San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-09
The "a Iioht.
TUESDAY. MARCH 8, 1897.
A FLOODED NINE.
Efforts to Reopen a Once Famous
Property.
1t Is Estimated That 1t Will Take Two
Years to Pump Out the Water Which
Has Accumulated for Twenty
Eight Years.

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, is to be
reopened and worked to its fullest ca
pacity. There is ample capital behind
the enterprise, for the mine is now the
property of John w. Mackay and James
L. Flood.
The Allison Ranch has a unique his
tory among California mines. As far
back as the early sixties it was consid-
cred one of the banner gold properties
of the state. In the height of its pros
perity it was purchased by ]. B. Haggin
and A. E. Davis. Davis was known as
a mining partner of James G. Fair, and
the rumor was current at the time that
3he property had fallen into the hands
of the big Four" who were then be-
ginning to loom up as formidable cap
italists. Subsequent developments
showed that Fair was not interested in
the deal.
The mine proved a good buy for it's
new owners. In 1866 it led all Nevada
dends. Two years later it had paid over
100000 in dividends. One day a
miners pick tapped a vein of water in
one of the levels. The fluid gushed
through the aperture with the force
of geyser, driving the workmen be-
fore it. Almost in an instant a proper
" valued at millions was threatened
with absolute ruin. Haggin and Davis
made some Intellectual efforts to stay the
food, but the water flowed faster than
the pumps could lift it out, and after a
few weeks of this discouraging work
Allison Ranch was left to its fate.
That was % years ago. During all
this time the mine has been a waste of
water. Tunnels and machinery were
long since abandoned. Now and then
an expert was asked to inspect theprop-
erty and the report was always I'M
favorable. There were those who Re
heved that the bottom of the mine had
fallen out. Haggin and Davis spent @
fortune in their efforts to stop the big
leak and then gave it up.
Eight years ego the property passed
into the hands of John W. Mackey an6
james L. Flood for a mere song
Since that time there has been no ces
sation of the water flow until at the
present time the water is actually run
ming out Of the mouth Of the tunnel a!
If from some enormous monster
Mackay and Flood made the purchas'
with the idea that some day possibly
the leak at the bottom would exhaus
itself. Now they are determined Il
pump the mine out in any event. Al
enormous pump with lifting capacity
of 1,0so,00O gallons day will be pu
to work. 1t is estimated that even will
this machine two years will be required
to clean the mine of water. After tina
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 750-foot in
cline, neither Mackay nor Flood hay
ony definite knowledge of the interio
arrangement of their property. AS sool
es the pumping is completed defnit
underground survey Will be the frs
work undertaken. AS well as can be re
Inembered the ledge is big one an
regular in its formation After this ,
big stamp mill will be erected.
The projectors of the enterprise be
lieve they have one of the best gol
properties on the coast somewher
down among those countless gallons @
water. At any rate they will spend
fortune to find out Steam will
utilized as the pumping power at frs
although It Is probable an electric pow
er plant Will be erected this comm
GUNNER.
James l. Flood, his private secretar!
WalSh, and Richard Y. Dey, who repr'