Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-17
FROM POVERTY To WEALTH
An Interesting Romance of the Black
Hills.

Hills.
CHICAGO, Feb 16.-One Of the early trains
for New York this morning carried from
Chicago six supremacy happy and contented
pecple-Mr and Mrs. John Johnston of
Spearfsh, Oak, and Mr.. E. P. Cronen
and wife and Mr.. Fred Randolph and wife
events has led up to the pleasing prospect
now before them. The story, as gathered
from Mr.. Cronen, is as follows:
Early in 1875 party of eighty-ive ven
turesome men was organized at Ames, Iowa,
to go into the recently discovered mining
region in the vicinity of Deadwood, Dakota.
John Johnston, young man recently ar
rived from England, and Mr.. Cronen, then
lad only seventeen years of age, were of
the party. These two were thrown much
together and became fast friends. They
and two others took up a two-hundred-yerd
mining claim in the vicinity of the
Niger Hill mines near Spearish
and at once began work. Their claims
soon proved to be wonderfully rich in what
was called bastard quartz" but there was
no money in that for the miners, and in ths
course of year matters took on most dis
heartening appearance. Mr.. Cronen now
laughingly says that his stay covered period
of some fifteen months, and when flour began
to sell at 50 pound, with other provisions
in proportion and not a dollar came from the
mine, he began to look about him for a
chance to get out. An opportunity did
present itself, and he prepared to leave,
ink hat ind
to return, and being totally out of confidence
in the mine Cronen made his English friend
present of all his rights, title, and in
terest in the same and at once started for
the confines of civilization, where there was
more food and less sfbastard quartz" His
course gradually led him East and he at
length became an operator in the Western
Union telegraph Office here in Chicago. Then
he married and settled down for quiet life,
devoid of any dreams of vast wealth The
plucky Englishman stuck to Niger Hill and
Spearish despite all hardsh:ps and disasters
In the course of short time after Cronen's
departure he found himself the only one left
in the Black Hills country of all the party
who started out from Ames His confidence
in the country was great that after
the first pinch he succeeded in adding to
his territory until he was the proprietor of
about 490 acres. Not content with that, he
branched out into another line and became
the proprietor and principal editor Of the
Dakota Register, weekly paper published
att Spearfsh. For years.. however, Mr..
Johnston was no richer than the other hum
BILE members of his new profession, but he
hoa RI fo.id 1u
his first judgment. About sixteen months
ago the astounding discovery was made that
the despised and condemned ''bas-
tard quartz" contained from sixty to
eighty per cent Of purl :'tip."
But the fortune was nat at hand, and
the intervening time has been employed in
securing the necessary capital to take the
first step in the production of tin. The
Dakota journalists young friend had not been
forgotten in this long time, for correspon-
dence was kept up between them, and upon
tw9 occasions the mainef from the Nofshwess
had visited his friend here in the city,
During these visits Mr.. Johnston had be-
Cronen's desk-mate at the Western Union
Office and his most intimate friend,
and cordial relations sprang up ha+--- ~.
three tamlAeS' Ior 10 gentlemen were all
married men at that time EARLY last week
Mr.. Johnston arrived in the city accompanied
by his wife. Seeking out his two friends,
he quietly announced that the first impor-
tant installment Of the fortune had come to
hand. The hopes of ten long years had be-
gun to be realized, and while he was already
a rich man the foretaste was but an indica-
ton of what could be expected in the immedi-
ate future. A small interest in the mining
property had been sold for $780, 900 cash and
the principal proprietor was on his way to
England. Sudden wealth had not changed
thn CTR lr noG nto md Ia rysaEax L,
friends Cronen and Randolph to share with
him the fret pleasures of affluence. AS one
step in that direction, he promptly presented
the former with delayed Christmas
gift in the shape of certified
check for $4,000. He also invited the
two telegraph operators and their wives to
accompany himself andMrs Johnston on their
voyage across the ocean. The invitation was
accepted, and the desks of Cronen and Ran
| dolph are supplied with other men It is
| thought that Mr.. Johnston and his friends
| will STRIVE in New York in time to take the
steamer Ems from that port to Southampton
Their present intention is to be back here II
| about ten months.