The state herald., 1893-12-22
A BIG ENTERPRISE.
Tho Argo Tunnel at Idaho Springs to
Cut Three Hundred Veins.

Tho Argo Tunnel ut Idaho Springs to
Cut Three Hundred Veins.
For the past sixty days work has been pro-
gressing on the Afg0 tunnel at idaho Springs,
says the Denver Republican. A powerful
compressor plant has been put In which 10
capable OF forcing air distance OF four
miles The structure Is OF brick and 10 solid
and substantial Next week the air drills
will DO put TO work, whom the tunneling Ii
expected to DO progressed Of the ratio Of 10
feet day, or mile q year. 1t will take
four years to complete 1t.
Tho Argo tunnel is gigantic enterprise
owned and operated by Samuel Newhouso
and some European capitalists. It has for
It's object the discovering Of the riches Of the
famous seaton Mountain, Russell Guich and
Quartz Hill.
Seatcn Mountain Ia to Idaho Springs o
great, grim sentinel, that protects the little
city from the ravages OF old Boreas In winter.
When prospectors began to climb tho Gilpin
County hills In search Of new veins, after the
richness Of the district wns determined, they
hit upon Scaton Mountain. This was In
1851. They sank shafts, and with the incom-
ing Of enterprise, backed by wealth, these
prospect holes developed Into big, profitable
gold mines.
Prominent in the list Of big producers are
the Silver Age, Addudel, Saratoga, Topeka,
Pewatic, Fontenac, Gardiner, Fisk apd the
Hubert. These are OILY sonic 6f the Big
mines II 10 Estimated that the mountain,
the gulch and the hill which arc all Of one
formation, contain no less than 800 vsins.
From the shaftA on the veins already located
there has been taken out 500, 600 900 worth
Of ore, from 1851 TO the present year.
The tunnel, As proposed, Ia to 60 Into the
mountain, under Russell Gulch and under
Quartz Hill, In north and south direction,
cutting every vein 10 the mountain, all Of
which are nearly vertical.
As soon a. vein 10 tapped miners will BE-
put TO work drifting both ways on It. When
the next vein is struck more mlners will DO
put ut work, and so on through the noun
tain with It's 800 veins. A vast army of men
Will be thus employed, and the output from
the mountain will no longer remain at g.
600, 900, but will increase many fold. Idaho
Springs miners and Others acquainted with
the mountain say that II will reach an output
Of go, 900, QUO annually In the course OF few
years.
The tunnel will do away with the use Of
the shafts. The Argo syndicate, which owns
IL, Will operate the mines on the royalty plan.
Asidc from that, however, tho syndicate owns
o lot OF mines In the mountain, and will, BY
cutting its own veins, greatly facilitate its
own mining operations.
In the bottom Of the tunnel 10 . canal for
carrying on water from the mines. A tram
road with 30-pound steel rails, Is being built
the whole length, doing away with buckets
The cost Of production Is thus greatly les
scned and the more profit accrues.
Mr. Newhousc has purchased nearly the
whole Of the lower end OF Idaho Springs,
which is being used for dumping ground.
Up to the present time the tunnel has been
worked by hand and Is under cover 100 feet.
II Is 10 feet wide and s feet high with canal
blasted In the solid rock running through the
center for drainage purpose. Tho tramwny
will be n double track aaalr built on both
sides Of the canal.
Central City, a distance OF about four miles,
and will cut through virgin ground In an es-
tablished gold-minIng district OF Wide extent
md reputation, o larger number OF lodes
yielding pay orc at n greater depth and 10 .
much less distance than any tunnel In the
world. IL will afford not only cheaper
method. but the cheapest method known In
mining engineering for working the famous
mines Of Gilpin and Clear Creek counties.
Thousands OF tons OF low-grade ore, now
lying IN the mines and waste dumps OF dcvcl-
opcd enterprise, will be handled through the
tunnel at n handsome profit A natural drain
age and ventilation system for the entire dis
tr.ct will DO established, Inexpensive to main.
tain. for which service n tariff will be i'm
posed. In word, the Argo tunnel proposes
TO undermine. ut an average depth Of almost
1000 feet, mountain Of gneiss and schist
three and thrcc-qunrters miles In diameter,
trnverscd by an extraordinary number Of par
nllel true fssurs, gold-bcaring veins, the
richness OF many OF which has been satisfsc-
iorily proved, while the existence and rich.
meas Of Others IL fairly assumed. Gilpin and
Clear Creek counties originally gave 10 Colo
RADIO its wealth and reputation.
There will be but one opening Of the tuu-
mel, that Al Idaho Springs. The tunnel will
strike the Silver Age vein ut depth Of 1900
feet. When the tunnel 10 under the apex OF
the mountain II will be Z, 800 feet, or about u
half mile TO daylight on the vein. The tun-
ncl will be about 1900 feet below Russell
tiulch and Mt Its terminus IN Quartz I'M
about 100 feet underground.