Gilpin observer., 1903-02-12

cording to statement made by one o
the promoters, is to resume work upoI
and complete the Drake tunnel on Nortl
Clear Creek, in Gilpin county. Th,
tunnel starts in the mountain side abou
mile below Black Hawk, and has beer
driven in q northwesterly direction
about 1900 feet. 1t is intended to con
tinue it for mile and half. where il
will pass directly under the workings oil
the Gregory -Bobtail, Carr, Bates Hunter
German, Fisk, Buell. and other celebrat
ed mines Of Bobtail hill
These mines have produced more gold
than those of any similar area in the
state, and they have grown richer with
depth, but the great expense of handling
the water and hoisting waste rock hat
prevented their being worked on the
large scale on which operations were
carried on nearer the surface. The
Drake tunnel will pass about 600 feel
below the lowest workings on the hill
1t will drain all the big water courses
and afford cheap and easy transportation
for the ore to the railroad.
The Drake tunnel will be about sc
feet higher than the Newhouse tunnel
| and the two bores are both headed for
about the same section, though they
start six miles apart and approach al
| about right angle. The Newhouse
tunnel Is now in more than two miles
but the Drake tunnel nevertheless hat
distance to travel towards its objective
point, and the expense Of boring it will
be less, since the rock taken out will not
have to be hauled 80 far.
| st. Louis capital is largely interested
in tho project, and it is understood that
it has already been financed and the
money will be provided as fast as the
work can be pushed. negotiations have
been under way with the owners OF the
mining properties 10 be benefited, and
there will be no misunderstanding as tc
division OF the resulting profits.
The new tunnel will add to the pro
ducing mines Of Colorado practically {
now camp, since the mines on Bobtai
hill are partly tied up by the great fiov
OF water, and it will give employment Il
large number of men, both in it's owl
| workings and on the veins WORKED
through it.
Sundays Denver Post adds the follow
ing: The new company just formed fol
completing the Drake tunnel on Nortl
Clear creek, in Gilpin county. is sanguin,
OF great results in the consummation oil
the enterprise upon which it 10 embarked
Tho ipcorporators are 81. d. Macka,
Jesse French and John Dooley OF 81
Louis and John Ogden and John McMil
Ian Of Denver. The name OF the corpor
stion is the Drake Mining, Drainage ant
Transportation company.
The tunnel, when completed, will b.
two miles in length" said II. D. Macka,
president Of the company. who is an ole
timer in Colorado, though be has TO
years made his home in st. Louis. II
will cut through the cream Of the Bob
tail and Gregory hill properties. 1t hal
already been run half mile into tn,
mountains and work on it will be pros
ecnted without cessation.
"The tunnel starts in half mile be
low Black Hawk, right where the c.
s. tracks are, and this will give cas-,
transportation to all ores brought to th,
service via the tunnel. It runs just aft,
feet above the famous Newhouse tunnel
which is being constructed for the same
purpose as is ours. We will gain al
average depth Of $500 feet and we vii
drain, not our mine, but all contiguo u
properties, from which we will transpor
ores for royalty.
"As to our own properties, we'll, ",
have mile and three-quarters OF th,
mother vein and we believe that We hav,
the most promising outlook in the West
Out OF our group Of properties more thar
81 .0O0,0 600 worth OF ore has already beer
taken and pow for the first time the rea
stun will be obtained in the right way
Its good stuff, too, silver, gold. lead snt
copper, with gold predominating. o
course. Our deepest shafts do not &
down more than 300 feet and you cal
easily zee what this deep tunneling viii
do for US, individually, not to mention
what the tunnel will make for US in tn,
matter OF drainage fees and trans porta
tion royalties"