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THE FIFTY GOLD MINES CORPORATION This is Truly One of the Big Mine Propositions of the United States. Few industries in the state are i hotter known than the Fifty Gold | Mines corporation, whose mining prop cTties are in this section. Bobtail I and Gregory hills are as well known as the names of the streets, trails or roads that lead to them. The amount of wealth that has come from their rook-bound fastness will hardly be known. In 1859, John H. Gregory made the discovery of the lode, the tidings spread and resulted in what Colorado is today. There are many prominent names connected .with these mines, but with the consolida tion, the whole subject is merged in to the Fifty Gold Mines corporation, which own 54 patented claims, the most important of which are the Cook, Fisk, Gregory, Bobtail .and .Mammoth. To get an understanding of this vast mining territory it took such a mining expert as William A. Farrish three months to thoroughly explore them and aided, too, by ex perienced assistants. A man of recog nized ability and authority his rec ommendations have invariably .been carried out, resulting in the proud position which the company now hold in the mining world. The veins of these properties are invariably true fissures. The acquisi tion of such by mining men generally spells success, because they are deep seated or come from incalculable depths and must inconsequence be the source of a vast tonnage of ore. The mineral at first was an oxy dized iron of a quartz-talc material, this holding for a depth of from 40 to 150 feet. After that there was a change and the ores are now what is called sulphide, that is, an iron and sulphur, but the values are principal ly composed of gold, silver and cop per. However large the veins may have been from which ore has been ex tracted they vary now from 3% to 23 feet in extent. The principal de velopments had been in the Gregory incline and cross-cut on the 900-foot level, also in the Bobtail adit tunnel. The long distance which the ore had to be transported in the past has been improved upon until, at present, the system now adopted for econom ically handling the ores and system atically developing the mine can hard ly be improved. With suggestions of engineers it was reasonable to sup pose that the consolidated interests could readily output from 600 to 1,000 tons of ore per day. To accom plish this it was necessary to estab lish a main shaft for hoisting ore and pumping purposes. This was placed at the Cook shaft. When the mining experts made their report seme years ago it was claimed that the Gregory and Bob tail veins were of low grade, the bonanzas having been passed in de velopments downward but that at greater depth the ore would again im prove and become as profitable as ever and more extensive ore bodies were predicted. The prospective value of the prop erty has been fully realized with the Improvements inaugurated till now a great tonnage can be handled ob taining maximum results at a mini mum cost. The company contemplate sinking the main Cook shaft 2)0 feet to the six teenth level, where they will connect with the Fisk, Cook, Mammoth, Bob tail, Gregory and other veins. The ore body on the Bobtail is proven to a depth of 160 feet and there is in this one ore body alone about SI,OOO - and the values in the other veins should be correspondingly lurge. The Cook shaft is now down to the sixteenth level and connect with the principal producing veins. This de velopment will place the company in the front rank of the big mines. The ore body on the Gregory four teenth level is opened up for a dis tance cf nearly 800 feet, and a cut ting-out station carried along this en tire distance; from this the company is getting ready to ship. The mine has over 300 feet of virgin ground back of the Gregory and more or less on other portions. A great deal of development work has been done during the year. A winze was sunk 160 feet below the fourteenth level in the Bobtail with a view of proving up the ore body. Then a cross-cut to the Gregory vein requiring 150 feet of work, with drifts on the same to the extent of 800 feet. An account of the extensive deve lopment work and the improvement* carried on, the output of ore has been comparatively small, but at the present time the mines are in.,shape to commence a large output and the coming year will probably show the largest tonnage ever produced from this property. >», . Among the fceUOTments are new stacks on the Cook, new mine cars, new electric mine car 3, new el 2 :tric moter (7 ton) and an entrie new drill equipment, a new drill sharpening machine, which makes two, and a new coke forge, which goes to indi cate that the company intends to seriously attack the ore bodies the coming months. So extensive are the holdings the company practically operates in two towns, Black Hawk and Central, the out-let for the mine cars is just at the boundary line between the two towns, while the mill is in the cent ral part of Black Hawk. The ores have a varying value — from $5 up to S6OO. Today all the ore from the mines may average the for mer while to-morrow they may have returns of the latter or better. The company operates its own mill and of course treats its own ores except the concentrates which are shipped to the smelters. The electric equipment of the com pany is on an extensive scale making the working devices almost automa tic. The company operates one mile of electric road requiring two elec tric engines. One is used exclusively in hauling company ore and the other for custom purposes. The Newhouse tunnel will in no way affect this property. This is mentioned because of the water which the company must handle on it 3 own account. There is an inflow of about 300 gallons a minute, but this i 3 well handled by an electric pump at 1,400 feet and another at 1,200 from the surface. The main pump is situated at the incline at a station on the ninth level of the Gregory vein. It is a duplex, compound, condensing steam pump, with four-suction and four-discharge pots and is two “stories” high. Its capacity is from 600 to 800 gallons per minute to a vertical height of 1,000 feet. There is a duplicate of this and two pumps on the 665-foot level. The pump 3 are in operation at all time 3 or the mines would suffer inundation. The air plant is a Corliss compound air and compound steam compressor. It has a capacity to drive thirty-five two and one-quarter inch air drills. It delivers air to a receiver from there it is conducted down the incline shaft, through the 900 cros-3-cut to the Fisk drift, thence to the Cook shaft, about a mile from the starting point. From there connection is made with the line from the compressors. There are additional helps to the re quirements of this department of the mine. The mine is equipped with three compartment shafts, two operated by a hoist at the collar of the Cook i shaft and has 240 indicated horse power. The third compartment is a ladder-way used in emergencies, and the air, steam and water pipes. The first mentioned shafts have cages of the most improved pattern, with these a car of ore from below need be handled but once until it reaches the mill, affecting a great saving. To enumerate, the many other es sentials of this immense property would require a volume. As a matter of record, the twenty thousand dollar retort of a thirty-day run of ore in March last of the com pany was something th*t made old residents wonder, and visions of a boom loomed large. The retort weigh ed 1,173 ounces. This run was exclu sive of concentrates, that added, would have brought the product up to a handsome figure. The Fifty Gold Mines Co.’s Mill. The operation of this mill is a business in itself. It is located at Black Hawk and has 80 ten hundred and fifty pound rapid-drop stamps at 92 drops per minute. Here is when* the free milling ore is handled. That is, ore that can he crushed and the native gold of the rock caught upon the plates. Refractory ores are also handled, they are mostly of a sulp hide nature. When this kind is put through the mill it is mostly that it may be concentrated, the concen trates being of a class called smelt ing ore. The mill is so large that it m&kcß a business of handling custom ore; that is, ore brought from mines other than those owned by the com pany. Twenty-six concentrators of the Woodbury make are constantly in operation. The mill has a capacity of 400 tons, and about fifty thousand tons were treated during the year. The claim Is made that 90 per cent, of the ore is saved. . . The mill is oquipped with a Corliss 240-horse-power and drives all the machinery excepting the crushers, as well as, the dynamo which fur nishes power to the electric motor operating the railway for hauling ore and the electric light dynamo. There are two additional light dynamos one SLEEPY HOLLOW MINE. A Noted Producer—Has Aided In Making the Camp Famous. This property bids fair to become .i very extensive producer. It is one of a group of claims and is located Just above the town of Black Hawk on the east side. It has one shaft that is in remarkably good condition. The greatest depth attained is 1,100 feet. Two shifts are working, employ ing twelve men, a third to be added the first of the year. The vein on this property has been opened for a distance of 500 feet with an average width of three feet with a quality of ore running from two to four ounces per cord and fiftv-dollar smelting ore. The product of the mine is handled by the Fifty Gold Mines company and sampler. A new shoot has lately been open-, ed up 200 feet in length on the eleventh level, which is expected to go up to the sixth. This has been proved during the past five months. Contemplated improvements will be the sinking of another lift which is now in progress. The shaft house is well equipped with a fine lot of ma chinery. A new' cable of 1,500 feet was placed the past week. The Pearl Tatum Mining company is working the property under the able manage ment of Floyd Weed. The property has a good record. It is not not so long ago that a clean up of the plates from a run of 22 cords of dirt gave the operators of the property a retort weighing 118 ounces. The ore was from a strike made in opening up a stope in the 1100 cross-cut. This had only been drifted upon, the dirt was taken out In breaking the ground preparatory to timbering the stope. The ore body was immense and was drifted on a distance of 80 feet and w’as of the same class of ore that produced the big retort. With this was a good grade of smelting ore which added value to the whole. The shoot extend ed down and a cross-cut run south. The vein pitched to the north. The mine is in a position to keep tw'o batteries supplied with ore while de velopment work is continued. Previously the vein had been lost in the ninth level and efforts made to locate it below. With the advent of the new* year, with the announce ment of another shift, must mean I that the company is to greatly in crease its output. GRAND CENTRAL MINE. This property is situated on Gun nell hill, is under lease and bond to the McMaster Bros., who are work ing six -men at present. They will shortly increase the force to three shifts per day. This property is ex tensively developed by drifts, levels, stopes and a shaft over 500 feet. They are getting some quartz that looks good from the 500-foot level. This ore from it’s appearance should run well, being almost a pure 3ylicate some what decomposed, a rock that invari ably carries high values with occa sional free gold. They have from 18 inches to two feet of this ore in a well-defined vein and is worth $65 per ton and better. It is found in a cross-cut 450 feet from the shaft. The ore is shipped by tram to the Hidden Treasure mill. Only development w’ork is being done, getting in shape to work the mine extensively as the ore reserves and working ground are very large. A compressor is in opera tion, and everything about the mine indicates good management. The Grand Central should prove a good thing with the class of ore now be ing w’orked. THE VICTOR. The Victor, owned by H. J. Haw ley and T. M. Potter, Is at the head of Virginia canon, and is being worked by J. H. Simpson, lessee. A good smelting streak on the hanging wnll Is being worked and the foot wall also has similar ore. A tunnel has been’ driven a distance of 225 feet and a quantity of ore taken out for shipment. This appears far bet ter than the last shipment, which re turned 2.30 ounces on the plates. Don't ruin your eyes reading by a coal oil lamp. Use electric lights. Let us point out the difference to you. The Gilpin L. H. & P. Co. of which Is nt the Cook shaft. The company has its own assaying plant a department that cannot be dispensed with In a company of this dimension. The offices of the company adjoin the mill and are in charge of O. B. Thompson, president, who Is ably as sisted by a competent corps of men. One hundred people are at present employed with an expense account of $15,000 per month. To cite this demonstrates the value of the plant as a "money maker." AU the features of mines and mill have been so systematized that the saving by up-to-date appliances must be a very considerable factor in the success of the operation of both. THE NEXT PRESIDENT MINE. Stands Prominent Among the Big Mining Propositions of the Camp. The mine is situated on German hill, within the limits of the City of Central. The railroad passes right through the grounds, a factor that proves of great value to a mine in the economy of working the same. There is an excellent shaft house on the property equipped with a fine hoisting engine and boiler, also other buildings including an office. The property is operated by the Great Bonanza Gold Mining Co., limit ed, an English company. The mine has been operated steadily since last January with a force of from ten to fifteen men. The work consisted in sinking two fifty-foot winzes from the then lowest workings. Good Indica tions were found in both of an ore chute. The main shaft was then sunk to a further depth of 110 feet to the 560-foot level. They cross-cut some 90 feet from the bottom of the shaft and cut the vein. On this they drift ed east and west for some 200 feet, getting ore of somewhat low-grade, until they struck the chute disclosed in the easterly winze. Here they en countered a fine ore chute, w’hich they are systematically attacking. Necessary shoots for the handling of the ore in the stopes have been put in place and upraising begun on a good body of ore, which will connect with their easterly winze. Every appearance indicates the pre sence of a large ore chute, and at the present time, with only upraising and drifting they are daily sending to their mill from 20 to 25 tons of ore. This ore is shot dow’n from the shaft house to the road by a fine shoot and then conveyed a distance of half a mile to the company’s mill at Black Hawk. The company operating the mine own the Eagle mill at Black Hawk and have for many months had the same in commission and running daily on their own and custom ores, of which they get their full share. The capacity of the mill is 70 tons a day. The process, which has been adopted by Mr. Morgan, the general manager, is somewhat different to that used at other mills. From the stamps the crushed ore, is a3 usual, run over long copper plates, thence into Gilpin county bumping tables. The tailings, after concentration by bumping tables, are then run over a Wilfly table and thence into a long Morgan launder. The whole system is automatic from the feeders. Mr. Morgan expresses himself a3 being very w’ell satisfied with the w’ork the mill is doing and with the percent age he is saving. Cecil C. Morgan, the general man ager, of the company, is a gentleman long conversant with mining matters. He was one of the experts testifying in the famous apex suit in the As pen, Colo., mining section, w’hen the case was up before Judge Hallett in the United States District Court at Denver. Speaking of the company’s interests, he feels quite confident that early in the new’ year, the Great Bonanza company operating the Next President mine will rank with the dividend payers. The officers of the company in Colorado are: Cecil C. Morgan, gen eral manager; Thomas Dunstone, sup erintendent of mine; Peter Nelson, superintendent of mill, and Marcellus Parker, bookkeeper. THE SARATOGA. The Saratoga property In Russell Gulch has taken advantage of all the good things handed out by the New house tunnel's completion to a point beneath Its workings. A heavy ton nage Is expected from now on as the change from the old shaft has fairly revolutionized developments and the handling Of the ore more economi cally. Two upraises have been made, levels driven and timbered and throughout the ninth level and other portions of the old shaft the drainage of water has now been successfully accomplished. The ore bodies In this property are known to be of a great size and of higher average value than any In the history of the mine. With all these helps the Saratoga should make a new record and If Manager Owen can work out his poli cies the property will establish a name for Itself equal to any of the big mines of the district. Notwith standing the many Improvements of the past year the mine was a steady producer and by February or sooner the production from the property will •be largely Increased. Call for Warrants. Parties holding registered warrants Issued by the City of niack Hawk, dated August 17th, 1907, No. 6194 and dated September 4th, 1907, Nos. 5210 to 5216 Inclusive, are requested to present the same to tho Treasurer of said City for payment on or be fore January Bth, 1910, as the inter oat on said warrants will cease on that date. MINNIE SORENSON, City Treasurer. THE PINE AND SILVER CREEK SECTIONS Will Experience Unbounded Prosperity During 1910—Rich Districts. These districts show unusual active lty. Gus Bolander has taken up four claims on the east side of Black Hawk mountain and has two hands working on a new tunnel through which he will develop his property. McCarger Brothers are doing some work In their tunnel on the east slope of Michigan mountain. They are drifting on a small streak on the hanging wall that runs high. Three men are driving the Sher man cross-cut tunnel on contract. Tho heading Is now past the 1,070- foot mark. They are' driving for the rich McCarger vein which is near at hand. When this vein Is cut It will drain the whole mountain as the Mc- Carger Is the mother vein of the south end of Michigan mountain. The Golden Crescent group of ten claims on Silver creek Is being de veloped by tunnel. Two veins are being worked, one five feet wide, the other four feet. A mill similar to the one at the Casto mine Is to be er ected In the spring. This group is owned by Frank L. Branham. The Golden Rod Co., cut the Pet vein recently and rich ore was en countered. Drifting north 28 feet to cut under shaft is now in progress; then an upraise of 30 feet will break into the bottom of the shaft. James Uattia is manager. The owner of the Mary group has at last got the tunnel retimbered and is now ready to work on a 10-lnch streak of 852 ore. A well founded rumor states that J. W. Kenney, of Denver, has se cured a lot of eastern capital and will commence active operations on the Reform property which consists of five claims, several houses and a 10-stamp mill. This is certainly very good news as the Reform, If It is bandied by a competent mining man will pay handsomely. When work was suspended several years ago they were taking out 390 ore from an eight inch streak; alongside of this was seven feet of mill dirt run ning 828. The Palace group, up toward the head of Silver creek, is owned by Rev. Pettebone of Denver. It is work ed through the tunnel. A large streak of lead was opened in a twenty foot winze. Water was troublesome, so the property has been idle several years. John Owens, owner of the Snow den property, has been doing con siderable development on this prop erty this year. An elegant plant of machinery i-s over the Snowden shaft. The last shipment netted |52 per ton. There are several good properties on Silver creek that can be made rich dividend payers if taken hold of by parties with common sense and a little money. The Pioneer M. M. Power & Tun nel company, owners of hundreds of acres of mining land around Bennetts is preparing to build a large dam near the Junction of North Clear creek and Pine creek. Here a large power plant Is to be erected that will not only furnish power for them selves but for all of northern Gilpin county. Quite a lot of preliminary work was done late this fall. Sev eral hundred thousand feet of tim ber and lumber and 300 loads of sand Is now on the ground to be used In the work. A cross-cut tunnel Is laid eff for six miles. It will develop one of the richest sections of Golden Oil ptn. Work will be pushed on this great enterprise to completion as It Is In the hands of Colorado's most foremost mining men. That alone In sures Its success. A large reduction plant will be erected to handle their own as well as thousands of tons of custom ores. On account of the high price of coal this new electric plant will be a God-send to this country. Dozens of mines are shut down on account of prohibitive coal rates. By equipping their machinery with elec tricity this part of Gilpin county will be a bee hive of Industry. A conser vative estimate places 2,000 tons per day of custom ore to this new plant. C. A. McNeaJ, manager of the An nie H. property in Elk park. Informs that his company Is making arrange ments to operate both their mine and mill to full capacity the coming season. This Is among the finest mining propositions in the northern sections of Gilpin county. The Montrose group of 20 claims on Montana hill Is owned by R. C. Russell, of Apex. He has recently In terested capital and has commenced work In the tunnel, which' is in 252 feet. A small streak In the heading of the tunnel has been encountered that runs (62. Two men are working In the Smith tunnel on the south slope of Montana hill. At the 400-foot mark they are working on some fine looking quartz, carrying fair values. Mason & Raddatz, owners of tho Rooks County tunnel, have made a rich strike 250 feet In from the por tal. They have opened up ore worth better than SIOO a ton. Work was resumed Monday in the Refomi tunnel of the Geiger property. This Is good news, for the Geiger is a noted producer of rich ores. Two men are driving the Lockhart tunnel ahead in good looking ore. They are In 276 feet. The London group Is being worked under bond and lease by McLeod & Co. In the shaft they have two feet of fine ore. They have several tons of ore ready for shipment. W. H. Dunn, of Denver, has Just let a contract for driving an additional 100 feet In the D. & R. G. tunnel at Bennetts. The "Old Mackey” property In Mam’,noth gulch Is In full swing again. Two shifts, under Foreman Jones, are pushing work In the tun nel at the 500-foot mark. Years ago, rich ore was taken out. The resump tion of the Mackey Is good news. Apex people are jubilant over the report that the Bullion tunnel is to be started up the first of the new year, 225,000 having been raised for driving It. Three shifts are to be put to work. A large plant of mach inery will be put in at once and pow er drills used. Major William Shultz, owner of the Shultz Wonder mine has made three shipments of ore to the smelter which gave magnificent returns. He has nearly three feet of smelting ore. aside from this he has a large body of mill dirt. The former he will put in the bins until he can get el ectric power from the Pioneer com pany for his own mill which he in tends building. The Brame group of 12 claims at Bennetts Is owned by Edward Berg. In the tunnel he has seven feet of concentrating ore. Is waiting for mill ing facilities nearer than Black Hawk. The Evergreen is doing some dev elopment on the 10-foot level. Some fine bornlte Is being taken out. Hiatt & Co., have located the Lin coln tunnel site on the west slope of Michigan mountain, about one mile below Apex. Men are now doing the preliminary work. Contractors now have the National tunnel In over 200 feet. This proper ty Is owned by Joseph Espell, of Central City. The Jenkins tunnel on Twelve Mile Is in some good concentrating ore at about the 225-foot point. Governor Waite is doing some de velopment on his Dew Drop property at Tip Top. In connection with other parties, he secured an option on the Booster mill in Apex, which will be overhauled and started up at once. They will use the same kind of mach inery as in the Casto mill on Win nebago hill. The Ingram group comprises six claims In number, located on Ari zona hill, and are owned by the In gram brothers. The property 1b a copper and gold proposition, devel oped by a shaft 265 feet deep and a tunnel running on the main vein. The tunnel was started on the east end of the property and runs directly Into the mountain and will cut the shaft at a point 700 feet from the surface. The breast of the tunnel .has a fine quality of ore very satisfactory to the owners of the property. The vein can be traced for a distance of S.OOO feet and bounded on the north and south by parallel veins. The ore ship ped from this property nets from S6O to SIOO In carload lots, and with such returns make It one of the very best properties In this section. The In. gram brothers also own 20 acres ol placer ground with water rights an I pie for all mining purposes. The wrf er and ground Is right at the entram. of the tunnel. Located on Arizona hill Is the Van derbilt group of claims, five In num ber. They are owned by John J. Burke, Denver; Charles J. Duerssum, Denver, and Frank Ingram. Apex. The property Is being worked, which will continue all winter. Extensive shipments are expected In the spring. The property Is developed by a shaft 100 feet deep and a tunnel has been run Into the mountain for a distance of 200 feet. There la a fine showing of copper values In the breast of the tunnel on which the owners are now working. Oranges and bananas at Hawley's. Place your orders for Groceries at once with the Hawley Mdse. Co. Mince meat like mother used to make and father enjoyed, at Haw ley's.