The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-19
4 MONTANA MILLIONAIRE.
TOM CRUISE AND HIS RICH MINE.
A Man Who Fought Poverty for Twenty
Years as a Gold Prospector and
Finally Forced An English
Syndicate to Terms,

On Saturday there arrived at the Gill
man Hotol, in this city, a plainly or
rather poorly dressed, csdaverous-look-
ing man, about 30 years of age, who
took dollar-room. Soon thereafter 1t
was whispered that the new arrival
was Thomas Cruise, the man who had
sold the Drum Lummond mine, in Mon
tans, for Sl,60O,000. Half Of this amount
is said to be deposited in the First
National Bank in this city, and the
other in montana Bank.
1t was noticed during the millioniare's
presence in the house that he spent no
money that he could possibly avoid
On Sunday he asked where the Cath
Ollie church was, and, instead OF hiring
q carriage and travelling Rs becomes
man of so much wealth, he trudEed
on foot to the church and back. On
Tuesday he left for his home In Mon
tana.
Yesterday gentleman WAS met who
knew Mr.. Cruise well, and he said: Yes:
am well acquainted with him, For
the past twenty-five years he has!beon A
prospector in Montana and Idaho, and
his present wealth is due to the fact
that he is one OF those fellows that get
hold and never let 90.
why IT'S twenty years since he
struck the mine that ne sold for more
than million and half in order to
develop is he would work for while
for others to obtain a stake for
grub, tools andpowder. 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 living out OF IL. How7 WHY,
by extracting few hundred pounds
OF ore and taking it to his cabin, and
reducing it to pulp in a mortar and
washing cut the gold in bread pan.
You see the mine, although rich, could
not be properly developed without cap
ital.
Being of secretive disposition, he
mad door At the entrance OF his secret
treasure which he kept looked at all
times, and the miners used TO tacetious
ly call the place 'Cruses prison.
"The story OF the great richness OF the
mine spread far aud vide, and big Of
fers were made for it. Among those
who made an offer for the mine was
Mackay, of bonanza fame; but the har-
dy prospector knew full well the value
OF his lind, and would not sell until he
got the his figure. Cruise was a stayer
from away back, and don't you forget
1t. Had II been me, would have sold
out long ago.
"Finally an English syndicate COM
. menced to angle with the lucky pros
/ pector, and 40 one time negotiations
reached such stage that tho papers
were drawn up and read to Cruise, who
was also represented by his attorneys
A clause IN the agreement WAS read, by
which the purchasers could buy the ono
sixth interest he retained, should thew
so desire. This Jared on the old mans
ears like false note 10 an orchestra
leader.
"'I want that stricken out, and I'll
give you just five minutes to do 80. II
you don't the jig is up sententiously
said the man who had waited 20 years
for purchaser.
and it's not likely the company will
want to freeze you out said the repre-
sentative Of English capital. This sort
f0l eXpostulatiou was Kept up until the
hands OF tho clock marked the expira- |
llon OF the five fateful minutes.
said Cruise.
"And inded IL was, and the failure To |
accede to tho request made by Cruse |
cost 100000 extra, and it was several |
months before he resumed negotiations. |
.Had the clause been struck out, five |
eslNJns OF the mine could have been |
purchased for sl,50O,OO0, but when the |
negotiations were resumed 81 100000 |
was asked and recei yed for tive-sixths |
i0f the Drum Hammond mine.n
me mine Is situated about three |
miles from Butte City, Montana Terri |
Tory, and is the probably the richest
Bold-produclng mine in the world. |
Portland News.