Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-05-24


liam Scott Stratton carpenter, and
Lucky" Baldwin, also carpenter, to
the ownership of two Of the richest
mines in the country.
Stratton gophered and finally locat
ed worthless mine, which he called
the Washington. lie sank a shaft
but the mine proved barren, and STRAIT
ton was much is debt The writer re-
calls perfectly a visit to the bottom
of the Washington shaft and wonder
ing what could possibly be said in its
favor 1t struck him as a good mine
enough, except FOR the absence Of
any mineral.
However, Just then, luckily for
Stratton, some Eastern parties, who
had bonded the Washington mine
threw up their lease Of 1t and paid a
forfeit Of several thousand dollars
This put Stratton on his feet. He paid
all he owed and looked around again
A little higher up the hill, on the
side OF Battle Mountain, lay some
great outcroppings OF surface rock
Stratton had located these and named
his claim the independence,
lie located 1t, did a little work
Just enough to hold It, and let 1t lay.
This became the famous Indopend.
oncc mine, Stratton a little later
claim and found it netted SO, 900 This
bonanza was sold to London investors
for upward Of S3,000000.
Sratton believed In luck and in
dreams, Was he justified? He had
been willing a short time before to
trade the splendid Independence for
an unproductIvo but more snowy prop
erty lower down in Wilson Creek
known as the Estollinc. Not only aid
4, appear that his phenomenal luck
saved him from this step OF was not
his judgment nor mining knowledge.
bur many OF the mon with whom he
hohnobhcd and consortcd became and
are millionaires. His luck followed
them,
Miners may be said TO lac about
equally divided I'm opinion as TO wheth.
er luck or shrewd Judgment is para.
mount in am actuating motive in the
Many prospoctors. who believed firmly
In luck and who had most notions
and approximations, have been the
ones 10 get ON the best ground.
Another prcspector. carpenter
again, rather than a miner, who did
Jobs In the mines when work was
slack in the towns, furnishes another
illustration OF blind luck This was
Lucky Baldwin,
why was he dubbed Lucky"
Well
Times had got dun I'm Frisco, and
/ Baldwin, who was always studying up
some wild scheme or other 10 make
money, concluded to go to China on
some harum- scarum project. He had
/ / 600 shares Of Crown Point, which
had cost him SO n share, and he was
anxious to realize on them. The price
being off several points, he raised the
wind some other way, and feeling that
the time would come when he could
get even on his stock, he left 1t with
friend TO sell when the price rose
/ to So q share. So off he went 10 China.
Soon after his departure the Com
! stock got into bonanza and prices he.
| gan 10 soar. Baldwin's friend, who by
/ the way was carpenter, also,
watched the market closely, and when
! the SO limit was reached he rushed
down to a broker and told him to sell
. I 900 shares Of Crown Point at SO.
where's your stock?' asked the
broker.
Here It Is said the carpenter.
The broker examined II, and then
said
Have YOU power Of attorney to sign
Raldwln's name?"
"Nary power" replied the carpcu.
ter
"Well, them said the broker 81
can't sell this stock, nor win any one
else Baldwin, in accordance with his
customary carlossness, or rather lg
norance Of business methods, had
gone of without lndorsing tho stock
or course. his business trip TO China
was n failure. as were all his deliber'
atoly planned enterprises, and he re-
turned to San Francisco broke, but
soon found that instead OF having 81,
600 waiting for him he had an even
IS1,00O.0O0 This was doing pretty
well, but his luck was only starting
Baldwin cashed In his stock, and ms
he was considered somewhat fresh the
smart people Of the exchange put up
lob 10 divide the 1000, 900 among
themselves Their first move was TO
saddle n big block Of Ophlr on Bald.
win at so to s15 n share, thus iapp.
Ing for more than half Of his wad but
no sooner had this trick been played
on Baldwin, and he had got bundle
Of ophir into his possession than the
big bonanza was struck In Consolldat.
cd Virginia and California, adjoining
the Ophir, and that stock doublod up
In sympathy Was this luok7
Not only that, but Ophr kcpt right
on dopbling up 90 fast that the gang
wanted TO get Baldwins stock from
him now. and 40 they nut I'M another