The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-17
STRAYTON'S STORY OF
FINDING RICH MINE
The "lIunch" That Led Him
to the Famous In
dependent.

UepeHUent.
DENvER. Col. May 1G--In spite OF the
fact that education and learning are
highly valued by mining men. as IL shown
by the high average OF education among
miners children and the high fees paid
competent mining engineers for learned
advice, still there are a number OF pet
suprrsttlons that few mining men can
wholly resist. one Is the superstltIous be-
lief In a tenderfoot's luck and the other
Is the supcrstitlous regard for lunches"
in seeking ore bodies.
II an old prospector and q raw tender
foot came the same day with equally
plausible stories to an old mining man
he would go to see the tenderfoot's find
first. every time, because OF an irresist-
lble belief In u tenderfoots luck but this
IL not a story OF the tenderfoot's luck.
for W. \. stratton was anything but a
,enderfoot when he struck the 1ndepend-
ence This il the story OF an overpower-
ing "hunch."
Bob Womack was, and IL, an indus
trious miner. In the early 'gOs he
tool, up n prospect near the Bennett and
Meyers ranch. near the foo, Of Mount
Pissah.
Womacks only capital in those days he
carried under his hat and vest. namely
good level head and n strong body
With his own hands he drove tunnel
200 feet long on big iron sulphide vein.
Eventually this vein crossed the Gold
King vein. which was one OF the true
Cripple Creek veins. and many claim tina,
the day that he shot into the Junction OF
the two veins was the real discovery OF
Cripple Creek.
Womack knew Stratton as an expert
enced and energetic prospector and a man
who could always get IA little money. so he
asked Straiton 10 come w and join him
In working his prospect.
About the last of June, 1892. Stratton
yielded to Womack's pleas and went 10
Cripple Creek TO see the prospect.
Stratton was very much taken with the
| showing. The vein was wide and strong
and well mineralized throughout. sam.
pies were taken and crushed In a NOR.
tar and panncd. The showing OF free
gold was such that Stratton thought the
| vein would average $40 ton on III,
plates This was just what he was look
| ing for, something that he could equil
and operate himself.
| -, -. - -. ,'I,,, -. a..
- ,ha, ~, nn,,,s h,,,. Il -, -
$50, LIN a. -, TO-. line, - r.
| had been frozen ont ~ n good min. one,
because IL required so much money [,
{ equip Il and he was much opposed TO go
/ ing into n deal again with wealthy men
( but here was 4 mine which he and wo
,rs,ns.l,s.
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! a,t.,it,. "a al ,ha 80. =,
| =. .,, $500
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,, az
~ ,,a Jn average '"''eau Vi sA'
. 49,. $500, ,,-.-
- M ,'u.n cas' uoMh anu "tscur
- 49, ",. W ucu '''',1 intn' trs!,i
-, ~ i"rN on 'ne moihlns u' u'
r w ~. " s,, WIN s,ait a'u IN" -
'spi'ss'p,e ieemns lh"' ne hau missed tn'
80 VI I''s 'Io py hot ioca'iHs .ha' Oh
Dun quart VEN, lie tried to go TO s,eel
$50 ~, w NUM-" Wou,' "ot ,e, mn
SI.rp, :" ne Eot UP ana trien 10 orlVe y
oS 'ur''lnp tne rour'n
IRE Mr"t ou' WIN ,no H.'ie poy'
~ ''",e" WIN h,rcr"cNe.s hhu thet
ne VEN WIZ lhe n,s ooNs ana ceIeorate'
~ ~ m"'er' put AZ 10 no purpose
~ "u'.. WV sun there orNihs on
az "'her tnoushls out the ineht"i ''siof
o' unt, oiR ou,crop;
r"niS ne uu't hkntIhs hkaIhst ~ wen
10 IA livery stable hired horse and 20
OUT ior 'riPple creek. III was night whei
ne fe"chen the vicinity or the bennett
Myers rahoh ana IN the CAIN sINetS
!