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Show ' ' vJ-. V-' vi I L VJ1 il.. .. III.. V vO.. J 1 , vj JJilL ... O L v . -..-V A Little Dreb. Ti::fIIr.s . - C:cn Enacted in lining: Camrs cf ttc 'West - 'More Times Than One. r SAN FRANCISCO.- .Feb. 23. Some forty years ago two friends, Michael G. ?ears and Timothy Foley, left County "Kerry, Ireland, together to seek their .fortunes In the United.Stateg, their sole stock in trade being health, strength and a determination to succeed. On their arrival in America they went to Sprlngfleia, Mass., where they worked , for five years, saving their wages and . .accumulating a few hundred dollars for I future -ventures. In 18G8 the partners came to California and In the following .........year started in the liquor business in ;-th!s city at the corner ef Broadway and Davis streets. The young Irishmen soon built up a profitable business and prosperity showered upon them from the start. .- Sears & Foley's became the resort of " til navigators of the coast, and was known to seamen from Panama to Pu- ; get sound. Sears asplred to political in- j : fluenct and politicians congregated at . the place and added greatly to the value of the business, and hundreds of dollars dol-lars were daily taken over the bar. In --1875 the firm removed to more commo-. commo-. , Clous quarters at the corner of Wash-Ington Wash-Ington and East streets, and the new ' firm held on to all Its old patrons in the - ti6w location. . . . .: . Nearly Killed by Dissipation. It was In the height of their prosperity that James Francis Gillespie, a prospector, pros-pector, found his way. to their saloon V one morning twenty-five years ago. He was "flush," having Just sold a . mlne for many thousands of dollars. ' 'Gillespie took a great liking to the proprietor pro-prietor and made' their place of busi-. busi-. -.,ness his headquarters and for several weeks spent bis money, freely. Unaccustomed Unac-customed to such indulgence, Gillespie -took sick, and had It not been for the .. care taken of him by Scars and Foley probably would have died. The partners ; " tended him till he regained his health and was able to resume his profession : , of mining. On his departure Gillespie -Jrade them each a handsome present, " and declared that If he ever struck it 'rich again he would share his winnings ! with them. Gillespie next showed up In Idaho, where he became known as a successful prospector. Some time after Gillespie - returned to San Francisco and appeared ' " once more at Sears & Foley's place. He ' was without a cent, but he was made . ' "welcome to the best the house afforded, and subsequently enough cash was ad-' ad-' ;-anced to stake Gillespie in a new ca--" Veer as a prospector. Sometimes suc-',1'cess suc-',1'cess seemed assured him, but only a - - bare living was the result of the weary 'trampings and industrious search. --.Left Fortune to Benefactors. . ' Occasionally Gillespie would return to 1 "Washington and East streets- and -seemed always confident, but his visits became less and less frequent, and for - -the last few years had ceased alto- One day last February a message '.'"came to- Sears from an attorney at Tuo- lumne urging his immediate attendance -;j tt the bedside of Gillespie, who lay dy- "r, ing of consumption and desired to make ;- his wllL Sears started at once and ? reached the dying man's bedside In -"' time. A will was made leaving Sears & Foley the testator's estate, which consisted of a large balance in bank and the testator's interest In some of the C ...beet mines in Tuolumne county. It was discovered that Gillespie owned ZZ controlling interests In the Black Oak. " -- Dead Horse, Confidence, Hand of Prov- Z Idence and Coyote mines, besides, inter-.'-t ests In other promising leads. The first named had been bonded for $50,000 and ZZ? a bond had been offered for an equal amount on the Coyote. . ' - - - 1 V-Z The aged prospector died, his will has , - been duly probated, and nothing but T the necessary legal delays has prevent-' prevent-' - ed the acquisition by Sears & Foley of the entire estate. It Is estimated that ' - the firm will realize $250,000 from the . iZ mines alone. ' . . |