The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-04

at Colorado Springs was about to go I'M
der the hammer and his prospects were
never more gloomy, even his wife having
given him up
Stratton began operations on the south
slope or Battle mountain on July l. There
was large dixie. with altered granite
formation, with immense powders. rocks
lying around promiScuOuSly. and the
mountain side denseIy covered with
brfars and underbrush. The place I'M
pressed him unfavorably, and he decided
to move down the mountain side further.
Ills case now was nothing short of dAs-
perate. His supply of food was nearly
gone, his pockets empty and not gign
future millionaire found himself in when
q 1891 i'
Before dawn he decided to return to
Colorado Springs, to make another at
Tempt to enlist aid. or TO return TO bis
be bettered.
ne could find, he started for hts home on
the morning of July 3. When night came
Il FOUND MIN tired, foot sore and more
discouraged than ne had ever been in his
lie. As he lay in the open air he tossed
ABOUT, unable to sleep, and reeounted 20
himself the numerous unsuccessful ad-
ventures of IL years of gold hunting To-
ward morning ne fell into doze through
utter WEAKNESS, and while in this con-
dition he dreamed of huge powders filled
WIN gold Ihls dream created such an
impression upon his mind that on awak-
ening he resolved to retrace his steps and
return to the bowlder strewn south slopes
or Battle mountain, where the bikes were
whtcn ne had passed over.
Giving himself hardly. time to eat q
mouthfuI of breakfast. he started back
and before niGhtfall. on Ju.T 4. 1891. the
greatest gold mine IN the world had been
Staked Off In honor of the day on which
the Independence. Its fame IS world
wire. Other mines have been staked off
near the Independence but none of them
has proved SO rich as the one found on
the Fourth of July under the guidance or
q dream.
These facts were obtained from an inti-
mate friend of Mr., Stratton, who said
that the millionaire told him that one
bowlder. when shattered with dynamite,
gave a net yield of $4,000. Out of other
surface rocks MIR. Stratton realized $4,000
additional. before a pick was struck into
the yh S9ay t Of the gEeat mine s.,t i
man can really estimate. since the indie
pendence has never been worked to its
full capacity and he owns other mines
which would turn out q fortune in a day.
Strdtton has not been back to his old
home in this city in 20 years, nor does
he have any communication with the
companions of his youthful days. He has
persistentiy refused to know his relatives.
with one exception, until the last few
days The one exception Is his sister.
Mrs. Jennie Cobb who suoerintendS his
daughter has money dealt out 10 her lay
iShly. Their travels are made in special
cars. and no expense is SHARED to obtain
for them all that is best Mrs. Cobb has
a son, VINO, though a respectable young
man, has never been able to find favor in
the eyes of his uncle, and who mas been
left to shift for himself 50 far as his
rich relative is concerned. This was true
until a short time ago, and probably is
true still.
His neDheUs. sons of Mrs Ham1in. of
this city. have never been recognized
until day or two ago. Earl Hamlin,
who received check for $4,000. lives with
his mother and is employed in COM
mission house, He is single. and when
seen on Wednesday, after receiving his
check. was as busy rolling barrels Of
potatoes and cabbage as if his dinner de-
pended upon his days work Harry Ham
lin, the. older nephew. who received a
$4,000 check. is married and is Phil
Armour's agent at Akron. o. The checks
were accompanied by a note saying: In
closed find check for $1,000" in the case of
Earl. and an equally short nlissive to his
brother.