The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-09-28
CRIPPLE OREEK. NOW.
THE FAMOUS TOWN IS STILL
X PROSPEROUS.

- \
And the Mecca for Thou. ands Who chase
tho Fsntasy Of w..lth-Fsscin.tfns
Ehst View Of theaDlstriet- some Mine
Names.
The mining center of Cripple Creek,
Col; Is still a mecca for thousands of
people who chase the fantasy OF
wealth. With all its changes-ffres
tragedies, decay and .recondescence-
Cripple Creek is more prosperous than
ever. The town has population Of
$4,000 and the district of $4,000.
One feels the spell OF the district the
moment he passes within its confines
and looks: for the first time upon
prospecting hole or the magic name Of
soma1 Srtune-making company blaz-
oned upon the walls of a big shafthouse
writes a correspondent. The pulse
quickens at the sight, the eyes bright
en-, there is thrill along the spine.
The germ has entered the blood. From
that moment until a man quits the re-
gion for good and all he is not safe;
his peace of mind is in danger. The
tfgerm works like strange stimulant.
1t allays apprehension and quickens
every faculty until the victim loses
fear of loss and is seized with an over
weaving confidence in his ability to
make speedy fortune. He has seen
men who have made fortunes in day
and he sees around him evidences Of
wealth and successful ventures. For
tune-making looks easy. Yes, it is
easy. "Why don't more men do it,"
he asks himself. and then adds, If he's
foolish. Watch me-"
1t isn't hard to guess that one is in
the enchanted region. He breaks
through the mountains and comes upon
a little pocket of a valley remarkable
only for the greenness of its grass and
here and there hole in the ground.
surrounded possibly by ring of brok-
and rock piles; become more numerous.
| The mountain side is thick with them.
Each hole and pile of rock mark the
| place where some man has tried for
| fortune and failed, and where some
other man may try again and sue
coed.
Owing to the difficulty in recognizing
valuable ore. which is less now than it
was few years ago, piles of rock
very rich in gold have sometimes
been thrown aside as worthless and
left for others to reduce and make for
tunes.
History, biography, fiction, poetry.
mythology and science are all levied
on for names for the various mines and
mining companies.
| A few of these. names are worth not
ing. THE Arabian Nights" is one of
the. first things one thinks OF on enter
ing the district Then there is the
'Apothecaries" mine, named probably
from the direction of the thoughts of
the projectors following the considera-
ton of the possibility of failure. Ben
Hur is commemorated in mine bear
ing his name. There is ''B. P. o. E."
mining company inviting the invest
ments of the Elks. Then there are
mines called THE Carnation," 1.-THE
Rose" Cleopatra" Colonial Danes"
Perhaps one of the most popular
names is that OF the Cripple Creek
Madonna"
OF course there is "Croesus," and
the fellow who had hopes of making a
fortune, and thereby securing the hand
of some fair maiden or widow named
his prospect Cupid One mine is
called Dante" Just why is not ap-
parent unless the projectors had in
over the door of the regions of gloom,
Abandon all hopes We who enter
here" Fortune is courted by name
in her honor and George Washington
is not forgotten. Neither is Gladstone
nor the golden calf. A mining camp
could not fail to produce a Jack Pot"
mine, nor Gold Conn., There is
also the comprehensive title '>Klon-
dixie, Cripple Greek and Galena." The
Last Dollar contains the biography Of
it's owner in a nutshell. The puritans
are remembered in three names. "Pur-
itan," "Mayflower" and Pilgrim"
Some gambler, doubtless, named the
Monte Carlo" THE Pay Car" is the
suggestive and hope inspiring name of
another. In anticipation of possible
catastrophes, another company has
named Its mine the Red Cross" The
Red Umbrella probably had in mind
the impression made upon him by
some red umbrella of the days of his
youth. Some poet has named his mine
fhe tRnhert Rurns Some historian
has called his the ''Rubicon."
In the Cripple Creek hotel Hobbies
one meets representatives of every
class the district contains. If he is
after mine or wants to buy claim,
the man is there who has mines and
claims to sell. 1t is no trouble at all
to find a prospector who has claim
that he is sure is full of gold, richer
than anything in the district" He
hoe %olyoo o.,$ On M Moe of nro $bok ho w.