The applause given the announcement that W. O. Cardin had guaranteed the Chautauqua for 1918 was merely a matter of course. It was an incident marking the close of the most successful chautauua season Miami has ever had, and the act of Mr. Cardin was appreciated... Mr. Cardin is one of Miami's progressive business men. He has done much for the city in the past...

W. O. Cardin has let the contract for $7,000 of improvements on the Commercial Hotel property, recently purchased by him. The improvements include a renovation of the store room on Main Street, next to the Miami Bank and Trust and Savings Company, in which a metal ceiling is to be placed...While Mr. Cardin will limit the improvements at this time, he probably will, in the near future, add two or three more stories to this building. ..

William Oscar Cardin, who was worth more than $1 million three decades ago and for whom the town of Cardin Oklahoma was named, died Nov 19, 1949, age 71, a poor man on the old-age pension rolls at Miami Saturday. After suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in his modest hotel room he died at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon. He was born in Indian Territory in what was to become Ottawa county Oklahoma, on Sep 22, 1878, and until he became fabulously wealthy shortly before World War I, supported himself and dependents by working at various jobs. Cardin is said to have been among Oklahoma Indians whose wealth was not the accumulation of royalties granted through luck of holding a government allotment before lead and zinc was discovered in Ottawa county, but had become a millionaire due to his shrewd financial transactions. In the early days of the mining district, Cardin was one of the first Indians to put his allotment at the disposal of ore prospectors. A large portion of his new found wealth resulted from his investment in the New State Mine, King Jack Mine and the old Mizpah Mine, pioneer producers of the area. As success smiled on him, Cardin purchased new mining properties and acquired more land. At one time, he and his wife owned more than 2,000 acres of rich farm and mineral lands in Ottawa, Craig, Washington, Nowata and Osage counties Oklahoma. They also owned property in Cardin Oklahoma and Miami which was purchased with dividends from land holdings. His final major business venture was said to have been the construction 30 years ago of the five story Main Street building where the Security Bank and Trust Company now is located. At that time Cardin was chairman of the Ottawa county draft exemption board and gave much of his time and money to help win that war. Since he was the last survivor of his immediate family, a clear account of how he lost his money could not be obtained. A nephew, however, said he believed financial reverses in the early 1920's stripped him of all his money and properties. By 1930, he was practically penniless and was forced to take a job in a cleaning establishment to support himself. Until he became eligible to receive old-age pension payments in 1943, Cardin worked as a presser, hotel clerk and other ordinary employment classifications. When stricken ill last week, his only income was a monthly allowance of $50 as an old age pensioner. Survivors include six nephews, Harold Kenoyer of Los Angeles California, Fred Cardin of Readin Pennsylvania, Earle Staton of Nashville Tennessee, Randolph Staton of Colorado Springs Colorado, and Trevrse Staton and Loyd A. Staton, both of Miami, and a niece, Mrs. Esther E. Weinheimer of Long Beach California. Funeral services will be conducted at the Cooper funeral home chapel at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon. Elder B. F. Kyser, pastor of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will officiate. Pallbearers will be T. B. McCormack, E. F. Forkum, Fred Cox, I. V. Hampton, Walter Weston and Roy Williams. Burial Nov 21, 1949, will be in G.A.R. cemetery, Miami.