The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-02

borne by the Smith Moffat combina-
ton. A large plant was installed at
the Maid of Erin shaft. which prac-
ticaily drained the deep workings of
/ Carbonate hill.
1t was in 1890 that operations began
! down town, the Sixth street people
sinking two shafts. and placing in an
enormous plant of pumping machinery,
and for three years practically did
nothing but pump water. Hundreds
of thousands of dollars We're spent by
/ the syndicate in a vain effort, and the
operations did not cease until the crash
of 1893. Before that time Major Bohn
had sunk the old Bohn. now the Bon
Air shaft, and had expended an enor-
nous sum, but the panic resulted in
the closing down of the mine. and the
virtual wreck Of the enterprise.
Between 1890 and 1891, the Grey Eagle
and POcahontas company had been in
corpOrated by the Smith MOffat syn
dictate. Penrose shaft was started, and
the pumps added to those of the Sixth
street and old Bohn. reduced the water
level very materially The Smith
Moffat people We're more fortunate
than their neighbors on the north and
south. for they encountered rich ore
as early as 1891 and 1892 and were on
velvet" when the crash came, conse-
quently kept on with their pumping
operations. Later, Mr. Smith formed
the Bon Air company, built on the
ruins of the old BONN concern. I'm 1894
the Bon Air was drained, and few
weeks of drifting brought the mine
into large body of rich ore.
Since that time all the expense of
pumping the down town mines has
been borne by the Smith offat con-
solidation. The Coronado, Northern,
Newell Bohn and Weldon shafts had
been sunk, opening up important new
ground, and a leasing company had
taken hold of the Sixth street shaft,
which had been drained almost entire
ly. Mr.. Estey who, during 1885 and
1896 was manager of the Northern put
pumps in that shaft, which controlled
the northern portion of the basin.
1t is useless to speculate in regard
to the settlement of the pumping ques-
ton had the strike not come. 1t is
known that early in the year there
were rumors of dissatisfaction on the
part of the Smith Moffat people, that
syndicate objecting to the payment of
all the pumping expenses. 1t is very
probable an amicable agreement would
have been arrived at eventually. but
the disastrous strike upset all calcula-
items. The Penrose and Bon Air pumps
continued 10 operate until the end of
August when they were summarily
shut down and it looked as though
wreck and ruin were to follow.
At that tim speculation as to the
probable immediate results was very
wild 1t was believed that in two or
three days the entire underground
workings would be flooded, but as d
matter of fact the Weldon worked
along for over three months before the
water drove the miners out. OF course
it was only a question of time before
the workings of the Bon Air. Penrose. q
Bohn. Sixth street and Coronado would
be flooded, and. in time, ruined by the
insiduous subterranean element
During the fall and winter and early /
spring the mines of the down town 7
basin remained idle, with no prospect I.
of their starting. The accumulation of I
water in the mines is rapidly increas- /
ing and about week ago it was with !
in eco feet of the surface at the Pen /
rose.
Since the strike has been declared off /
and the election is over. various plans /
have been formulated looking to the /
draining of the down town basin. /
there was brought about an I
agreement by all of the mine mana +
gers of this section, which is one of !
the strongest and most binding ever /
entered into here. Its provisions have /
been published already All of the
largest mining interests in the camp
are back of the pumping agreement.
so that ample capital will be forth
coming to carry out the plans already
Some question has been raised in re-
gard to the advisability of the pur-
chase of new pumps. Many people
show a peculiar spirit of skepticism in
he matter. They seem to think the
manager ought TO plunge in at once
With whatever kind Of machinery they
AN get hold of, with tin buckets and
iippers if needed be, TO bail out water.
But the wise and sensible course will
De pursued. First class and efficient
pumps will be secured-have already
,een ordered-and when they are here
md in place the mines will be drained
md not until then.