Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-07-23
Central Tunnel.

Central Tunnel.
/ From the Western Construciion News.
General Frank Hall. one of the best
known mining experts in the country, IN
4 discussing the Central tunnel with the
writer pronounced it among the most
notable mining projects of the West
He terms its prospects tremendous
And this sentiment found an echo il
the remarks of every we'll known mining
man approached on the subject. They
agree absolutely and unqaulihedly on the
following propositions:
The Central tunnel was started at the
right point to tap the most valuable
mines in Clear Greek and Gilpin counties.
1t will undercut fully $500, 900 900 OF
vein matter.
1t will be, even as soon as il reaches
the Belman vein. the most profitable tun-
mel enterprise in the world.
At the entrance the stone archway.
wide enough for double tracks. is a piece
of masonry, which has above all, the ele-
mcnts of permsneucy. The power house.
equipped with the finest Corliss machin-
cry in the state, is surrounded by enough
company ground to permit of the early
construction of model sorting bins and
sampling works. which together with 3
concentrating mill. are already complete
iy and perfectly planned. utilizing every
improvement made in a decade. Tn,
dump is well under way and means i'm
mediate trackage connection with the
proposed mills; in fact. the Big Five tuu-
mel company owns about I5z acres OF
gulch ground extending through Idaho
Springs. All of this demonstrates tina,
the projectors of the Central tunnel are
fully prepared to meet every demand that
will be made on them when the FIRST Of
the richer veins are reached-now only a
matter of weeks.
On an inspection tour of Idaho Springs,
the writer last week made a careful ex
animation, not alone of the tunnel work
but Of every property to be reached by
the enterprise.
The tunnel itself is all that the experts
pronounce it-a perfect engineering
work. lis raise is Just gradual enough to
permit of perfect drainage. For over
1000 feet II provides for double trackage
aud complete switching facilities. From
that point on il has single tracksge. bu,
every provision has been made for rapid
change to double trackage. should the
output prove too great to handle.
Were all of the properties whose veins
ave been cross-cut. working, the tunnel
would to-day be on a self.supporting
basis.
But it will be but a few months before
the internal affairs of the Crystal or
Bryan. the Christmas and the Great
American will be 20 far adjusted a. to
perm Of leasing and working the prop
critics.
The Edgar, a Big Five property. is now
shipping through the tunnel; the drift to
the Coustock and the Edgar No. being
about completed and some Of the Miami
claims will also soon be passing their
wealth through the Central tunnel via
the Edgar drift aud upraise.
Within few weeks the tunnel will be
at the famous Shafter mine-one of the
best properties in the district. The
Shafter is now paying ninety cents per
ton for hauling its ore to the mills. with
. mill capacity ( 80 tons per day. This.
when transferred to the Central tunnel
will at once reduce transportation time
and increase its ore hauling facilities to
30 tons day. In other words, the Shat
ter will probably at once be able to more
than double its production and give the
Central tunnel an earning power from
that source alone sufficient to pay . large
proportion of the expense Of continued
driving.
At the pres mt rate Of progress the tun-
mel will in Les than twenty-one montbs,
reach the rich old Lake" vein, now
known - the Bald Esgle with the rich
ct ore shoots in the district At this
point its results must be phenomenal for
il will already be tramming for such
mines - the Edgar, the Miami. the
Christmas, the Crystal, the shafter. the
Little comstock, the Patton, the Calvin,
the Sunol and the Kentuek.
From the Bald Eagle to the Belman
vein. tAe work of tunneling win take less