The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-01-04


mans camp has been mentioned. The
millionaires of today had much difficult
~ in procuring their prospector's outfit
four years ago. Mr.. Stratton, the owner
of the Independence mine, is All evil
dence OF what Cripple Greek will do
for s man. His example and history
are cited to every new conner. Pror-to
1901 Mr.. Stratton was carpenter That
was his trade, but he felt call to pros
pect. He would follow the jackpIane
or industrious ripsaw long enough to
get ''grub stake" and then hasten to
the newest mining region. Few camps
in the state exist that have not claimed
Stratton as resident at one time or an
other. He exhausted his possibilities
in each. He prospected every eulch
and hillside in the gold camps, and he
made futile search for carbornates in
Leadyille. Early in the history the
wife OF his bosom, wearying of his i'm
provident ways, cast him into the air.
The former Mrs. Stratton will regret
the procuring of a decree of divorce un-
til the close Of her days. 1t is safe to
assume that she has reformed her ideas
on the duties of wife toward her
husband.
For many years the footloose Stratton
wandered the face of nature, looking
for sfloat" When Cripple Creek dis
coveries were made he was working in
the car repair shops at Pueblo. He
walked into the new country, and af-
ter several fruitless prospects, located
the Independence" on the slope OF
Battle mountain. He entered bis claim
desperately, more TO have claim than
because he had any faith in its future.
His becoming millionaire was but the
result of his customary hard luck. He
had taken up two claims and set his
stakes on both July 4, 1891. Winfield
Scott Stratton is a true patriot. One
claim he named "W ashington," the
other Independence" Of the Wash
inRton there is no record as a bread
winner. The Independence showed
the best prospect, and Mr.. Stratton bent
his energy and his fame TO its develop
ment. The assays were irregular, and
he did his assessment work grudgingly.
One day be struck good ore body, and
WAS rejoiced by an offer of $4,000 for
the claim. The man gave Strstton ST.
GEO as a part payment, but seeing
where he was wrong, and over hopeful,
declined to make good the balance.
Stratton dejectedly resumed work. He
took the preliminary steps to sue the
person who had contracted for the
mine, but finding the man 10 be an mn
promising subject from whom to realize
ajudgment, gave it up and went back
into the shaft. This was three years
ago. Mr.. Stratton has taken out So,
100000 and has $4,000, 900 of ore ex-
posed, with shaft 500 hundred in
depth. He has declined cash offer
of 50, 500, 900 for the property, and has
TO wage hand-to-han combat with
fate to keep his income from the Jnde-
psndence below $I50,0o0 per month.
He owns other properties also, and in
his safe are certificates showing him to
be the owner of a worcestershire one
5oBrth of the Portland properties.
In these Portland mines is another
story of the Aladdin style, somewhat
moderni5ed. The majority of the stock
10 owned by three men. They are
James F. Burns, James Doyle and John
Harmon. They are all millionares. As
late as four years ago they were var
iously employed at Colorado Springs.
Mr.. Burns was q plumb er-a journey
msn-and the prevailing weather at
the Springs is mild. Pipes did not burst
much and Burns, contrary to popular
theory as TO plumbers. wore no dia-
monds. Doyle, who is now less than 80
years old, was employed With many
others, to personally attend to keeping
the irrigsting bitches in the streets free
from obstruction. Mr.. Harmon worked
on the dump" of the Denver & Rio
Grande construction. These three mer-
itous though they have been, could
scsrcely1have induced fortune teller
to accord them vast wealth. They went
into the prospecting business as part
nership. DOYLE located fractional
claim near Stratton's, on Battle noun
tain, overlooking the present town Of
Victor. Doyle was born in Maine and
named his prospec: hole Portland, in
honor OF the town of his birth. He
csmped on what is probably the richest
piece of ground on earth. His original
claim-or fraction nlaim-Mas "a Of