New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-19
COLORADO GOLD MINES.
HOW THE ORE Is OBTAINED.

| HOW THE ORE Is OBTAINED.
THE REMARKABLE RAILROAD THROUGH CLEAR
| CREEK CANON-APPEARANCE OF THE MINES
ABOVE AND BENEATH TIE sURFACE-srAMP
| MILLS AND SMELLING WORKS.
| fFRon STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
| CENTRAL CIrY,- Col, June 4.-PrObably the
most remarkable railroad in the United States Is that
which connects Golden City with Black Hawk distance
| OF 81 miles. 1t Is a portion Of the Colorado Central
| which between Denver and Black Hawk. The en-
tire length Of the road Is only 80 miles The 1fst
miles Of the usual gauge, and ordinary III their car
acter For the remainder Of the distance the gauge IL
three feet The track ia laid i'm Clear Creek Canon side
by side with that stream which, Ia very swift Deep ana
rocky Before the railroad projected the creek COW
cred almost entire surface bed Of the CANON On
either side to the hight Of from 1000 to 800 feet
| the ragged, rocky peaks OF the mountains 10 lay
the road required the most extraordinary skill and cor
age ABORTION Of the bed had to he formed by blasting
the immense rocks and laying the track on the founda
tons thus obtained sometimes 1t necessary to turn
the course Of the stream somewhat-a most dangerous
underaking--and build a wall Of solid masonry upon
which to lay the track, and much OF the way No narrow
and prsctous the Canon 1t necessary to blast the
overhangng rocks that for even the threefoot
| cars might he obtained.
The grade Of this road remarkable the road IT.
SELF The distance from one OF the canon to the other
stated before IL 81 miles. The grade In that distance
rises feet OF about 80 feet to the ne
But In places, for miles together the grade is from
$50 TO 275 feet to the me which Is said by railroad OIL
Gals to be the heaviest grade in the world The canon
road Is probably also the most crooked In the wOrG ana
the short curves which the spurs OF the mountains make
necessary would hardly he credited their proper
lions made known. Some idea may be obtained from the
fact that not 100 consecutive yards Of road through
this canon Is laid straight line. The rail Is very
light and although there 81 miles Of IT, 1t Is the opn-
ion Of Prof Hill, of whom shall speak hereafter that
| he fauce bctv X,
| laid in straight lne would he only IL or ID miles.
Prof Hill says the road through the canon cost $4,000
mile 1t is certainly the most picturesque and remark
able road in the country, running 1t does beside
| marvelousy rapid and turbulent stream and between
spurs Of the Rocky Mountains, whose ragged peaks are
lost In the Clouds The road Is new, and the stock is
owned sad principally in Boston over this road IA
transported the product of the principal mining district
in Colorado the center Of which is the place at which
| date this letter
From Black Hawk, the terminus OF the road, to Ne
vada, another mining town. distance Of about three or
four miles, there il along the gulch between the noun
tans line Of houses aud mines There arc three post
offices and three distinct villages ctes-Back Hawk,
| Central City, and Nevada bald Mountain PostOhce)
Black Hawk has population OF from 300 to 1000.
Central City population Of about 1000, and Nevada
900 200. All three called Cities of
course after the OF the Western country. These
cities literally built upon foundations Of gold The
mountains either side thickly hOneycombed with
mines the mouths OF which in the distance look like
monster city of prairie dogs together are they
1t fvotc saying Of the people here that this is the
city OF the promised land and that 1t is the only one
known by TO be paved with gold. If you ask for an
explanations you told that and pay dirt" have
been cartcd the street for ID aud that the
ore and dirt have shaken through the wagons and been
criishe, upon the street leaving the gold ungahered
Most of the mills and smelling works are at Black Hawk,
aud thus most Of the is carted over the streets
nf mines cry
worthless aud some moderately prosperous, embraced
within circuit of three mes-cannOt be ascerained ac-
curaely But the mouths of the shafts, tunnels and
drifts together that scarcely II square rods
can found In which shaft hole or digging has
not been made Hundreds of them of have been
abandoned, and made by prOspectcrs who
failed to find "pay dirt" Within the mountains, how
ever vast workshop alive with miners who do not
sec the sunlight hour in the twentyOur They have
pierced the rugged hhs with tunnels and chambers In
every direction, blasting digging roofing, until the
mountain succession of halls piled above another
and reaching in every direction and extending from the
summit OF the mountain down hundreds and in some
cases thousands OF feet into the bowels OF the earth
Wherever the vein Of went there followed the miners
with the two feet thick, now four and some
times striking high ten Here the lead strikes across
at right angles and changes occur In the direction
frequently becomes necessary to sink new shaft.
went 800 feet into mine yesterday, following the
tunnel straight In. IL was cut through the solid rock
without disclosure Of "pay during the entire distance
1t eight feet high and seven or eight wide, and
seemed almost large enough for railroad tunnel A
track laid within it for the donkey cars To haul out
the ore to the mouth Of the drift At the end Of the un-
mel the veins found. They diverged in different d.
rcctons Even underneath the tunnel sewer or canal
had been built carry away the large streams of water
found the Mines and saw what had not thought OF
beore-tat had been taken out scores and scores
OF below the level OF the tunnel and that the roof OF
one corridor formed Of mbers and covered with EARTH
made the floor Of the corridor or hall above. Here,
thousands of feet within the mountain, where the
never shone were bnsy workshops. Here large engine
was fixing and putting: here was blacksmiths forge;
here was shaft extending above and below hundreds or
feet out sight here hosting machine, with wire
ropes and bells ringing signals for raising or lowering
the immense iron orctubs here were steam pumps
working away IA though the mines would be Hooded II
they stopped take breathe here were immense water
pipes to carry the into the main canal here was
stable filed with mules waiting for their details; mere
was bin containing powder fuse, &c for blast
ing and here chest containing drills, hammers and
other toos-in ALL the most unexpected sight possible to
one who secs IL the first time. dull dim, exasper-
ating light surrounds you, damp, chilly air Expresses
yo and IT, In the uncertainty Of your visOn you STUN
BILE against ear pickaxc, or step into bucket OF
water you laughed at by dozen OF Owleycd miners,
whose sight by long training has overcome the darkness
| The Superintendent asked me II would like to go
down into the shaft few hundred feet 1 asked him
how was 70 get distance. You get into
that tub" said he, and We will lower you with rope
| around drum"
"You are very kind" answered, but think will
| defer it,"
| "Orv said he continuing "you can 90 down that
ladder about feet when you will find landing; then
you can take another ladder and go on until you reach
| the bottom"
As the ladder almost perpendicular, and only the
ton round could be 10 the dim light, again declined
the polite invitation. My present situation in the
elanmy atmosphere the sound Of escaping steam In my