Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-07-27
S50,OOO,OOO ENTERPRISE
A 20-Mile Tunnel, 13 by Is Feet
Under Pixies Peaks. M. Ashen-
felter, a Former New Mexican,
as Managing Director.
GOOD WORDS FOR NEW MEXICO

Cripple Creek Through the
Tunnel-Work to Com
mence in 80 Days.
Hon. s. M. Ashenfelter, we'll knowr
throughout New Mexico, where he resided
for quarter of century before settling
in Colorado Springs in 1895, was in towr
yesterday, and expected to remain tc
argue case before the Territorial Su
preme court. An urgent telegram, how
ever, called him home and he left last
evening for Colorado, turning his lega
business over to q brother attorney.
Mr.. Ashenfelter is a native of Pennsyl
vania and a graduate of Dickinson col.
lege, Carlisle, Pa. He read law in Phila-
delphia in the Office of the celebrated
Peter Mccall, one of the finest lawyers in
the City of Brotherly Love, 30 years ago.
He came to New Mexico in 1870, when
but 26 years of age, as United States at
torney for the territory, succeeding Hon.
S. B. Elkins, now United States senator
from West Virginia. He remained in
otfice until 1879, being then succeeded by
Hon. L. B. Catron, ex-delegate to congress
from this territory. After years resi-.
denoe in Santa Fe he went to Las Cruces,
and after year there he settled IN Silver
City. tradition to praotioing law, for
about eight years he edited the Silver City
Southwest Sentinel and made it the
strongest and most influential Demo.
cratic weekly in the territory during those
years. Under the Ross administration he
held the office of territorial prosecuting
attorney for the Third judicial district.
Thereafter he again returned to the
practice OF his profession. During all
these years he enjoyed an extensive and
lucrative law practice. Three years ago
he received very iattering offer to settle
In Colorado Springs, and there he in a
very short time built a similar practice.
Quite recently, however, he became iden-
titled with the Pixies Peak Tunnel Con-
struction company and gave up his law
practice altogether, with q view to devot-
ing all his time to the duties of managing
director of this company, that has most
stupendous and gigantic undertaking in
view.
$50,0O0,OO0 PROPORTION.
This corporation, heavily backed by
English capital, proposes an enterprise
of such vast magnitude as to make it
seem aim ost impossible of successful
consummation. 1t is without doubt the
greatest scheme in America today. It's
completion will require nine or ten years
and the expenditure of many milliona Of
money.
THE TUNNELING OF Pixies PEAK.
The project is nothing less than the
tunnellng of Pixies Peak, and it shoold be
understood in the beginning that this is
not some far away proposition on paper
or conceived for the purpose of stock
jobbing. The money is ready and wait.
ing, and within few weeks large force
of men will be at work.
TWELVE MILLIONS SUBSCRIBED.
The company was organized last JAN
uary with capital stock of $50,000.000
$12,oOO,O 900 of which has been subscribed in
London for active work. There is not q
dollar of this stock upon the market, and
there is not likely to be. George H.
Proctor of New York City, well known in
financial and commercial circles in the
United States and Great Britain is pres-
dent of the corporation. Ashhurst, Nor
rie, Crisp & Co. of London, are the So
licitors, and upon the board of directors
are to be found such men as Lord Thur
low, eminent in the diplomatic circles of
the British government for the past 20
years, and many other distinguished
members of the nobility. Lord Thurlow
will represent the company IN London.
20 MILE TUNNEL UNDER PIXIES PEAK.
The proposed tunnel will be 20 miles in
length, opening up and draining the Grip
pie Greek district which is already CON
fronting serious problem in the matter
of drainage at the slight depth of few
hundred feet reached by the mines of that
section. The new tunnel ls intended tc
drain the mines of that district to the
depth of 5000 feet
DOUBLE TRA1K ELECTRIC RAILROAD.
The tunnel will be double track rail.
road tunnel 1Sx1S feet, and will combine
many speculative features.
In the first place it will be double
track electric railroad tapping the rici
Cripple Greek mining region by th'
shortest possible route. The line will b,
used for general traffic, ore of cours,
figuring largely in the matter of freigh
transportation.
RICH LEADS TO BE OUT.
This, however, s merely side issue
or rather one Of them. The possibilit,
which has attracted capital to this mon
ster enterprise is that of discovering
blind leads which do not crop out on tht
surface.
The gold sulphide ores of the Crlppl
Creek district run down many hundred
and probably thousands of feet, accord
ing to good authority, and judging b.
is found the principal incentive for thi
vast undertaking involving millions.
The men behind this project have hst
engineers and mining experts on tn
ground for the past year. They reasoi
that a tunnel, such as the one proposed
must of necessity cut many of the blint
leads and rich veins that surely exist, bu
give no indications of existence from
surface prospect.
NO STOCK FOR SALE.
ave are not asking for cent of none,
in aid of this enterprise" said Mr.. Ash
enfelter. "There ia no stock for sale. W
shall commence work at once. OF th