The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-09-06
Fuel company's Operations.

of marble in the west, says the Denver
Times of August Goth. transportation
facilities to the outside world, lack OF
which has been the chief cause OF the
slow development of the Crystal river
mining country, is to be afforded by
the extension of the Crystal River rail-
road from Placita to the quarries, a
distance of about ten miles. This is
the report received in Denver by par
ties who are heavily interested in that
locally and which are not denied by
officials of the Colorado Fuel and
Iron company, owners of the railroad
and controlling the quarries.
The Yule creek marble beds, the
product of which is pronounced by
Professor Arthur Lakes and other
strictly reliable geologists the finest
white marble in America for statuary
purposes, comprising as well black,
clouded and serpentine marble and OF
all the varieties in quantities greater
than contained in any of the Tennes-
see, Vermont or Georgia quarries. 1t
is not even surpassed in texture and
adaptability to the purposes of COM
merce and the arts than the famed
Italian product. DR.. Cline. OF Phila-
delphia who accumulated vast for
tune in the patent medicine field, ac-
quired large holdings in the marble
beds many years ago. At the time OF
his death he had plans on foot to have
the great quarries properly opened
up and connected with the transconti-
mental lines of railroad crossing the
western part of the state by an indie
pendent branch line. His death pre-
vented the consummation of the plans
and the quarries have remained idle,
except for the small amount of stone
taken out for use in laying a portion
of the tiling floors in the capital
building.
Last year terms satisfactory to both
parties were reached whereby j. g.
Osgood became n master of the situation
and started systematic work to deter
mine the value and possibility of plac-
ing the marble on the market. De-
laws occurred, but within the past ten
days shipments have been made to
Chicago of a number of immense
blocks for the purpose of having thor
ough tests made of the stone. Ample
capital is ready to operate the quarry
on large scale, and it is understood
that it will become another of the nu-
merous auxiliary enterprises of the
Fuel company.
So confident are officials of the com
pany of the result of the tests that an
engineer was sent ten days ago to re-
port upon the feasibility of extending
the railroad to Prospect, about three
miles below Marble, AMI operating an
electric railway from that place to the
quarries. The report received was
favorable. Right of way for the road
is already owned by the company, it
having acquired the rights of a former
company, which had it's grade com
pleted almost to Marble, seven miles
from Placita, the present end OF the
track. The quarries are located less
than three miles from the little town of
Marble. A few months ago wagon
road was constructed between Marble
and the quarries and it was built on a
railroad grade, so that it will be but a
matter of small expense to lay the
track and open the new road to opera
tion.
A significant fact in connection with
this is the report from Marble that q
representative of the Fuel company is
closing contracts for the purchase of
mining properties in the Rock creek
mining district above Marble. This
may indicate the purpose of the com
pany to open up on large scale some
of the known producing properties of
that district and extend the line to af-
ford rapid transportation.
AT Marble is located the plant of the
Hoffman Smelling and Refining com
pany, copper matte smelter, adapted
to the treatment of the ores of til at
district. With better transportation
facilities for ore, fuel and also for it's
product that may form the neuclus of
a great enterprise and all of these
things combined denoted more pros
porous days for q mining district that
has been greatly retarded in it's devel-
opment by lack of facilities which
would encourage greater development
and production. The opening of the
quarries on proper scale means the
development of a new and highly
profitable industry for the state and
the big company behind the movement.
In development work on combination
claims, where the testimony tends to