The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-30

After lying idle for over quarter OF
a century the Allison Ranch mine.
famous as one of the former big produc;
ing properties of Grass Valley. : to b
reopenesi and worked to its fullest ca
pscity. There i. ample capital behind
the enterprise. for the mine Is now the
property of John W. Macksy and James
L. Flood.
The Allison Ranch has unique his
tory among California mines As far
back as the early sixties it was consid-
cred one of the banDer gold properties
of the state, In the height Of It's pros
perity It was purchased by J. r. Haggin
and A. T.. Davis Davis was known as
q mining partner of James G. Fair, and
the rumor was current at the time THAI
the property bad fallen into the hands
of the big Four" who were then be-
ginning 10 hDom up as formidable esp
itaists. Subsequent Developments
showed that Fair was not interested In
the deal.
The mine proved good buy for ita
new owners. In 1866 it led all Nevada
county mines IN the matter Of diva-
dends. Two years later it had paid oven
$4,000 900 in dividends One day
miners pick tapped q vein Of water IN
one of the kveiS The fluid gushed
through the aperture with the force
OF e geyser, driving the worlxmen b.
fore it. Almost in an instant n proper
" valued ut MILLIONS was threatened
with absolute ruin. Haggin and Davis
made some ineffec tual efforts To stay the
food. but the water flowed lister than
tho pumps could lift il out and after
few weeks OF this dfscouraging work
Allison Ranch wns left to its fate.
That was % years ago. During an
ftris time the mine has been q waste Of
wsfcr. Tunnels end machinery were
long since abandoned. Now and then
an expert was asked I'D inspect the prop
er.y and the report was always un-
favorable There were those who BE-
lieved that the bottom of the mine had
fallen out. HAggin and Davis spent Q
fortune in their efforts to stop the bia
leak aud then gave it up.
Eight years ago the property passed
into tire hands OF John ". Mackey and
JONES L. Flood for a mere song.
Fince that time there has been no ces-
eation of the water flow until At tina
present time the water - actually.run,
ming out of the mouth OF the tunnel a.
If from some enormous monster.
Mackay and Flood made the purchase
with the idea that some day possibly
the leak at the bottom would exhaust
itself. Now they are determined to
pump the mine out in any event. An
enormous pump with q lifting capacity
Of 1850. oo0 gallons a day VIII be put
to work. It is estimated that even with
this machine two years will be required
10 clean the mine of water. After that
development will be begun
Owing TO the slipshod manner ofdo
ing business in the early days no aecu.
rate record or survey OF the under
ground workings WAS kept, with the re-
suit that beyond the fact that the low.
est level Is at the foot of a 750-foot ic.
cline, neither Mackay nor Flood have
sny definite knowledge OF the interio,
arrangement Of their property. As soou
ss the pumping is completed q definite
underground survey win be the frst
work undertaken. AS well an can be re-
nembered the ledge II a big one and
regular in fits formation. After this Q
big stamp mill win be erected
The projectors of the enterprise BE-
lievo they have one Of the best gok
properties on the coast sornew here
down among those countless gallons OF
water. At any rate they win spend
fortune 70 find out. Steam Will be
utilized as the pumping power al first.
although 10 is probable an electric pow
er plant viii be erected this coming
summer.
James L. Flood. HE private secretary
Walsh. and Richard v. Dey, who rvpres
sents Maeleay ON this coast, lately made
. personal inspection OF the property
They are enthusiastic over tho pros
poets They believe that fhe Allison
Ranch is destined for a new and long
lease of prosperous he.-Ssn FrnDcis
co Chronicle.