Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-25

Record Herald
LEADvILLE. July 20. 1895
Leadville was supposed TO be IA dead
camp. but turns out to be very live
enc, and from all appearances has mil
lions upon millions OF money left in the
vaults where Mother Earth has hidden her
treasures. 1t is asserted that single body
of ore 145 feet thick has been found here
Immediately under the city and covering
area of thirty acres. This ore is now
producing a profit OF S2.G0D day. Last
year $1,000 tons of ore was mined at Lead
vile. paying an average of S14 ton. which
is considered low grade. but when found
in quantity is more profitable than high
grade ores. because it gives steady work
and pays regular dividends
In twenty-five years Leadyille has pro-
duced 1916 ,627. The output for 1894 was
$11.21o, 49, which is only about a million
dollars less than the average production for
the quarter of a century since the carbon
ateS that made so many people rich were
first discovered The ores that are being
worked today. however, would have been
rejected twenty years ago. indeed. 1t would
have been useless to have tried to work
them. Science, therefore, is responsible for
making Leadville a permanent camp Since
the high-grade carbonates were exhausted
years have been spent in searching for
processes by which the low-grade ores
could be handled at profit. and COM
plete and thorough are the results that the
future prosperity of.Leadville depends en-
tIrely upon ores that would have been con-
sidered worthless in 1879.
Discovery of Low-Grade Ore.
Indeed, 1t is a triumph of science all
around. John F. Campion a rich Denver
operator and one of the owners of the Lit
tie Johnny mine, became convinced some
/ H. a a
with a stratum of grade ore. He went
after 1t and found 1t $40 feet below the sur
face of the streets of the city. Others fol-
lowed him. and shafts have been sunk and
diamond drills sent through the upper lev
els, until it has been demonstrated that
body of carbonate l45 feet thick lies below,
covering an area of thirty acres under the
city. 1t is impossible for any one TO esti--
mate the value of this discovery. II is SIM
ply incalculable, and although the cost of
mining is considerable, the profits are large.
The Little Johnny" mine has already
paid more than S10.Gpo coo and is still yield
ing large revenues None but the owners
can tell how much. The property belongs
to John F. Campion. J. j. Brown. Trimble
& Hunter and their associates at Leadville
and Denver. They are willing to admit that
the Little Johnny" is wonder among big
mines. but If they should mention the
amount of money they getting out of IL
probably it would not be accurate, because
great secrecy surrounds all mining opera
lions nowadays. Whenever mine is sue
cessful it is always the object of blackmail
and litigation. DeecheS and buZZardS go
for it. Mining camps have more than their
share of adventures and busted opera tors,
who find ii easy to get up evidence to sus-
tain any abandoned or imaginary claim.
Every inch OF surface in old camps like
Leadville has been located over and over
again and then abandoned; and 1t Is easy
for anybody to revive old claim upon
property which has finally proven success
full Then. again much of the DrOpertV is
leased and the lessees do not care to have
the owners know the amount of their
profits.
Most Profitable Mines.
There is decided difference of opinion
as to the mines that paid the most money
at Leadville. 1t is "a frequent and interest
ing topic of discussion. but the Robert E.
Lee the Iron Mine, Small Hopes" the
Evening Star" Little Pittsburg'' and the
"Chrysolte" were probably the most prof
liable. Little Pittsburg' was the first big
mine and 1t belonged to the late Senator
Tabor. 1t probably paid somewhere be-
tween $5.000,000 and S6.000.OO.
The Robert f. Lee paid more for the
time 1t running than any other. 1t
held an enormous deposit of chloride of sill
ver so per cent pure and $4,000 was
taken out of 1t in single day. The Iron
Mine was very different. 1t was steady
producer and probably more money has
been taken out of it than from any other
mine in the world except a few in Mexico.
Sc nth America and South Africa. 1t paid
somewhere from fifteen to twenty millions
and was owned by l.. 4. Letter of Chicago
ana Billy" Stevens of Detroit.
The Little Chief" which belonged to
John " and e. e. Farwell of Chicago. paid
four or five millions; the "Chrysolite,
which belonged to Tabor. paid quite as
much; Small Hopes" owned by James G.
Blaine. Stephen B. Elkins Richard c.
Kerens. paid between seven and eight mil
lions, while the Evening Star which for
a time belonged to Ferdinand Ward of New
York and afterward to David H. Moffatt of
Denver. yielded ten millions or more. Every
one Of these famous old mines Is now being
worked for iron and occasionally the oper-
ators strike pocket of silver: Most OF the
shafts are now down 100 and 1,fU rect De-
los the surface.
Fortunes Squandered.
All of them were discovered by poor men
who sold out for big money which they
squandered In speculation and dissipation.
After they were broke most Of them re-
turned to camp to try again. and they have
been trying ever since and proving the Old
truth of the old adage that lightning never
strikes twice in the same place. Several or
the early bonanza kings may be seen now
adays around Denver and Leadville. You
become accustomed to hearing people say:
That shabby-looking fellow sitting over
there discovered such and such a mine
twenty-five years ago and sold 1t for two
millions" But such people do not look
like heroes now, and it is difficult to stir up
any sympathy for them.
General Hall. mining editor OF the Den
yer Evening Post Is a very interesting
man. He has been here since the begin
ming: he has q remarkable memory and can
tell story in a most effective manner l
asked him how much actual money mad
been taken out of the soil Of Colorado since
HI Of sspikp'S Peak BuSti' He