The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-01-25

now the Lone Star claim, owned by
Dick Houston. the Indian scout and
father of Cripple Creek. The rock look
| ed good, and StrattOn concluded he
would have it assayed. While waiting
| for his assay, and on the morning of
| July 4, 1891, ne located claim, and be-
ing Of a patriotic nature, called it the
| independence 1t is now the richest
mine in America. There is a standing
| offer of Si2, 000,0 coo for the property. 1t
is said upon good authority that Mr.
Stratton could hoist a million dollars in
one day if he so desired, and that there
is at least $1O,OOOOOO in sight. When
asked why he did not sell his mine for
such a large amount of money, he said:
what could l do with so much money?
I could not manage such a large sum in
one bunch. 1 would certainly lose it,
| l have enough trouble with $500 900 per
month income now; i can't find any in
vestment for it. AS long as my money
is in the mine I know where it is, and
when I want more 1 know where 1 can
get it.
Mr.. Stratton is not the keenest fnan-
cier in the world. Last November mon
ey matter began to worry him. He had
purchased five mines in two months
and had bought the controlling interest
of two mining companies. in which he
had been elected president. He began to
figure up his deposits and accounts and
was much worried over the possibility
of a slight overdraft. He wrote to his
bankers asking how he stood, saying
that If he had overdrawn he would
shortly fix it up. Imagine his surprise
when he was informed that there was
still to his credit 81 ,952 900. 1t seems that
Mr.. Stratton had not figured in the de-
posits from the ore sold from his indie
pendence, Portland No. 2, American
Eagle, John A. Logan, Lottie and Gale
donia mines.
Mr. Stratton will have no partners in
any of his mining ventures. He owns
outright the above mentioned mines, as
we'll as the Lowell, the Harry Rosario
and Washington mines. He owns one
quarter of all the stock of the Portland
Mining Company. which is incorporated
for three million shares, and which
stock is selling on the market today at
80 per share, and the controlling inter-
est in two other companies. He is sup
posed to be worth 500 900, 900. All of his
mines are fitted up with the latest and
most improved machinery.
Recently Mr.. Stratton's horse became
frightened while the millionaire was out
for a drive. After displaying muscle
skill in horsemanship the coachman
brought the animals to a halt. That
evening Mr.. Stratton called the coach
man to his private office and presented
him with a check for $1,000.
A YOUTHFUL MILLIONAIRE
James n. Doyle, the original locator
of the little fraction, 1OOx195 feet, of
which he named The Portland, on Bat
tie mountain, after his native city in
Maine, is probably the youngest of all
the western millionaires. He is "a years
of age and is worth from two to five
million dollars. He had been working
on a salary of $15 per week in Colorado
Springs. He got $500 in debt and de-
cided to TRY his luck" at the new gold
camp Purchasing burro he packed it,
and driving it before him started afoot
for Cripple Greek The second day he
was overcome with fatigue and he
stopped five miles from the town. Fl
examined the stakes near where he
had camped and found that there was
fraction of a claim, 100x190 feet, that
had not been taken up. He staked this
fraction and went to Cripple Creek In
Il lew udNS ne ran SIOll u HlOntg anu
provisions and offered TO sell his frac-
ton for $780, but could find no pur-
chaser. In Cripple Creek he met James
F. Burnes a former companion, who
had located a claim called Prof. Grubbs
The two decided to share equally in
both claims. although the Prof. Grubbs
was a full claim. Doyle and Burns Of
fered John Harnan third interest in
no nd
which he did. The Prof. Grubbs claim
has not shipped a pound of ore. while
the Portland for 10 months has paid an
average of $4,000 a month dividend
! besides producing enough money to buy
up 100 acres of patented ground sur
rounding the fraction, upon which there
are seven regularly shipping mines
which now belong to the Portland COM
pany and to contest and compromise
81 law suits against the property. The
Portland company's holdings are worth
from $4,000. 900 to So 5000, 900. a conserva-
tive estimate.
There are 154 regularly ship
ping mines in the Cripple Creek district
while w. S. Stratton, James n. Doyle
James f. Burns, John Harnan, Irving
Howbert. Eben Smith, Bertrand Broth
ers, J. n. Cone. David H. Moffat and
others, have made from S1,OOO,OOO to
S20,000,O0O in Cripple Greek in the last
few years while the number of small
er fortunes which have been made and
lost have been numerous. There are
IL mills in the district which treat the
bulk of the low grade ore and there are
two large mills at Florence, % miles
away. The output of the low grade ore
Of the camp is estimated at from $50 to