The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-27
sTRATTON or CRIPPLE CREEK.
A story of Good Luck That Was All
the More Welcome After Hard
From the Chicago Times-Herald.

Luck.
From the Chicago Times Herald.
With a Letter of introduction from 7. c.
Parrish, one of the most agreeable of Col
oradoans, we went down Battle Mountain
in search of the only man in the world,
l believe, who is the sole owner of a
bonanza. The stories told about Mr..
Stratton sound like fairy tales, which
lit was just luck, and mighty good
luck, at that says one Colorado Springs
man. "StrattOn was a carpenter by
trade. When the Cripple Creek excite
ment began he walked up the mountain
to save stage fare, threw his hat on the
ground planted a stake where it fell,
and drew a prize"
Nothing of the sort" retorts a clever
banker. "Stratton has been miner for
years. All the money he made i'm carpen-
try he put into prospecting, and was tho
roughly acquainted with the practical de-
tails of mining. 1T is a business, like
every other industry. Stratton had taken
a course at assaying at the Colorado col
legc and was well read in mining before
he located the Independence. His success
is due to pluck, persistence and intelli-
gence."
Born in Indiana in 1S4s. w. S. Stratton
moved moved to Colorado. in 1872 Having
saved 5000 in working at his trade, he
was induced to invest il in an alleged
mine that proved to be a fraud. After
trying placer mining in the Arkansas val
ley Mr. StrattOn betook himself to Lead
success. Returning to his original ven
ture, the abandoned Yrebata in the San
Juan country, Stratton relocated il at
the Black Crook and actually struck n
small pocket of ore. While il was in sight
he wanted to sell the mine for $1,000
His partners objected, because they
Ihoinsht tney had struch 1t rich The
pocket came to an end and then this wise
carpenter-miner swore unto himself that
he'd never have another partner if he
could help it. Hardly a camp in Colorado
hvr
the first to investigate Cripple Creek he
discovered on Cola lin gold by the aid OF
q blow-piPe. Locating the Gold King,
Stratton disposed of his interest for a
small sum, experimental al several points
with partners, who at last gave IN in
despair, leaving him master of the feld
Sending some rock to Colorado Springs to
be assayed StrattOn located two claims
along the ledge from which he had taken
the sample 1t was the morning of July
4, 1891. What more natural than for a
good American to name one claim hide
pendence and the other one Washington?
Though the sample assayed showed 1894
in gold, not another bit of rock could
Stratton get to show up we'll Experts
said his claims were worthless; his friends
shook their heads with pity. On worked
Stratton, borrowing money when he had a
chance, never losing heart. At last he
struck good ore in the Washington He
soon after sold it for $4,000, receiving
What happened next? A few davs after
the Washington sale gold vanished like
an 1rldeScent dream, and the mine revert
ed to him for non-fulfllment of contract
Since then the lost ore shoot has been re-
located.
Debts and work on the Independence
soon ate up the $4,000 received as part
payment on the Washington. As Stratton
found very little ore his friends begged
him to desist He replied that he'd die
first. He felt sure there was a great ore
chute near by, and he'd find it or perish
in the attempt.
'Tis long lane that has no turning
One day "StrattOn, the hermit" sent a
load of boulders lying on his property to
be tested at the stamp mills. They Yielded
Sl2 to the ton. From the spot where the
first assay was taken began the ore chute
which has been followed every since
growing richer day by day. Experts who
pitied Stratton for being such a persever-
ing fool. now declare the Independence TO
be the richest mine in the world so far a 8
developed. Who grudges a man success
that has wrested ii from nature itself? I
am glad that poor men have had a chance
to make their pile in Cripple Creek
] am particularly glad w. S. Stratton has
been rewarded for his persistency. Had
he failed, where would be the examine Of
salvation by faith and works?
Generous TO fault is the verdict that
Colorado Springs passes upon Mr. STRAIT
ton. old pals" rejoice in his bounty.
everybody about him reaps the benefit of
his good fortune and beggars pursue him
with Unsuitable virulence. Such is the true
story Of the man who passes in a iifTv
from poverty to riches