Gilpin observer., 1905-07-27
NEWS FROM THE MINES and MILLS
LeadvIIIe Pumping Question.

0uPb8 &eS~s'S's
One of the most impressive evi.
dences of the magnitude of the mining
operations Of the district, says the
Leadville Herald-Democrat, is fur
nished by the extensive pumping car
ried on here, In order that shafts may
attain greater depth and reach lower
ore horizons. There was a time in
the history of the district when the
handling Of even very small quantity
of water was regarded as serious
task, and the sinking of deep shafts
was quite out Of the question. The
water problem might have been
solved long ago much more cheaply
and expeditiously had the various COM
panies gotten together and all borne
their share of the common expense of
draining the district, but the spirit of
cooperation had not in that early day
developed sufficiently to permit of any
thing of that sort to be done. The re-
suit Is that most of the pumping ex-
penses have fallen onto compara-
lively few companies or individuals.
The condition in the downtown
basin is one in point. 1t was only
through the intrepid courage OF one
or two mining concerns that enabled
any mineral to be extracted at all. The
Penrose, Bon Air and other shafts
were sunk, it will be remembered un-
der tremendous difficulties 1t Is
well-known fact that the Sixth Street
shaft expended over a quarter of a
million dollars in order to reach the
first contact. Since that time the
water problem has been an ever
presen one. In order to reach the
lower ore horizons the Midas company,
which controls the largest acreage in
the downtown section, has undertaken
task greater and more expensive
than anything heretofore attempted
in the district.
Immense pumping plants have been
installed and the Penrose and Coron-
ado shafts have been deepened in Or
der to get at the ores below the part
ing quartzite. But the deepening Of
these shafts has been Of incalculable
benefit to the adjacent territory. 1t
has enabled the company to deepen
its northern shaft and will also enable
them to sink their Bon Air shaft in
the near future.
Through this same pumping other
concerns have been able to profit. The
Grafton OF S. Small on Poverty Flat,
has been sunk, also the Cloud City.
This work certainly would have been
impossible without large pumping
plants. 1t is planned to sink the Homo
Extension. the Bohn and the Welden
in the near future. which work we
| hardly imagine would have been un-
dertaken had it not been that the
Midas company had laid the founda-
ton.
The drainage of the basin by the
Midas company has had the result not
only of inducing local operators to re-
open old properties in this section. but
has brought in one or two small oper-
ators from the outside, who evidently
see the advantage of profiting by the
enterprise and capital of the Midas.
1t is not too much to say that the
success or failure of the entire Lead
VILE basin. from Carbonate hill to the
Arkansas river. depends on the drain
ing of the downtown mines by the
Midas company. Whatever other en-
terprises may be started in this por-
| ton of the district the condition pre-
cedent to success is the continuance
of pumping operations at the Coron-
ado and the Penrose.
Practically all the mining calcula-
founded on the assumption that these
pumps will continue in operation.
Their stoppage would mean that all
the enterprises now under way in the
downtown section would probably
cease.