Gilpin observer., 1906-08-02
New Park County Field.

Reports from the new Park county
gold field, says the Denver Republican,
indicate that large quantities, of the
gold-bearing ash which covers the
ground toca depth of 100 feet OF more
are being brought in by the prospec-
tors for assaying purposes, but no real
mining operations have been begun as
yet, and the probabilities are that they
will not be for some time to come
Advices from the field show that the
assays, are running about the same old
figure. from 500 to $500 to the ton
with here and there find that runs
much higher: .-. :. -.
A well known mining man of Den
yer who already is heavily interested
in the Hartsel field and who hopes to
be more heavily Interested If he can
get the landshe wants at what he con-
siders reasonable figure, sized up the
situation succinctly yesterday. For
obvious reasons this mining man does
not wish to have his name published
THE Hartsel proposition is funny
one." he said. almost every one who
has investigated the field is satisfied
in his own mind that there is gold in
paying quantities there, and still no
one yet has had the nerve to begin
operations. But there is a reason for
this.
THE Hartsel field is not going to be
a poor mans proposition. 1t will take
money and lots of it to develop IL
when there is no longer any doubt that
the gold is there and can be mined
profitably. When say that it is rich
mans proposition and not n poor
mans. I mean this: This very fact
that the ash can be mined so cheaply
and in such large quantities will make
it imperative that once operations are
started there. plants of gigantic size
will have to be erected. With steam
shovels, which seems to be the ac
cepted way of going after the ore by
all who are familiar with the deposit
1t will not cost over twenty cents a
ton to bring the stun to the mills by
means of this shovel and conveyor
"The ash is just what mining men
have been looking for for years. 1t is
low grade ore and nothing that ]
have ever seen is better adapted for
the cyanide process of extraction. II
is ideal and will cost but little to work
Now the very fact that II is low
grade ore and that 1t can be brought
in in such immense quantities makes
II plain on the face of it that to work
the field profitably. mills of tremen
dous size will have to be built. II will
take money and lots of 1t to do this
and the poor man has got to wait until
the men with the means get ready TO
go to work in the field. My lowest
estimate OF the cost OF installing
plant that would pay is 100000"
Land is scarce in the field at the
present time. Those who have claims
think they see n fortune in sight and
are holding their claims at figure
that men with money to invest think
prohibitive, This Is one of the rea.
sons why there is so little activity
shown at the present time. These
moneyed men who have their eye on
certain tracts that they want. are go
ing to let the pot cool little before
they go to work and start buying
They believe that by going slowly they
will be able at later date to get what
they want at figure they think rea
sonablc.
There is one outfit now on the
ground with drills and with its own as
saying apparatus II Is the Chicago.
Salida outfit. in which the Fitzgeralds
and others are interested. They are
making many borings and many as.
says. but thus far have kept the re.
suits of their Investigations strictly to
themselves, The syndicate which was
formed in Denver for the purpose OF
sending an outfit into the field with
camping, boring and assaying outfit, is
all ready to begin work when It gets
the land the promoters have in mind.
The latter made several offers for
pieces of property looked over. but II
has been case of nothing doing"
after the question Of price was once
broached. The money is subscribed
and once the holders come to what the
land lockers thinks figure within
bounds, operations will be started with.