The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-07-03
WATER Is VERY SCARCE
Alma Placers Must Shut Down on Account
of Water Scarcity.

Alma Placers Must Shut Down on Account
| of Water Scarcity.
Denver, July 2.-The Platte river has
never been so low at this season for
years. Many of the drrigating bitches
and canals tapping the river at diff
ferent places have been compelled TO
shut down on account of the scarcity of
water and the few remaining bitches
that are stiH appropriating water are
running very short in their supply and
there has been no end of disputes about
priority rights to the use of the small
supply still remaining in the stream.
Yesterday Commissioner Harry Lee of
metalliferous minues and State Irriga-
ton superintendent A. L. Emigh were
| informed that placer mining would
have TO be abandoned along the Platte
/ river near Alma and Fairplay unless
! Providence favored them with a boun-
1 tifui supply OF rain in the very near
future.
| That the scarcity of water which Is
everywhere prevalent in the northern
portion of Colorado and which has pro-
Ven so detrimental to the farmers and
fruit growers should interfere with the
placer mining along the Platte river
has never been dreamed of even by the
Oldest inhabitana.
Water appropriated for mining pur-
poses has a priority over agricultural
appropriations and never was the
/ Platte river failed to contain ample
water to provide means for the men
TO wash the gold that is Secreted in the
| high banks of gravel and the bed rock
of the river. The great placers which
have heretofore been worked during
the whole of the summer months and
late into the fall and the gold that has
been taken from them has afforded a
livelihood for many hundred men who
are employed along the stream.
When the first scarcity of water was
noted early in the spring il was not
thought it would result in stopping pla-
Ger mining. Even a month ago the
Platte kept up fairly, bFt this was while
| the snow was rapidly melting and flow
ling in rivuiets into the big stream.
Within the past two weeks there has
been very perceptible failing OF in
the water supply and the river is still
sinking very rapidly.
The mining men about Alma and
Fairplay have become very much dis
couraged and are now figuring on being
lcompelIed 10 shut down shortly after the
Fourth Of July. 1t may be that the
stream will hold out and the work can
| be kept UP for two or three weeks after
| that. but this depends largely on the
amount Of the rain within the next fort
night. Irrigation superintendent
| Emigh says there is practically no snow
at the headwaters Of the Platte and ne
believes that placer mining along the
stream will necessarily be abandoned
some time in the early part Of July.
! Commissioner Lee has just returned
| from a visit - the Fairplay and Alma
districts and he found the mining men
very much dishearteRed- They are TAX
| ing out dots Of gold from the bed Of the
stream. but they readily see THAI their
wa TER supply Is limited and growing less
/ AT present. Mr. Lee says. the mines
are being worked with 30 feet OF head
water and covering as much ground
as usual. In many instances, accord
/ ing 10 the commissioner. this pressure
is not sufficient 70 cut into the bed rock
ana banks of the river. 1t being cement
ground. The gold II this stream Is
very coarse
TIE Green Mountain Mining Com
nanv. whica Is oUe of the heaviest %
orators ia th~ district CoEnmissioler
! Iee learned. is arranging 70 put IN a
ditch which viii De aeout twelve milss
| in length and VIII tap the Plaeee above
The mines al Alma Work VIII be CON
urenced on this undertaking Just as soon
as the present water sapply gives out
and viii De rapidly pushed - comPle-
1ion. The management hope 20 secure
1 go feet head pressure 90 work with
I by means OF this ditch.