The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-10
BIG GOLD STRIKE.
Veritable Cave Containing Fabulous Wealth.

Cripple Creek (Col) Special.
 What is probably the greatest mining camp was made October p in the famous Elkton mine at Cripple Creek. At depth of zoo feet in level run to the south from the shaft there has been fabulous wealth. Never before in the history of the Cripple Creek district has a find of such magnitude been chrontcled and it is certainly the first time strike doubt as to whether the body encount- cred will prove to be the mother lode of Raven Hill or volcanic chimney.
 The ore assays as high as $O,OOO to the ton, but it's average grade is in the neighberhood of $500 a ton.
 This cave was originally broken into in January last, but the next round or shots put in following its discovery or lake. permitting the water to enter the level. The water entered through the vent with tremendous velocity. forcing the miners to hasten to the surface to few hours the workings of the mine up to and including the 7OO-foot level were submerged. The mine management immediately installed two immense pumps, each capable of hoisung l.0oO gal Ions minute, and the battle with the flood begin.
 By forcing the pumps to their utmost capacity sufficient progress was made in the work of draining the mine to permit of bulkheading the seventh level. To do this the men worked waist deep in water for days, but eventually the task was accomplished and the situation bet tered materially. From that time until the latter part of September, the pumps were worked at all times continuously. and by that means the levels of the mine down to the 7OO-foot point were kept free of water. About September 20 1t was first noticed that the waters were reced- ing below the 700-foot point and each day thereafter there was an appreciable diminution in the depth of water in the shaft until on October l9 1t was decided to risk removing the bulkheads. This was done and the level was found to be comparatively dry After permitting it to drain and air out a couple Of days shift of miners was put to work in the breast of the shaft. Within twenty four hours they opened up wealth be- yond the most avaricious dreams of Midas.
 The vein encountered Is now from three to five feet in width and contains lnnu merable streaks of sylvanite f1uorine tale and quartz Neither wall of this vein is vet in sight and there is no telling how wide the ore body Is.
 The vein appears to radiate from an i'm mense chimney, in which is the lake above referred to. The chimney seems to end at the top of this level. 700 feet below the surface. and Is in the shape of gigantic dome. twenty-five or thirty feet in diameter. Minute examination discloses the fact that it is undoubtedly one of the main volcanic eruptlons whlc1 ages ago overwhelmed the vicinity and produced the gold which has brought wealth and fame to many prospectors.
 The formation in this chimney appears to be manganese. quartz ana ruorlne tale literally mixed with sylvanlte 1T almost the same consistency as sand 1T mortar. while the roof and sides as fal as disclosed show that the matter has been burned all the way from a yellow to black color and the water wmcn until a few days ago filled the cavity has evidently decomposed large DOT tion of this burned material, thus free ing the sylvanite.
 When brought to surface the lgn' shows the decomposed stuff to be beau tiful shade of blue. The ore IS aoou the same consistency as dough, Is very nliable to the hand and can be moldeo into any shape like clay. It contains thousands of small grains of gold anc sylvanite. which sparkle like jewels IT the sunlight There is in all probability 5OO tons of this ore in sight in the sev- enth level. and as soon as the water can be lowered sufficiently in the snaIt to allow of working in the eighth level this immense crater will be tapped 100 feet below the seventh level
 From the general appearance or the crater it would occasion no surprise if the immense deposits continued thous- ands of feet down into the earth. Veins will doubtless be discovered radlatlng from the main hub in every dlrecuon ana 1t is not unreasonable to suppose that they will all be of remarkable richness.
 The lake in this crater of ore is 90 deep that bottom has not yet been touch- ed and it may be many fathoms below the seventh level.
 Prior to the strike of October 9 the ElktOn mine had netted it's owners hun dreds of thousands of dollars and it has for number of years been known as one of the bonanza producers of the camp. The mine was located early in 1892 by "Bill' Shemwel a prospector who had spent a lifetime roaming the hills of Col orado. Besides the Elkton he located the Kentucky ,3i Bill and and the Walter Walter claims for himself that having been his sobri- quet in the camp. The Walter was named for his favorite son. These three claims formed the nucleus of the Elkton Gold Mining Company. of which Shemwell is one of the heaviest stockholders. He is a ulti-millionaire and now resides in Santa Monica, Cal.