Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-11-05

which It Is estimated there are from
four to seven million dollars OF gold
In sight. It is one OF the richest gold
mines of the world, and the man who
owns 1t was working five years ago at
a carpenters bench. Up to that time
he would have been glad to have netted
from the work of his hands $50
month. His mine last year, 1t is said,
produced 100000, at cost OF about
10 cents on the dollar, and the ore is
90 rich that he has to keep back his
workmen for fear that he will not be
able to invest the money which he re-
ceives from the gold which they get
out So far he has spent his surplus
In buying other mines, and he has to-
day properties which make him the
largest individual owner OF gold mines
In the world. Mr.. Marshall Field and
other Chicago capitalists offered him
100000 for his Independence mine
alone, and long ago he refused an offer
Of $4,000, 900 for it. He does not like to
talk about it, and an offer OF 100000
900 wouldn't tempt him. He says that
the gold is in the mine and can't run
away. 1t is safer there than in the safe
deposit. and the best bank for him is
Old Mother Earth.
Millionaire Stratton is only As years
of age, but he looks to be more than 60.
His hair is as white as the driven
snow, and his naturally dark complex
ion has been changed to a mahogany
brown by the hardships of his labo
riuus career and the anxiety for his
hunt for gold. He is nervous in the
extreme, and he has little capacity for
happiness. The story of his life is that
of man who has devoted himself to
finding mine, and who, after twenty
years of failure, has at last succeeded.
He has succeeded by luck and work
more than by any special ability, and
though he is a man of good common
sense, you might find 80 men quite as
good out of any 100 carpenters that
you could select.
Born in Indiana. having learned the
carpenters trade, he drifted out to Col
orado Springs when he was along about
20 years Of age. He began at once to
prospect for gold. He worked at his
trade in the winter to get the money
necessary to keep him alive in the
| mountains in the summer, and day aft
er day and year after year he climbed
| the rocks and wandered over the hills
| looking for the mines. At one time he
had saved $1,000. He invested this in a
| mine and lost it. He is a man OF few
amusements and Of little intellectual
resource. He failed again and again
and up to 1891 he was worth practic.
ally nothing. He had at this time 9
house in Colorado Springs. which was
mortgaged, and it was in May Of tina,
year that he, rendered almost desper
ate by his repeated failures, went t.
prospect about Cripple Creek. He real
ICED that there was some gold in tn,
powders or float which lay on thu
grazing lands Of this region, but up I,
this time no one had considered tn,
rock to be worth much. AS Mr.. STRAIT
ton walked over the fields he noticed
one stone, the corner Of which SOM
former prospector had Clipped of. H
picked up the broken piece and sent /
to Denver to be assayed. 1t yielde'
over $500 to the ton. This surprise,
Mr.. Stratton. He at once gathered
wagon load Of other stones lying abou
the place and sent these to the assay
er'A They told him that the last wa
worth only $40 ton. This, however
showed Mr.. Stratton there was gol
there, and he staked out a claim abou
the big bowlder and went to work.
was the Fourth of July when he be
gan to mine, and he named his prop
erty "The Independence" in honor {
the day.
He found gold almost from the gras
roots. The ore grew richer as he du
down. and after short time he foun
pockets and assures filled with gol,
The gold did not run regularly. Som,
times there would be a pocket as bi
as the average parlor, and sometime
the rock containing the rich ore woul
extend only to the size Of a tumble
He sunk his shaft, however, and "a
cut laterals from 200 to 300 feet Q
either side. He soon began to ind go
; everywhere. Even the rocks lying c
the surface Of the ground netted hi
fortune. There were some gre
powders near his shaft. He h;Ld the
,, broken up with dynamite, and fro
them alone he got $4,000. 1t was nc
however. all clear sailing. At one tin
the gold seemed to have played OF
5 and he offered to sell the mine
$4,000. His offer was refused. al
within a few days after this ne ma,
I another rich strike. and for Is da
he took out about one thousand dolla
e . day. At present he has gone betwe'
: 800 and 700 feet down into tho cart
. and there is no doubt whatevAs
j. that there are millions Of dollars wor
Of gold between the levels which ha
been already mined. The mine see,
to be growing richer as it goes dow
70 ward. and his refusal to sell 1t
l. $1,000. 900 was. in the minds OF ma
"A | AoNo q e0od hu coS 6ocia iOn m