Gilpin observer., 1904-07-14
MINES ARE MADE NOT FOUND.
The Old Town Mine Of
Properties in Section Gould Be Made
to Likewise.

There is an old saying among mining
men that "Mines are made, not found
and as An illustration, perhaps no other
property in the great Gilpin- Clear Creek
gold belt will serve as better example
than the Old Town mine in Russell
gulch, now being operated on an extern
sive scale by the Old Town Consolidated
Mining company.
Eight years ago the Old Town claim
was neglected, half filled shaft not
over 100 feet in depth. Today the shaft
is over 1900 feet deep and is still being
sunk, and there are over TOGO feet OF
levels in the rhine. One Of the most no.
ticeabe facts in connection is that the
entire shaft from the collar to the bot
tom is in good pay ore. The production
to date from the workings is over $780,
OOO being at the rate of over S94 for
each foot OF driving and sinking. The
present development OF the Old Town
mine is due to the earlier operations on
the Wautagua mine, the shaft of which
is located 800 feet from the Old Town.
1t was in sinking the Wautagua shaft
that the junction with the Old Town
vein was discovered when the former
had reached depth OF 40 feet. There
was such flow of water when the juno
ton was reached that it was found i'm
practicable to work the mine with the
additional flow Of water encountered by
contact with another large vein. After
wards the Old Town claim was secured
and the shaft was sunk, reaching the
junction with the Wautagua vein at a
depth of 7GO feet on the dip of the lode.
The Wautagua lode was located in
1866, but was not patented until 1877.
and under the old mining laws the claim
was so feet in width by 140O feet in
length. Geo. X. Kimball, Sr., acquired
half interest in the property short
time after it was located. DR.. Henry
Paul and Hal Sayr worked the mine III
1873, shipping some ore which gave them
returns of fifteen ounces in gold per
ton. In 1878 w. D. Scott took out about
$4,000, but was obliged to abandon
work on account of the lack Of facilities
and the expense of handling the water.
In April 1896 the Calumet Gold M. s. M.
company was organized by George X.
Kimball, Jr, and the shaft was sunk to
depth OF 44O feet when the junction
with the Old Town vein was reached, in
addition to the large volume Of water it
was discovered that litigation as to the
ownership of the ore body would ensue,
so the work of sinking was stopped.
Several parties later worked the mine 10
a desultory way, until George j. Kim
ball, Jr and L. Muther secured the Old
Town claim under lease and bond in
January, 1900, since which time the de-
velopment work has been carried on
without cessation.
| The Old Town claim was located in
1875 by Henry Altvater, father of the
present county clerk of Gilpin county,
who sold it few years later to Edward
S. Perrin, who still resides in Russell
gulch. The Republic Gold Mining co.,
pany, known as the Pewabc company,
then acquired the claim, and il was So
cured from the latter company by Messrs.
Kimball and Muther under lease aud
bond.
The development Of the Old Town at
that time consisted OF the discovery shaft
40 feet deep, and two other prospect
shafts less than so feet in depth. In
April 1900 sinking was started on the
discovery shaft, but heavy fall Of snow
made it necessary to suspend operations
short time. Shortly afterwards sink
ing was resumed and is still being car.
ried on. stopping only to allow for the
starting OF the drifts as each level is
reached. There is but small quantity
Of waste rock taken out as the entire
vein matter from wall to wall is Of a
milling grade.
During the month Of June the CON-
pany shipped 547 tons Of milling ore to
the Rocky Mountain Concentration at
Black Hawk, 1900 tons to the jackson
Concentrator and $50 tons to other mills
in this city. Leasers shipped 200 tons
Also making a total poduct OF nearly
$500 tons OF milling ore. The mill dirt
will concentrate from three to four into
one, aud its average value Is close to els
per ton. In addition to this 10 tons OF
smelling ore were shipped which gave
returns better than three ounces gold,
few ounces silver and three per cent cop
per, or about e85 per ton.
One Of the heaviest expenses in oper.
ating the property is the pumping out