Last updated: 29 October, 2021 7:14
Stratton C.C. Mining & Development Co. (Jan. 1903)

The Cripple Creek Times
New Year Edition 1903
(pages 56-57 )

I added images from my collection, and procured the coloring of the images, source paper had only 1 small pic of the Logan Mine.
THE STRATTON CRIPPLE CREEK MINING AND DEVELOPMENT CO.

When the hand of death struck down W. S. Stratton, the Cripple Creek district lost a friend, whose faith in the future of deep mining was so strong and firm that he spent millions in the acquirement of acreage, and had started the most gigantic projects to prove his theories ever conceived in the mind of a scientific mining man.

Winfield Scott Stratton.
Winfield Scott Stratton

The late W. S. Stratton was a man of action not of words. He saw and believed, and was always willing to back his belief with money. It is such men who are beneficial to a locality.

They upbuild. Their improvements are of a character that are lasting, and serve for an indefinite time for the welfare and betterment of all man­kind. At first the improvement is not so noticeable, or the effect as great, but in time they are felt and appreciated.

In the years to come the late W. S. Stratton's projects will all have been carried out, and then, and not until then, can any one fully appreciate the magnitude of the undertakings he started.

The desire and dream of the late millionaire was to demonstrate that in the northern end of the district there was to be found, with development, just as rich and great ore bodies as was found in the southern area of the camp.

His conclusion was not reached on the say-so of any person or number of persons. Close study, along scientific lines, was his guide. Many a day he tramped over Gold, Globe, Ironclad and Bull hills, studying the geological conditions. This place and that place were prospected.

His practiced eye saw everything; nothing escaped his keen scrutiny.

After the sale of his famous bonanza, the Independence, on Battle mountain, he began to buy north-end acreage. Property he sought, and, while many ran the price up, he went steadily ahead until he had expended about $4,500,000 of the $10,000,000 he had just received.

His especial favorites were Gold, Globe, Ironclad and Bull hills. On those hills he acquired hundreds of acres of territory. Then he formed the Stratton Cripple Creek Mining and Development Company, in which all the acreage was included.

In September, 1900, he started active operations, and for a period of ten months he expended the enormous sum of close to $500,000, all of which came from his private purse.

A half a million dollars!

Few people would put up that sum without anything coming in, but Mr. Stratton was demonstrating his theories. He knew that he would open wondrous ore bodies and that the money was being wisely spent.

That sum does not include the vast amount he spent in equipping the various shafts with machinery, or the development performed prior to forming the big corporation.

GLOBE HILL. From Iron Clad Hill. Deerhorn and Summit Mines.
GLOBE HILL Mines, From Ironclad Hill.
Deerhorn and Summit Mines in 1895.

Deep mining, he thought, would prove profitable to the man who had the nerve to go ahead and not worry about what he was spending. His hobby was Globe hill.

The geological conditions were perfect there for the opening of great ore bodies. He figured that the granite of Poverty gulch was dipping in the hill at such a rate that it would be cut at a depth varying from 1,800 feet to 2,000 feet.

When the granite was encountered, he theorized, great ore bodies would be encountered.

With that theory well in his mind he projected the Lady Stith shaft, and gave orders to commence sinking and go to the depth of 2,000 feet. The shaft is the largest in the district, being 4½ by 15 feet 4 inches in the clear. No one, aside from W. S. Stratton, would ever have had the nerve to even project such an undertaking, much less start it and pay the expenses of such a gigantic operation.

The shaft contained three compartments. One was equipped with a cage, for the cars ran in the levels extended for exploitation. Another one was used for a bucket, so sinking could be carried on without interruption, while the third one was used as the man-way and for air pipes.

The shaft was started in an extinct thermal spring that has excited much mental speculation on the part of geologists and mining engineers. Many mistake the place as the seat of volcanic action or an old crater.

Mr. Stratton recognized what it was, and studied the conditions long and carefully. Whether the late Mr. Stratton figured that from the porous and barren condition at surface and just below, that the values had been leached out by the thermal waters and deposited below was never learned from him, but certain it was that his theories were that water played a most important part in the ore deposits of the hill.

The leached condition of the veins near surface show that the ascending, descending and circulating waters robbed the veins of the values, but where they were afterwards deposited is hard to tell. It would be natural to believe that the descending waters removed the values to great depth, and it was along those lines that development work was pushed.

On the surface there is a great mass of thoroughly oxidized ore that averages $20 to the ton. W. G. Rice, the present general manager of the Stratton company, is now figuring on installing a huge cyanide mill on the hill and treating the mass of ore, which will mean an enormous saving to the estate over the present manner of shipping to the mills.

There is little doubt but that the mill will be a great success, and for the very reason that other parts of the hill yield rock that is thoroughly adapted to the cyanide process.

General Manager W. G. Rice is striving hard to make of the Stratton properties an estate that will fully justify the dreams of the late owner. Mr. Rice took charge of the company as general manager on the first of June, 1901. His business ability soon won for him the respect and admiration of every one. After a personal examination of the properties Mr. Rice started the work of the mines, and from the first month the great corporation was on a paying basis.

Logan Mine
Logan Mine

That the late Mr. Stratton had abundant faith in the future and believed in deep mining was evidenced by the amount of work he did on Bull and other hills.

The American Eagles shaft is an example. The floor of the bottom level is 1,500 feet below the collar of the shaft. Drifting and cross-cutting to the number of 15,080 feet has been performed there.

The John A. Logan shaft is 1,400 feet deep, while the drifting and cross-cutting exceeds fifteen thousand feet by 330.

The Abe Lincoln, that had been closed, was taken up and a producer made of it. To-day the Abe Lincoln has a large force of men, and is yielding a handsome profit to the estate.

In the Deerhorn shaft, which is 567 feet deep, 8,720 feet of lateral work has been done.

The work of extending and completing the Chicago-Cripple Creek tunnel was started and carried forward. The main tunnel, at the point it connects with the Plymouth Rock shaft, is 4,170 feet, while the laterals extended off total to 3,520 feet.

The now Plymouth Rock shaft, better known as the Lady Stith, is 655 feet deep, while there has been performed a total of 2,315 feet of drifting and cross-cutting.

In the Six Points and Longfellow shafts considerable lateral work was done.

On the Zenobia a new three-compartment shaft was sunk. It is now 530 feet in depth, while the levels have been pushed a total distance of 510 feet.

In the old Orpha May the greatest amount of drifting and cross-cutting has been done, a total of 20,210 feet of work.

It will be seen by these figures that Mr. Stratton was always busy, and still he did not accomplish as much as he desired. His ambition was to open a great bonanza, greater than he opened on Battle mountain.

From June 1, 1901, up to the close of the year, there has been shipped from his property close to $800,000 worth of gold-bearing ore. The policy of the late millionaire was to develop and block out.

He had plenty of money. He did not have to take any out of the ground to keep himself going. So long as he knew the development was of a satisfactory character he went ahead, just as he did when he was putting up $50,000 a month to meet the pay roll.

Mr. Stratton believed in development. He believed in the great north end and he backed his belief by spending his money, and that is why the Cripple Creek district lost its best friend when death struck him down and forever stilled the hand that was directing and demonstrating the future possibilities of the north end.

A complete list of the mining property owned by the Stratton Cripple Creek Mining and Development Company follows:

Poverty Gulch, Cripple Creek District, Colo.
Poverty Gulch, Cripple Creek District, Colo.
The Abe Lincoln Mine Marinette M. Co.
The Abe Lincoln Mine about 1895
Marinette Mining Co., Poverty Gulch
A view of Bull Hill Mines such as the John A. Logan & the American Eagle
A view of Bull Hill, showing Mines such as
the John A. Logan, Blue Bird & the American Eagle
Rounding Battle Mt. Golden Circle Ry. Pikes Peak.
Golden Circle Ry. Suburban Train
Rounding Battle Mountain, Bull Hill in background
The Blue Stocking Mine | Battle Mountain, Showing the Blue Stocking, Independence No. 2, Black Diamond, Portland, Scranton and Anna Lee Mines Marked Out
Battle Mountain, Showing the Blue Stocking,
Independence No. 2, Black Diamond, Portland,
Scranton and Anna Lee Mines Marked Out
Rhyolite Mountain From Summit of Bull Hill.
Rhyolite Mountain From Summit of Bull Hill
A Look at the Boarding House at/of the Deerhorn Mine
View at the Boarding House at/of the Deerhorn Mine
Summit Mine
Summit Mine,
(might also be known as Gold Crater Mine)
The Favorite Mine
The Favorite Mine on Bull Hill about 1895
Trolley in Poverty Gulch about 1899, Passing the Ore House of the Chicago Tunnel
Trolley in Poverty Gulch about 1899,
Passing the Ore House of the Chicago Tunnel
Poverty Gulch--Cripple Creek District
Poverty Gulch Scene 1901-1903
The John A. Logan Mine. Cripple Creek, Colo.
1908 View of the John A. Logan Mine
Snapshot from Short Line down Poverty Gulch with Midland Terminal Trestles Down In the Gulch
Snapshot Poverty Gulch, from Short Line
with Midland Terminal Trestles Down In the Gulch
Bull Hill Mines as Seen From the Portland No. 3 Shaft
1900 View of Bull Hill Mines
Seen From the Portland No. 3 Shaft
Cripple Creek Dist. - Colo. - ''Pharmacist Town'' Bull Mt. April 20th '93.
East Bull Hill Mines and Early Altman view.
"Pharmacist Town, Bull Mt." April 20th, 1893
Grace poses on the 7.5 percent grade on the west slope of Gold Hill, high above Cripple Creek. In 1902 the line was rerouted over a less steep alignment.
Cripple Creek District Railway Trolley No. 2,
Named "Grace" Climbing Globe & Gold Hill
High Above Poverty Gulch & Cripple Creek.
Nightingale Mine, Bull Hill, Cripple Creek, Colo.
Bull Hill Mines as Seen From the Nightingale Mine
Gold Hill Mines, including the Half Moon & the Anchoria-Leland Mines, and Part of the Original High Line Trolley Line
Gold Hill Mines as Seen From Globe Hill slope
People Roaming Around the Half Moon Mine of Matoa Company in Early 1900's
People Roaming Around the Half Moon Mine,
of Matoa Co., on Gold Hill in Early 1900's
BULL HILL. Delmonico Mine
Delmonico Mine on Bull Hill in 1895
Property owned outright:
Claim Name Acreage
Abe Lincoln lode 2.260 acres
adopted,
0.158 acres
American Eagles group

American Eagle No. 1 lode

American Eagle No. 2 lode

American Eagle No. 3 lode

8.899 acres
Temonji group

Baby McKee lode

Clayton E. lode

T.E.M.O.M.J. lode

21.605 acres
Badger Boy lode 10.260 acres
Bennie lode 9.950 acres
Benny lode 1.869 acres
Blue Chime lode 1.380 acres
Blue Stocking lode 3.610 acres
Brooklyn and Lucy group

Brooklyn lode

Lucy lode

6.156 acres
Brown Legging group

Brown Legging lode

Monarch lode

North Star lode

Silver State lode

26.500 acres
Callie lode 4.358 acres
Cary M. Stanley lode 5.409 acres
Chance lode 0.581 acres
City of Paris lode 5.550 acres
Close Shave group

Close Shave lode

Globe lode

Lady Stith lode

15.926 acres
Colorado King lode 5.599 acres
Crescent lode 5.546 acres
Dante lode 0.153 acres
Deerhorn group

Deer Horn lode

Deer Horn No. 2 lode

Pride of the Rockies lode

13.600 acres
Edith F. lode 0.450 acres
Ella B. lode 0.941 acres
F. R. Belle lode 3.752 acres
Favorite lode 8.970 acres
Foggy group {Chicago Tunnel (aka Chicago & Cripple Creek Tunnel)]

Foggy lode

Good Enough lode

Happy Boy lode

13.529 acres
Forgotten lode 0.279 acres
Four Per Cent lode 0.923 acres
Fraction lode 3.933 acres
Garfield lode 2.771 acres
Geneva lode 9.772 acres
Gold Pass lode 1.553 acres
Grouse group

Grouse lode

Shertloff lode

Star of Bethlehem lode

11.406 acres
Harlan H. lode 0.821 acres
Hidden Treasure lode 5.258 acres
High Five group

High Five lode

Log Cabin lode

Plymouth Rock No. 1 lode

Plymouth Rock No. 2 lode

Worlds Fair lode

40.240 acres
Home Fraction lode 4.220 acres
Hurricane lode 4.820 acres
lowanna Iowana lode 5.820 acres
Ireland Placer lode 0.926 acres
J. M. F. lode, half interest 0.193 acres
Jack Rabbitt's Don't understand this one, as the only Jack Rabitt's lode name I know of belongs to the Isabella Co.;

Jack Rabbit lode

Jack Rabit No. 2 lode

Jack Rabit No. 3 lode

Jack Rabit No. 4 lode

19.350 acres
Jewel lode 7.020 acres
John A. Logan lode 8.420 acres
Jubilee lode 1.350 acres
Key West lode 1.137 acres
King Solomon lode 1.168 acres
Lamar lode 0.535 acres
Lelia lode 7.377 acres
Lillie lode 7.970 acres
Little Dick group

Little Dick lode

Mariposa lode

Mariposa No. 1 lode

Montazuma lode

20.608 acres
Lonely lode 0.700 acres
Longfellow's group

Longfellow lode

Longfellow No. 2 lode

18.140 acres
Los Angeles lode 4.450 acres
Lottie lode 6.770 acres
Lucky Bill lode 0.513 acres
Lucky Guss lode 7.290 acres
Mary Gold lode 2.990 acres
Maudie May lode 2.899 acres
May Be So lode 9.299 acres
May Queen lode 10.030 acres
Mineral Rock lode 0.004 acres
Minnie H. and Mossback group

Minnie H. lode

Moss Back lode

3.451 acres
Mollie McGuire lode 3.393 acres
Mollie W. lode 0.013 acres
Monitor lode 9.880 acres
Montezuma Not found a lode claim fitting this name at logic location to be owned

Closest is this: Montezuma No. 1 lode

1.407 acres
Mountain Boy lode 2.730 acres
Nada lode 0.877 acres
New Boston lode 3.930 acres
New Zealand lode 4.035 acres
Night-hawk Night Hawk lode 8.348 acres
Nightingale lode 8.723 acres
O. K. lode 1.892 acres
Orpha May's and Pike's Peak group

Orpha May No. 1 lode

Orpha May No. 2 lode

Pikes Peak lode

27.600 acres
Ouray lode 1.778 acres
Pinafore lode 0.170 acres
Proper lode 8.884 acres
Shoo Fly lode 4.929 acres
Short Topsy lode 5.050 acres
Six Points lode 7.790 acres
Solid Muldoon lode 1.200 acres
Specimen lode 6.130 acres
St. Clair lode 4.172 acres
Summit Mill Site 5.000 acres
Surprise lode 2.469 acres
Tarascon lode 3.783 acres
Telephone lode 0.934 acres
West View lode 4.390 acres
Wolf Tone lode 0.857 acres
Yankee Girl lode 0.562 acres
Totals 548.342 acres
Properties, control owned:
Claim Name Acreage
Granite Hill lode 2.255 acres
Matoa Seems to be southwestern part of Arequa Townsite 42.596 acres
Half Moon lode 7.217 acres
Sacremento group

Sacremento lode

Midnight lode

8.595 acres
Zenobia lode 5.960 acres
Totals 66.623 acres
Miscellaneous list 1:
Claim Name Acreage
Granite Hill Mining and Milling Co.; Oro lode 7.285 acres
Granite Hill Mining and Milling Co.; Midget lode 0.532 acres
Star King Gold Mining Co.; Fair View lode Only Fair View claims I know about is as two groups outside logical area to be owned, and there are to many Fairview claims that might match this one so I have not linked info to known claim. 7.610 acres
Union Gold Mining Co.; Delmonico lode 6.780 acres
Union Gold Mining Co.; Maud Helena lode 2.801 acres
Zenobia Gold Mining Co.; Christopher Columbus lode 10,330 acres
Totals 35.338 acres
Miscellaneous list 2:
Claim Name Acreage
Arcadia Co. Not been able to understand what this reference so no links to known claim. 0.120 acres
Lone Star lode 1.097 acres
Babe McKee and New Moon lodes 0.595 acres
Mary Ann lode 0.745 acres
War Eagle lode, half interest 7.727 acres
Totals 10.284 acres

 

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