The Ordway new era., 1906-11-09
DEATH or gsEN SMITH.
Aged and Wealthy Pioneer Mining
Man Dies At Denver.

Denver.-Eben Smith. one OF the
pioneers of western mining. died at
Denver Monday afternoon at the home
OF his daughter, Mrs. Charles T. Car
rahan. He was one OF the most
lighly respected mon In the profession
End did much individual work to put
the reduction OF ores on n scientific
Lasis. He personally brought the first
stamp mill across the plains to Colo
RADIO from st. Louis.
Mr.. Smith had reached the age OF
sevcnty-hve years and had been sick
out two days, death occurring from
&c ritonitis.. which followed a severe at
ack of stomach trouble. He came here
With his wife aboht a week ago
from Los Angeles for visit with Mr..
.ad Mrs. Carnahan.
Mr.. Smith was born In Erie county.
Pennsylvania, and at the age of nine
teen years went to California, at.
lacted by the gold excitement. He
.ame to Colorado In 1860 and was a
partner of Senator Jerome b. Chaffee
for many years. His faith In the min
ing industry induced him to encour-
age every possible invention and de-
vice for reducing ores. Besides bring.
Ing the first stamp mill to Colorado.
he also used other opportunities to
benefit the work In both mine and mill.
He was the first to unwater the wet
| mines In Leadville. He was O pioneer
J IN the Cripple Creek district, In which
ne was heavily interested. He was
also one OF the builders Of the Florence
& Cripple Creek railroad. For forty.
six years he was prominently identified
with mining and was at one time 4
l II Tn Tho
business.
When in partnership with Senator
Chaffee Of Gilpin county, Mr.. Smith
was In charge OF the extraction work,
very much as he was with Mr.. Moffat
later. Smith & Chaffee. which was the
firm name, located on the famous Bob
tail lode. the stamp mill being located
at Lake gulch. In the course OF few
years they sold out. each having made
a comfortable fortune.
| Mr.. Smith was manager for d. II
| Moffat In the earlier stage OF the lat
ter's large mining transactions on Car
Donate hill, Leadville. When. in 1891
he purchased certain mines at Creede
1t was into the same hands the practi
cal development OF these properties
i and so the story goes to-. the end
Of the chapter, through Cripple Creek
i Victor, Summit and other gold and sill
ver.bearing sections.
He was not a graduate OF any sci
antific school and rarely theorized upon
mineralogical or geological problems
yet was recognized as one OF the best
mining engineers In the state.
He also spent some years in Aspen,
where he was interested In the Frank
lin mine and in the Aspen Deep Mining
& Drainage Company. He was fairly
successful there. but 1t was In Lead
vile that he began making his fortune
which has been estimated all the way
from 100000 to $1O.000.000. He was
for many years Interested with MT
Moffat in the bimetallic smelter Ia
Leadville.
At the opening Of the Cripple Greek
boom he was Interested with Mr.. Moi
fat in the Victor mine. the first rea
money-maker OF the district. He was
also one of the owneIe .cf the Colder
Cycle. and until rfGfn2y owned an In
from Colorado to Los Angeles was
made at the solicitation Of Mrs. Smith
their home being on Logan avenue
They spent their summers in thi'
state, at Palmer Lake.
For the past six years Mr.. Smitf
lhns made his home in Los Angeles. HI,
illness came suddenly two days before
and death followed Monday afternoon
at 2:30 o'clock.
He is survived by his widow ant
three children, Mrs. Charles T. Carna
han, Frank l.. Smith OF Los Angeles
and Lemuel Smith Of Leadville.