Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-10-11
A NEW FEATURE
IN PLACER MINING
Dredge at Golden
Used By Colonel
Wood.
A PAYING PROPOSITION
Valuable Property Made to
Produce After Many At.
tempts Had Failed.

During a recent visit 10 this city
Colonel J. A. Wood manager of the
Gold Bullion Company operating in
the Golden Mining District, in this
county and a candidate for member Of
the constitutional convention on the
Republican ticket was accosted by a
repre- sentative of the New Mexico who
desired information concerning the
operation of the company.
In reply to a question asked
by a reporter of the New Mexican,
Colonel Wood said:
about fourteen years ago, was
employed by Colonel William Nc
Creary, treasurer of the state OF Mich
igan, and B. B. Mitchell, general
freight agent of the Michigan Central
Railway to come to Cerrillos, New
Mexico, and make a report on the
gold deposits in the Galisteo River, a
project in which the gentlemen named
were then interested. had often
heard of the new placers district at
Golden and being so near, determined
to visit them at this time. | at once
discovered there were large quantities
of the yellow metal contained in this
ground, but did not know at that time
of any method whereby it could be
profitably operated as there was no
water or other facilities for placer
mining. | spent one day on the
ground and went on to California
trying to convince myself that it was
best to leave it alone. Returning
from California, however, could not
content mystelf without further ex-
animation and leaving the train at
Cerrillos, again drove to Golden and
made a further examination and Sc
cured prices on the ground"
about what did 1t cost you?" asked
the reporter.
'"That is a question that cannot in.
terest the public" he replied, but
suffice it to say wired some friends
in the east, Colonel McCreary among
the number, to meet me in Chicago
and in two hours we had organized
a company and the purchase price was
in my hands with instructions to re-
turn to New Mexico and make the
deal, which I did"
How the Valuable Ground Was
Secured.
"Did you obtain all the ground at
that time which now belongs to the
Gold Bullion Company
"No," he replied, there were 30
acres lying in the center of what we
now own which belonged to John T.
Kelly, and on which was splendid,
never failing supply of water in a
we'll SO feet together with an old
pumping plant. After Mr.. Kelly's
death in 1897 we purchased the addi-
tional ground with all its equipments.
What method did you pursue TO
develop the ground?"
1--WE began by drilling wells #
which we now have five
mot having any dredge or knowing
of any, what was your purpose in
drilling these wells?"
81 knew of some floating dredges
that were not very successful but be.
lieved that dredge could be devised
that would consume minimum
amount of water, run on railway
tracks and do the work.
"Will you relate your experience IN
evolving the dredge which you now
have?"
"Yes, in 1898, Mr. Johnston, OF
Chicago, who claimed to have a trac-
tion dredge suitable for our purpose,
contracted with the company, (then
the Monte Cristo Mining Company,
and erected on the ground a dredge
of his design. This was not a sue
cess except as an experiment and as
pointing the way to something better
The Monte Cristo Mining Company
spent a great deal Of money in devel
oping water and experimenting with
the Johnston machine. They finally