Mining swindles are common to all mining countries but this reflection is cold comfort to a number of Vancouver men who recently put their trust in tin mines and a man named J. J. Black and now believe that they have found both wanting. There are about a dozen of them who put money into a scheme to stake claims on an alleged discovery of tin near Whitehorse, and, while the cash they have lost is small in amount, the rude awakening from dreams of wealth is most anvoying to the local syndicate.
Some monthe ago J. J. Black came down from Whitehorse and told a chosen few about a discovery of tin he claimed to have made about 150 miles from the northern town, in the Kluane district, while prospecting for gold. In support of his statements he produced a piece of rock, which he said, was a sample of the ore, and stated that the deposit was very extensive. The sample was properly assayed and proved to be rich in tin
which is a metal still undiscovered in Canada and for the discovery of which the government offers a large bounty.
Confidence in Black filled the breasts of tbe lucky men to whom he had gone, with the news of his find and a syndicate was formed. To be sure, a reliable man who came down from Whitehorse soon afterwards, when asked his opinion, said there was no tin in that neighborhood, but even he admitted that there was plenty of rock around there such as the sample Black had supplied, and when the members of the syndicate reflected on the size of the northern country and the difficulty of any man's being certain that no particular mineral could be found there, they went on with their plans for staking the ledge and for the turbine yachts and automobiles they intended to buy with the money they
made.
In The World of May 20th appeared the account of Black's alleged discovery of tin and of the departure of Black from Whitehorse in company with C. W.
Franklin and N. Niddery of this city.
The Whitehorse Star described Mr. Niddery as an expert mineralogist and
expressed hopes of a great industry for that town.
It was on May 13th that the party left Whitehorse in search of tin., For some time nothing was heard of the prospectors here, but at last came a telegram from C. W. Franklin, like the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Black fraud, serving time here. What shall I do with horse outfit?
Will write."
The foregoing wire waa signed with Franklin's name, but is somewhat vague. The promised letter is expected on the next boat and the chief of police and
assessor of Whitehorse have been written for further news, particularly news of the tin. - Vancouver World.
The Black mentioned above is the man who was sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment for raising a disturbance at the Canadiun Bank of Commerce one morning about three weeks ago.
