Denver, Nov. 15—A large mill is talked of for the low-grade ores of the Stratton estate, at Cripple Creek, which has been worked exclusively on the leasing system, and therefore the very low-grade ores left in the mines.
It is fairly well known that there is in the mines of this estate an enormous tonnage of ore opened up, and therefore easy of cheap extraction, which will average $7 per ton, and which, in view of what has been accomplished at Stratton's Independence, Ltd., and the Portland mills, could be mined and treated with a good margin.
There are approximately a million tons of such ore already opened up in the workings, and allowing even $3 for treatment and $3 for mining, it would appear to be good business for this large mining estate to have its own mill.

Another low-grade ore treatment plant may be constructed by the Stratton-Cripple Creek Mining and Development Co., when all of the dumps of the properties owned by the Stratton estate will be run.
It is said the Stratton estate has had in camp an expert mill man, who has examined the various dumps and properties and has completed a report to be submitted to the directors.
He has also studied the methods of treatment such as used at the Portland's Battle Mountain plant and the Stratton's Independence.

A report is in circulation to the effect that the Stratton estate executors will shortly make known their determination to construct a milling plant on Globe hill. No confirmation of this report, which has previously been circulated, can be secured.
The ore from the estate is shipped to the Portland Co., and it is said the proposed mill will be constructed on similar lines and use the same process as the Battle Mountain plant of that company.

On Globe Hill the geological conditions were perfect for the opening of great ore bodies Mr. Stratton thought. 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.
The Lady Stith shaft was started in an extinct thermal spring that has excited much mental speculation on the part of geologists and mining engineers. Many mistakes 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 everyone. 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.