Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-06-18
\ MONTANA BONANZA.
How Tommy Cruise o1 Helena, FTGll
q Poor proSpcctor Became
Il millionaire.

|
On Saturday there arrived at the
| Gilman hotel. in Portland, q poorly
dressed, cadaverous-looking man
about fifty years Of age, who took a
! dollar roo1a The rev arrival was
| Thomas Cruise, the man who had sold
the Drum Lummond mine. in Mon
tana, for SlG00,000. It was noticed
during the presence OF the millionai1
! in the house that he spent no more
money than he could possibly avoid
On Tuesday lie left for his home in
Montana A gentleman who knew
Mr.. Cruise we'll, said to a News re-
porter: Yes, | am pretty we'll ac-
quajnted with him. For the past
twenty-five years he has been a pros
pector in Montana and Idaho, and his
pre1ent wealth is due to tho fact that
be is one Of those fellows that Get
hold and never let go Why, it's
twenty years since he struck the i1ine
that he sold for more than million
and half In order to develcpe it
he would work for awhile with others
to obtain a stake for grub, tools and
powder Then he would put in his
time on the mine until his funds were
exhausted. Finally he struck pay
dirt and his enthusiasm knew no
bounds, and for two or three years
before he sold out he made a living
out Of it by extracting few hundred
pounds Of ore and taking it to his cab
in and reducing it to a pulp in a NOR
tar and washing out the gold in {;
bread pan. You see the mine, al
though rich, could not be properly
developed without capital. Being of
a secretive nature, he had a door at
the entrance Of his secret treasure,
which he kept locked at all times,
and the miners used to call the place
Causes prison The story of the
great richness of the mine spread far
and wide, and big offers were made
for it. Among those who made an
offer for the mine was Mackay of bo-
nanza fame, but the hardy prospector
knew full well the value of his find, |
and would not sell until be got his
figure. Cruise was slayer from away
back, and don't you forget it. Had it
been me [ would have sold out long
ago. Finally an English syndicate
commenced to angle with the lucky |
prospector, and at one time negotia-
tions reached such stage that the
papers were drawn up and read to
Cruise, who was also represented by
his attorney. A clause IN the agree
ment was read by which the purchas-
ers could buy the one-sixth interest
he retained should they so desire.
This Jared on the old mans ears like
q false note to an orchestra leader.
4 want that stricken out and I give
you just five minutes to do so. II you
don't, the jig is up" sententiously
said the man who had waited twenty
years for a purchaser
We'll, but that's a mere formality,
and its not likely the company will
want to freeze you out" said the rep
resentative of English capital. This
sort of expostulation was kept up
until the hands on the clock marked
the expiration Of the fateful five min
utes.
s'The jig's up" slowly and sternly
said Cruise.
''And indeed it was, and the failure
to accede to the request made by
Cruise cost 100000 extra, and it was
several months before he resumed ne
gotlations. Had the clause been
struck out, fve-sixths Of the mine
could have been purchased for 81. .5o0,-
900, but when the negotiation were
resumed 81, $4,000 was asked and re-
ceived for one sixth Of the Drum