Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1894-09-07
CRIPPLE CREEKS MILLION
ARE.
Denver Ores and Metals.

AlRE.
Denver Ores and Metals.
w. S. Stratton is man against
whom many protest He annoys
them. He is too lucky. Some
admire him, some envy him, and
the women display an alarming
Willingness to take HIM for better
or for worse. Judging from some
of the offers of marriage this con
firmed old bachelor has received
it would be "fJr worse so far as
| he is concerned. 1t is astonishing
how many females are willing to
undertake matrimouy with STRAIT
toms head in the other end OF the
| yoke.
This is because Stratton is rich.
Four years ago he was a shaving
| chewing carpenter in Colorado
| Springs, with fair knowledge OF
dovetailing,a good eye for estimat-
ing the number of feet in lumber
| pile, and some other things, among
| which was a passion for prospect
ing. Like the drug clerk who
stumbled on the Pharmacist, he
caught the Cripple Greek fever
in its early stages and made a bee
line for the camp. Everybody
was stalking out claims. and STRAIT
ton ma kel off his l,50Jx600 feet
on a part of Battle Mountain, that
looked as much like mining
possibility as does an asphalt COW
cred street Of Denver. That was
on July a, 1891. and having his
share of patriotism Stratton lifted
his hat and christened his claim
the Independence. That was the
foundation of his wealth.
Stratton did not have much mon
ey but he had enough to do assess
uIent work, and before he had
completed the necessary ten feet
the Independence began to pour
forth its treasures. 1t paid from
the grass roots. Long before he
was down 100 feet he knew he was
rich man. Offers of assistance
poured in upon him. He stuck
doggedly to his mine, developing
it with what he took out. 1t was
his ambition to set aside $l0O,OOo
which amount he had resolved he
W ould keep intact as long as he
lived. In a remarkably short
time he had his 100000 in the
bank. and no matter what the
need or temptation, he will not
break into it.
During the late strike the mine
was closed. Stratton needed S225,-
600. He compromised with the
miners on 1926 a day for nine
hours work, packed the Indepen
dence with them, took out his
1925 900 at the rate of $4,000 a
day, discharged his men, shut down
the mine, and resumed a friendly
relation with the other mine own
ers.
At one stage of the game he was
offeredS500,000 for the. mine. NO
he replied, II may never get $780,
600 out of it, but | am going to
have all the fun of trying"
While be was enjoying this sort
Of fun james Burns and }. A.
DOYLE were not having any SOFT oil
sport at all on the neighborlng
Portland claim, but they felt CONN
dent there was gold below them
and growing short Of money they
applied to their lucky friend STRAIT
ton. "Certainly, boys" replied
the budding millionaire. "All
YOU want" They borrowed, and
| Stratton secured a small interest
| in the Portland.
"If you want any more money
| let me know" they were informed
and kept acomin' and acomIn' and
Stratton's interest In the Portland
kept agrowin' and agrowin'. In
course of time be owned more than
enehalf and the Stratten luck I'M
mediately struck the Portland.
All this time S;ratton was TAX
ing options aud buying IN here and
there, and wherever he put his