Gilpin observer., 1905-01-12
CRIPPLE CREEK DRAINAGE
TUNNEL.

With the beginning of the new year,
says the Colorado Springs correspond
ent of the Denver News under date OF
January 7th, the mine owners OF the
Cripple Creek district have decided on
an undertaking that means the expen-
diture of a half million dollars imme-
diately and the development OF the
gold camp on a scale that has never
been attempted by any mining dis
trict in the world.
The project Is a new drainage tunnel
three miles and half in length that
will drain every mine in the district.
1t will go 800 feet deeper than the pres
ent tunnel, which was built at cost
of $92, 900, and has proven one of the
biggest achievements of modern en-
gineering.
A meeting of the committee having
this new enterprise in charge was
held in Colorado Springs this after
noon, and at the close it was an
nounced that it had been decided to
raise the money for the work immedi-
ately and begin carrying out the plans
without further delay. AS the money
is already assured, this means that
work on the big tunnel will begin In
very short time and be pushed to
completion as rapidly as possible.
The committee which has been CIV
ing this matter attention is made up OF
millionaire mine owners of the district.
]. r. McKinnie, Sherwood Aldrich, F.
F. CASTILLO, S. S. Bernard and A. e..
Carlton compose it. Practically all
the big properties of the district are
represented by these men, including
the Moon Anchor, of which Mr.. Mckin-
ME is the biggest stockholder; the
Mary McKinnie, controlled by Mr..
CASTILLO; the Ell Paso, of which Mr..
Bernard is president; the Elkton, in
which Mr.. Aldrich is heavily inter
ested, and the hundreds of other hold
ings of which A. E. Carlton and the
others have control.
For several weeks past the new
drainage tunnel has been receiving the
earnest consideration of the big mine
owners of the district. A number of
meetings have been held, but not until
to-day, when it was decided to begin
work, did news of the big project leak
out.
Surveys have been made and plans
practically completed for the begin
ming of work. The engineering fea-
lures that enter into an enterprise of
this kind present many problems, but
the mine owners have been in con-
sultation with eminent experts. and the
tunnel, as it is now planned, is entirely
feasible.
The present tunnel drains the big
Moon-Anchor property at depth of
1000 feet, and the new tunnel will go
500 feet deeper, penetrating the very
bowels of the earth. The estimated
cost, 100000, has been given the mine
lt-n arfe. hot Will tnlr 20
at least this to build the big tunnel is
the opinion Of all who have been inter
viewed on the subject, and it may cost
even more before the project is COM
pleted.
I'VE discussed the enterprise at
great length this afternoon" said a
member of the committee who at
tended the meeting, "and the consen-
sus of opinion was that the tunnel
would extend the life of the Cripple
Creek district at least ten years. While
there is no cause for worrying ABOUT
the permanency of the district. we fig
ure that an expenditure of $500 900 for
this tunnel will be duplicated many
times over in profits to the mine own
ers. The present tunnel has given
such excellent satisfaction and been
productive of such big results that we
are convinced that a new and much
deeper tunnel will solve any vexatious
water problem that exists now or may
arise in the future.
You may announce definitely that
the new tunnel will be built, and that
work will start in a very short time
The money for the project is being
subscribed by the big mining compa-
nies of the district. The tunnel will
start at point midway between Mari
gold and the Ell Paso mine. or about
two and half miles from the Ell Paso
mine, right in the bed of Cripple Creek.
1t will travel northeast, cutting the
Ell Paso mine at depth of 1850 feet,
the Blue hill and Battle mountain
deeper than 1000 feet. By cutting Bea-
con hill the tunnel will drain every
mine Of the Cripple Creek district.
When the old Standard tunnel was
driven several years ago the drainage
amounted to 5000 gallons per minute
for two years. Computing on this
basis, engineers learned that by run.
ming Q deeper tunnel the entire water
course of the Cripple Creek district
could be drained. The present tun-
mel. which has operated with such sat
isfaction, was cut about 265 feet un-
der the old Standard tunnel. and as
stated above, the new tunnel will go
500 feet deeper still.
Altitude taken into consideration
the shaft of the El Paso mine is the
deepest In the district.