The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-12

I Il
| ally there came time of waiting ard
watching for Stratton that lasted long
| er than of its predecessors. and when
Stratton returned. ragged, inpecunions
and banled. Mrs. Stratton said that II
was the last call for her. The next time
he went away he needn't return with
any expectation of finding her.
But Stratton donned his old ragged
overcoat, shouldered his pick and his
grub kit and again went forth
He trudged into the heart of .he
mountains and for a month or more
nothing was heard from him. Twenty
miles from the present site of the great
Independence mine there were some
prospector's cabins.
One snowy day there came TO one OF
these cabins. occupied by Frank Fergu-
son, now an alderman OF Cripple Creek.
gaunt ragged figure. white haired
and feeble
II was Stratton- Got anything to eat
in here?" Ferguson told him there were
bacon and potatoes in the corner and
to help himself
The two men were acquainted and after
Stratton got thawed out a little he
cooked for himself a meal and talked
over the prospects Ferguson asked him
where he was going. He replied that
he wanted TO go 70 Wilson Creek But
l wish TO goodness I had some shoes"
said he. Holding up his feet Fergu-
son could see where the sole was worn
through and he had been walking with
his bare feet on the snow. There's
pair of boots under the bank zoo
pair Of boots under the bunk too
tight for me You can have them If you
want" said Ferguson. Stratton tried on
the boots and they fitted perfectly
Then he once more went out into TIE
snow and plodded away toward Battle
Hill few months later, on the eve
ming Of July 1851. he camped out at
the head of Wilson Greek, not far from
Battle Hill
On the following day he prospected al
over the north side of the hill without
success. FeebIer and more weary than
ever he made his camp and rolling
himself in his blankets went to sleep
In his sleep he had a dream that
proved prophetic. He dreamed that the
entire southern slope of Battle Hill was
covered with gold mines When he
awoke on the following morning he was
so impressed with the dream that he
hastily dressed and set out after break
fast to the south side OF the hill
Ten hours later Winfield Strattcn was
worth $4,000. He picked UP a bit OF
rock on the hillside and examined it. l.
was heavy and quartzIike. He made
blowpipe test and found traces of gold.
Strange TO say Stxatton felt exuItant
not for the sake of the gold. but for the
triumph of his theories.
He staked out claim which he named
Independence in honor of the day. He
also staked out other claims in the i'm
mediate vicinity. Then he headed back
for Colorado Springs, TO his home
His wife had secured a divorce for
failure to provide" The divorce was
ten million can sit down and dream Of
finding money money and then find IT,
A son born to Stratton and Mrs
Stratton had returned to Illinois with the
child
So it was that the old white-haired man
sat on the doorstep breeding bitterly. He
was deeply hurt He knew that the
separation was effectual and that there
could be no reconciliation.
He had bee ntold that his mine was
worth millions OF dollars. Should h
share his fortune with those whom he
accused Of deserving him.
Fifty thousand dollars is enough for
anybody" he said.
In his humor he sent his wife years
afterward check for that amount. al
though. it was said that she had mar
ried again
He also interested himself in his sons
education. and aftervard the boy visited
his father in the mining regions. but the
bond between them was slight
The foundation Of the Stratton wealth
once laid. it began TO roll up million
BY million.
With the wealth which the Indepen-
denc mine furnished Mr.. Stratton devel-
oped other properties, including the
Washington. Prof Lamb. Blanche Placer.
Corrigan Chief, May Raymond. Smuggler
No. 2 Wilson Creek Contact. Buckeye.
Sphinx. Wonderland and Wilson Creek
Placer, on Battle Hill; the America
EagIe( Lodes Nos. l. and 3. Lottie. John
A. Logan. Lucy. Brooklyn and Wonder.
on Bull Hill, and the Plymouth Rock
group OF five claims, on Globe Hill The
first years output of the Independence
mine. IN 1888. was s65 oo0 When it ard
the adjoining Battle Hill properties
sixteen in all-were sold 20 the Venture
Corporation. OF London IN 1899. the minc
was se9 feet deep. with four miles OF
levels. K was said 10 be the most thor
oughly developed and best equipped mine
in the world as Mr.. Stratton was the
largest individual mine owner IN this
country, and the Independence Was Tho
largest individual mine
Mr. StrattOn was President Of the Gold
Crater Mining Company. Of which he
owned two-thirds Of the stock and he
owned oze-hfth OF the stock in the
Portland Company which at one time
paid him dividends OF 81 900 a month.
He finally sold out the Independence
mine for SIC 00o GO. but retained his inter
est in many other properties
But through all his increasing pres
perity he never forgot his theory that
5000 Is enough for any man This
was the keynote Of his later viii.
Strattoa was extremely kind-heartsd
and never forgot his friends NJ. Fer
g-.son. who gave him the boots. tells tt.is
story Of STATIONS gratitude.
After I had forgotten al about the