The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-11-19
SOUTH DAKOTA. SATURDAY. NOV. 10. 1895 WHOLE o s66
Two Weeks in Colorado.
The Wonders Of Cripple Creek.

I Cripple Creek.
throats, bells were rung and KEEP. ring
ing and the whistles never le. up mo-
ment. The excnrsionists piled out Of
their cars in hurry. They felt that they
couldn't get into town like that any
too quick. an opinion that was not
whit changed after coming into c'oser
contact with its Leople. AS a starter, all
hands we're escorted TO the principal
hotel and given splendid breakfast,
and the hosts not being satisfied with
tnat threw open the doors of the ordina-
~ and invited their guests to lemonade,
ices. fruit and cigars. Tho visitors were
then divided into convenient squads and
taken through the mines. The writer
visited the three principal ones, ard was
particularly fortunate in being shown
through the famous "Independence' by
an ultimate friend OF its owner, W. S.
Slratt0n.
No other name Is SD closely associated
with the fame of Cripple Creek us that
of w. S. Stratton, the erslwhile poor car
penter Of Mitchell, South Dakota, now
the courted millionaire owner OF the
famous Independence" niue. No man,
however, throughout the gold region so
little relishes notoriety as Strntton. He
is modest, unostentatiOus and SO reticent
III regard to all his business affairs as to
amount to positive churlishness some
times, An inkllng IT this was had from
the fact that IN an extensive write-up of
the Cripple Greek district, in which was
a description Of all the principal mines
AID their yield, published BY one Of the
daily papers the day OF our arrival, no
mention was made of Stratt0n CT his
famous mine. 1t ls said that it is al
most impossible to obtain from him the
least information as to what his mine is
doing or can do.
4uO oIOIy VI anu lao
reads lide a dream. Gold was first dis
covered in the Cripple Creek district dur
ing tine excitement of 1859, but it was
not until 32 years later, in 1891, that
public attention was again attracted to
the gold that was occasionally found in
its free state in tie guiches along tho
cattle trails. 1t Was at this time that
the first practical results became mani
fest, in Poverty Gulch on the Ell Paso
claim, and soon prospectors began COM
ing in. along with capital from Colorado
Springs. With the newcomers came
W. S. Stratton. He worked up his trade
of carpenter when there was anything
| to do and at other times joined the army
of pr0spectDrs. 1t was while roaming
over the mountains on the Fourth OF
July, 1888, that lie struck pay dirt almost
with the first stroke Of his pick upon q
side hill seven milrs from Cripple Greek
and which is now almost the heart Of
The city Of Victor. AS one looks on the
location OF the mine and realizes that
for wears and years cowboys, miners and
prospect0rs had passed over the spot
hundreds upon hundreds OF times and
never dreamed Of tho hidden wealth
stored underneath, what mysterious
fate it was that drew this humble car
penter 10 the spot and drove his tired
pick into the yielding earth. Gold in
paying quantities was found almost at
the surface, to such an extent that the
mine developed itself with the aid of no
other capital beyond its own yield
There are but a few rich mines in ali
the world in which this has been done
and lbe Independence holds the distlnc
tlon Of being the only rich mine known
discovered. develoDed, operated and
!, owned by one man. From rude shaft
house, and buckets operated by com.
mon windlass, the mine has grown to ar
Investment of thousands of dollars ir
I buildings and machinery. The mine is
;. now down 800 feet, with levels r1nnini
off every 100 feet. AT the lower level j.
located the powerful pumping engines
for the draining of the mine, All tn,
water from the upper levels is drained
} ty pipes to this one and the water pour
out OF the main at the lower level like {
South Dakota artesian we'll and to al
extent that makes pumping copstan
day and night. A stoppage OF the pump
which ar in duplicate III event o, ac
t cident to either would flood the lowe
4 level with two feet OF water III ten min
t utes. It is not a pleasant feeling dow
9 there 900 feet below the surface, 10 i'm
Q agine what would happen to one il til
o pumps should give out and the englnee
y Of the hosting engines not at his post.
Q When one looks at these hugh piece
e Of machinery down in the bowels of th
9 earth rEd ,hen at the only outlet, th
Q narrow 5x5 shaft down which they cam
d he is rem indeh Of the butcher-knot-hol,
70 calf story. A butcher stuck the rum
Is end Of steers tail through hole in
!" high board fence back Of his shop wit
n the bush hanging out On the street sid
le The first man who passed along stoppe
Or and puzzled his brains for ten minut,
u. wondering how that blaEed steer g
)r through The knot hole. The enginel
g said that the machinery was brougl
Or down piece by piece.
a. Less than score of men all told a
d employed in the Independence mine al
IS for this reason the yield from it is n
10 near so heavy as from none the le
lie famous Portland, pistol sho away,
I'd which Slratton owns a controlling inte
a est. The Independence he does not ca
ne to push only IS The it strikes him, b
C. as it is even at tina yielding abou $St
is 900 month, fourth OF which Is Gle
Of profit to its owner, he manages to Ike
e- Ills was lierWoman paid. The gentlem,