Gilpin observer., 1905-08-03
Total ....s72,42o,ssl s132.11s.s75


"You will notice have not included
any manufactures, which would doubt
less bring the total of the products Of
Colorado up to $175,000,000.
Mining in Colorado is to-day on
better basis than ever before, for the
reason that operators have secured
cheaper methods of mining and extrac-
ton, and have reduced things to sys-
TEN. This applies to every district In
the state except Cripple Creek. and
changes are being rapidly made there.
Cripple Creek has been very rich
camp-a poor mans camp, as the min
ers call place where the ore is near
the surface and large capital is not
required for development. Cripple
Creek has never before produced as
much as it has this year, and it prom
ises we'll for the future. Several of the
best mines in the district have been
troubled by water, but a great tunnel
has recently been built to drain the
deep shafts and another is contem-
plated, which will make large addi-
tional territory available. The reduc-
ton of ores by the cyanide process has
been increasing, and the old dumps
containing millions of dollars, hereto
fore wasted, are now being worked
over with great profit.
Cripple Creek has recovered from the
effects of the strike. There are no la
Dor troubles there now. 1t is no longer
a freak camp. Throughout all Colo
RADIO, as l have said, mining is now in
the hands of business men, like the
coal of Pennsylvania.
"The gold mines of Colorado. up to
December /, 1904, had produced $780,
791,34O.
"The silver mines had produced
$379,041. .699.
"The lead mines had produced $116,-
49O,632
"The copper mines had produced
$16,. .-J,213.
1.-The coal mines had produced $780,
100000.
"At least $4,000 men are now en-
gagged in mining, smelling and the re-
duction of metals and their combined
wages for last year were more than
$3O, O,0VO, 900. More than 10000 men were
employed in the coal mines alone, and
their wages last year were more than
IS, 100000.
pueblo smelts more mineral than
any other city in the world. 1t has four
great smelters, employing 1900 men.
The present output of gold is 10000
ounces per month, worth $5,O0O,000 a
year; 100000 ounces of silver per
month, worth $S.00O,000 year. and q
o. tons of lead per month, worth
more than $2,O00.000 year. The
copper and zinc produced at Pueblo
will bring the total to about $4,000
900 per year.
Zinc is comparatively new metal
in Colorado. Until recently 1t was con-
sidered worthless and was considered
a nuisance rather than benefit. For
twenty years the smelters charged a
penalty on 1t instead OF buying 1t. Now
the mines of Wales and Missouri are
not able to meet the demand. Last year
foreign buyers came to Colorado to
pick up what they could here, and
nearly $3,500,000 was added to the
wealth Of the state. This year, owing
to the increased demand, the output
will be very much larger.
But the greatest increase has been
in gold. In 1890 Colorado produced
only $4,000,000 of gold. In 1904, as !
was more than $2S. 100000, and the su-
perintendent of the mint announces
gain Of nearly $9,000000 in the receipts
for the fiscal year just closed.
1.-THE output at Cripple Creek In May
broke all records, and the first six
months Of 1906 show an increase Of
$1,619,540 over the corresponding per-
iod for 1904. This is In excess of any
other six months In the history of the
camp, and 1906 promises to be a rec
ord-breaker.
During the year 1904 the dividends
paid by corporations owning mines at
Cripple Creek amounted to $2,058, ,433,
an Increase of $257 900 over 1908. The
profits reported by individual operators
and lessees of mines amounted to ST.
COS, 900, or a total Of dividends and
profits for the year Of $3.G63, ,433, COM
pared with $2,301.513 in 1908. This
large increase has been due to the set
tlement of the labor troubles. as well as
to extensions of works and economies