Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-08-03
THE MINING
OUTLOOK IN
LA PLATAS

One has no idea of the scope oil
cuan'ry embraced in The La Plata min.
ing district nor even faint one OF
the territory known as the ORC Fiuo
section. hess time is taken 10 visit
the district. Naturally. those who
have watched the growth of the dis
triot have formed an opinion of the
hills that go towards making up one
of the most promising mining sections
III the state OF Colorado. This was the
case with a representative of The Her
aid. who visited the Orc Fino part OF
the district for the first time last
week. Having a few days to spare.
the writer concluded to spend sufi-
cient time TO gain all desirable infor-
nation and form an impression as to
the possibilities in mining way. This
section has been more or less known
to prospectors and mining men for
many years, and each year consider
able work was done in way of develop
ment, and every now and then reports
would come down of rich ore being
taken out of certain claims. but it re
manned for the present owners uf the
Neglected mine to advertise to the
world the greatness and the richness
OF the district. The Neglected had
been worked with varying success al
different periods. but only systematical-
ly after ii passed into the hands of the
present owners, Messrs. w. J. Boyle
j. j. German, Frank Rivers and James
Dennson, AS development proceeded
the ore body increased in value and
quantity until finally the property
loomed up as one of the big PROPOSE
tions of the state. Its history is well
known TO Durango readers. While the
mine has only been before the public
eye something like fifteen months, il
has produced large quantities OF valua-
bic gold ore and between mine, mill
and packers il is not out of the way
to say that employment has been
steadily furnished to between seventy
five and one hundred men. The writ
er was invited to spend a few hours
underground examining the workings
and ore bodies, but the steady outpu
of the hoist was sufficient TO convince
him that the ore body was strong aad
lasting. The developments of the Neg
lected have been mostly on a business
basis-no gophering. Everything is
worked through the shaft, which is
down at the present time a depth d
175 feet. At the depth of 35 feet is
level No. /, which is run into the hill
gaining depth. Next comes level No
, at a depth OF S5 feet. This level is
in about 500 feet The next level is al
depth of l25 feet. and is in 500 feet.
Another level is started at a denth OF
l65 feet. leaving 10 feet of sump
There is but little stopping between the
levels-all the ore, or by far the grea,
est portion being taken out in devel
opmeut work. while the dump vii
keep the mill running two years. The
shaft and mine generally is well timber
ed and ventilation is good. The min-
has record in that no one has beer
killed or even injured. and while tn.
men carry employees liability insur
ance, not one has ever presented
claim.
The work of building the Neglected
mill was started January 9TH. Up q
that time not blast had been fired
Snow to the depth of four feet covered
the ground with more arriving abou
q cry day. There was not board in
sight But nothing daunts San Juan
mine owner when he has an object in
view. A sawmill was installed in near
by timbers, and the work of cutting
timbers and lumber was inaugurated
the first of February. AT that time
sufficient eXcavating had been done to
start the foundation. Logs were haul
ell about a mile through deep snow to
the mill-site. While this was under
headway Payne Bros. We're busy haul
ing machinery to the mine and by the
lJ.h of March upwards of 200, ,00u
pounds OF machinery had been taken
over the road-through snow four to
eight feet deep. AS many men We're
employed as could be worked advan-
tageously, and the mill was ready Tor
trial run the 9Th of this month. when
the machinery was tested and found
to run smoothly. The mill is 400 feet
from the shaft house. the ore being
run in cars on good grade Tier"
is Blake crnsher of l20 tons capacity
every twenty-four hours. The ore
falls to u l00-ton bin and thence by
automatic feeders to Chillian pulyeriZ-
ers with a capacity of eight tons every
"a hours. These Chillian puverizera
are being successfully used on the Sit
yer Lake, Contention, Iowa and many
other large mills. taking the place OF
the old stamps They work smooth
with very little noise, the weight of
each being . tons. The pulveriZed
ore then goes through a 30-meshed
screen, and then through two automat-
ic sizers to the amalgamating plates
thence 10 the Frue vanners, thence
over shaking amalgamating plates ana
finally TO six Frue vanners.
An electric dynamo has been INSTALL
ed and furnishes light for the mill and
buildings The cost of the mill is ap
proximately 100000 At the present
time 80 tons is being treated, although
. the capacity is 80. This ore Is taken
out by the day shift of eighteen men
from STOPPING ground opened up 1t is
estimated the dump will suppl" the
mill with ore for two years and will
average as good as that which is being