck chance, fate
or Providence.
Three friends of mine in Europe had booked
passage on the Titanic. One Of them, Jacques
Futrelle, had insisted my Joining him and
his wife, and had so planned. But the elder