Idaho Springs siftings., 1905-04-08

| EARLY Neuuesu y morning, when the
round of holes in the breast OF the New
house tunnel. nearly three miles from
daylight, were finally exploded, and
af,er hours of strenuous work by the
powder gang. the Saratoga, the famous
mother lode Of the Russell gulch sec
ton was exposed to vi,w. As vas an
I iicipated. an enormous how Of water
was encountered aud ii was with diff
Guilty that the charges of dynamite we're
exploded on account OF the water pres
sure in the holes. Many streams of
water shot from the breast of the tunnel,
demonstrating the immense pressure
from some source, and ii vas only after
hours of effort by the experienced pow.
der men, that they were enabled to set
off charge of something like seventy
FIVE pounds of dynamite, aud when this
Was finally accomplished the great vein
was exposed across the eu,ire breast.
When the powder smoke had cleared
away ard the mackers arrived, they
found the entire bottom of the tunnel
awash for distance OF over 1000 feet,
and were compelled TO work their shift
for some hours in water reaching to their
boot tops, with great streams of water
drenchipg them from head to foot. Their
work WAS fiuisned al about eight o'clock
and showed that :, cars. or nearly fifty
tons Of rock ard vein matter had result
cd from the blasting 1t was estimated
that at leas; 900 gallons Of water per
minute which will weigh one aud one
fourth tons, was flowing from the breast
of the tunnel. taxing the capacity of the
water way under the tracks in the tunnel.
The vein Was encountered at point
fs,Ios feet in from the portal and at a
depth of approximately 1900 feet hciow
the SUI face. Lafe Hanchett. the persoh-
al representative Of Samuel Sewhoase
arrived wednesday evening and Thurs
lday afternoon made an inspection Of II J
work in the tunnel. Mr.. Hauche,t
stated that the vein Is unquestionably the
Saratoga, the ore characteristics. pitch,
in every particular with the estimsies
n.ade by the Sewhouse tunnel engineers.
He said that il is the best looking vein
encountered since the Gem vein. which
was cut some years ago. aud gave 1t as his
opinion that it would prove to be fully a.
large and well miueralizrd.
Assays were made Of vein material
which gave various results. but both the
tunnel infringement and the Saratoga
people refuse to give any information as
to the values contained in the vein. BE
cause OF the We, condition tsking sam
ples is disagrresble undertaking. The
condition in the vein is much the same as
in any oth.r large vein Of mineral. there
being s,reaks Of solid iron. black copper
and silicious iron ore exposed. some Of
which is undoubtedly of a smelling
grade while other portions are suitable
for milling purposes. The hanging wall
will be reached within the next few shifts
at which time il is said still Larger flow
of water is expected to be cut.
The Saratoga property consists Of nine
teen patented mining claims or sbou,
seventy-hve acres in the Russell gulch
district. The holdings cover over
4 400 feet Of the Saratoga vein which is a
"mother lode" and into which great
number Of adjacent and parallel veins
join at varying depths. The Saratoga
vein was located in the fall Of 1858 by
Bill Thurman, and since its location has
produced in the neighborhood Of $Io. 600.
600. The underground workings cover
over nine miles. and about two-ihirds of
this at the present time is under water
Prior to closing down the property some
years ago the operators were unable ie
extract the ore at q profit because of the
expense attached to pumping water out
of the workings. all Of which will now
be draiued by the Newhouse tunnel. and
viii permit Of the operation Of the prop
erty at minimum Of expense. the water
and the ore both coming out of the tun-
mel by gravitation. The vein in different
parts Of the mine il from ssx to thirty
feet in width, and ii Is said that ore run
ming forty ounces In gold, or $500 per
ton was shipped from the lower level be-
fore the former operators were driven
out BY the vast Gov Of water.
| Early last spring lease and bond on the
sara togs wss secured by Charles Morgan
and John Owen, and within short time
thereafter contract Wss entered into
With tbe Newhoase tun.el fos the con-
|tinuatiou Of thst big bwe 10 he Ssratoga
vein. + The latter part II Juse last year.
work was started The total dissance
driven sance beiag . Iittle over s.ooo #.
The cesnscsioa bstvees ~ tcnsel and
the ssrstoge woskinos Win - nade BY