Idaho Springs siftings., 1905-04-08
BIG TUNNEL CUTS BIG vein.
unquesonaby the Newhouse Tunnel Has Interseoed the
Great Saratoga Ore Body Which Means Increased
Activity in Entire Mining District,
OF Vein Matter Not Determined.

MOI determined.
driying east 52s feet and raise of 365
fest, which will connect with the ninth
levei west from the Saratoga shaft No. 4.
THIS drift is the Longest lower level west,
being over 1900 feet. The contract be-
tween the Saratoga aud Newhouse tun-
mel people provides for the transporta-
tiQn Of stipulated tonnage of ore and
waste through the tunnel for term of
yeafs, and in consideration the tunnel be
driven 10 inter sect aud drain the prop
efty OF water. As soon as practicable
the work Of making connection will be
s'aried this depending upon the water
How from the vein which is likely be too
strore to perni. of continuous work for
sonie little time to come
The cutting of the Saratoga vein
MARKS the beginning of new era for
Ideho Springs and tributary territory.
ami will mean the resumption OF oper-
aticns IN number Of properties in the
vicinity Of the Saratoga which will be-
benefited by the drainage of that prop
efty and which will ultimately be con.
nectea at depth with the Newbouse
turusi thus inrre ring the number of
men employed aud adding immensely
70 the output, henefitting the local mcr-
chant. the railways aud smeiters. II will
add stimulus to the mining industry Of
the two counties. and especially the
many tunnel enterprises which have for
Their objective the opening at depth Of
other large veins in various parts of the
district.
| THE NEwHoUsE TUNNEL.
The Neshouse tunnel was located by
Samuel Newhousc. the multi. millionaire
mine owner, on February Il. isoI. the
preliminary surveys being made in the
sprirg OF that year. But little work WAS
done until the tall of 1895. and in the
follswing January power plant was in
lstslled at zshe sunuei mouth. au,l II has
upce been driven with machine drills
/ For two and one-half miles the tunnel
vas driven nine feet in heighth and ten
feet in width. with double tracks laid
with ;5-ponnd rail. Il inch gauge. In
the center underneath the track isa water
way - inches deep sud two feet in
width. over which is laid I9.inch ex-
haust veniilating pipe. The size of the
tunnel was reduced to six feet in width
and seven and one half feet in hcighth
when the work was resumed the last
lime. with only one track, this being
deemed of sufficient size until the traffic
through the tunnel would warrant its
being wideuei 'oui. The maximum
vertical depth attained by the tunnel is
I.7So feet. equivalent 10 a 200 feet OH the
prevailing dip Of the veins The tunnel
is owned principally bY Engiishmen, the
corpos alton bsing known as the New.
house Tunnel company of London, the
Colorado corporation being known as the
Argo Mining. Drainage, Transportation
and Tunnel company. The pr jected
terminal of the tunnel is under Quartz
hill which will be reached in about 1000
feet of driving. IL is generally under
stood that contracts have already been
signed for the extension Of the tunnel
to at least two prominent properties
lying north Of the Saratoga. The aver
age progress of the tunnel when driven
double track was g., feet daily, the best
progress being made in the month
/ February. 1907. when the tunnel was
driven z67 feet, or Q feet daily for the
month. Since the tunnel has been driven
the smaller size an average daily footage
Of seven feet has been maintai ned.
The plant of machinery at the tunnel
mouth consists of three So-horse power
boilers. two 10 by IS, and one q, by "a,
two-stsge Norwalk air compressors;
one No. seven Root blower. direct con
nected to q fifty-horse power Atlas en-
gine; one thirty y-horse power high speed
engine driving . 7o-kilowatt Westing-
house soo-volt generator, which furnishes
power for transportation. The tunnel.
equipment has cost to date in the
neighborhood of $500, 900. The break.
ing cost has been about &Io67 per foot
for the double-track section. and con-
aideFablv less for the single track portion
The grade at the tunnel is Eve inches in
every 100 feet 80 that the present
bottom Of the face of the tunnel is a
little less than dfty-6ve feet above the
portal Of the tunnel allowing about two
feet Tor the curvature Of the earth. On Q
clear day With = surveyors instrument
at the bresst of the tunnel. . person
- ~ damp may be seen and recognized.
pueing tbe driving Of the tunnel Surveyos
Asehux ]. veutrees, Of the Office Of w. H.