The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-23
A LIVELY TRIO OF
COLORADO CITIES
Pueblo the Ptsburg the Springs the Paradise
"IungersAn Cripple Which Gold
Any Other Camp Earth. -s.@
n Correspondent Of The journal.

n Correspondent of The journal.
Photographs give but faint hint Of it,
and the English language, as Finley Peter
Dunno once said, is bankrupt in attempt
ing to discharge this obligation.
The "short line" was built in self-de-.
Tense against the trust proclivities Of the
two other lines entering the gold fields.
A combination, or gentlemens agreement,
was formed between the two pioneer rail-
roads, their proprietors coveting the lions
share of the gold mining profits. But this
was an instance where the victim of COM
bination was not so helpless, and it was
not a difficult matter for the mine own
ers to club together and put $4,0O0,00o
into hat for a road Of their own. Now
the tourist business alone has been so
profitable as to guarantee large dividends
outside Of their saving on their own ore.
In addition to its railroad facilities,
the Cripple Creek region boasts Of an up
to-date trolley line, which connects all
the various towns, running by the princi
pal mining properties, and which even
has a seeing excursion car, with a
guide to, point out the places Of inter
est and to repeat the traditions Of sud-
denly acquired wealth, which abound in
all gold regions.
The most notable figure in these stories
of Aladdin wealth is Winfield Scott STRAIT
ton, who became interested In a score Of
the best mines, and whose income was
estimated in the millions. He became a
resident Of Colorado Springs, and lived to
enjoy his prosperity about eight years;
now, the courts are busy with the re-
mains. Stratton was a carpenter by
trade, and came to Colorado in 1872. For
| twenty years he worked with saw and
plane but all his leisure moments were
devoted to the study of mineralogy, and
the practical information necessary to a
miner. For nineteen years Mr.. Stratton
was prospector On his arrival in Colo
RADIO one of the first things he did was to
lose $4,000, the entire amount Of fsi saw
ings, in a fruitless mining venture. This
seemed to stimulate his ambition to beat
this great game of chance. He worked,
saved and borrowed during the winter
months, and every summer found him
with pick and blow pipe, digging in the
hills The last time he went out before
making his lucky find, his pack burros
were SO poor that the humane society en-
deavored to head him off, charging him
with cruelty to animals and it was only
by subterfuge that he escaped to the
hills But in this eighteenth year Of
fruitless prospecting, he wandered to the
little bowl-like valley Of Cripple Creek,
and located a claim on July 4, which he
| named Independence, in honor of the day.
The following year this property was in
corporated for $4,000, 900. This was the
beginning of his lucky ventures He
plunged heavily in all Cripple Creek en-
terprises, and fortune smiled upon him.
| In the days of his wealth he was open
| handed, eccentric and popular After the
| Cripple Creek fire, about five years ago
he staked everybody who was burned out
His fortune was left to found a chart
| table institution, but the will is contested
by his son and a divorced wife.