The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-18
DRAIN TUNNEL IS
ASSURED FOR ALTA
Strong Talent Have Financed a
Plan to Probe the District
at Depths.
WORK WILL BEGIN
THE COMING WEEK
Enterprise Long Delayed Is
Now Certain for Noted
Mountain Camp.

The report was current late Monday
afternoon to the effect that the Alta
deep drain tunnel. that has been mat
ter of plan for several years, had at
last been successfully financed, and now
ii was only question of actual opera
tions to commence to make II an estab-
lshed fact. When asked about this
rumor, Tony Jacobson, president and
manager Of the Columbus Consolidated
Company, rather reluctantly acknowl.
edged that the report was true, aud
5hat the matter was financed to quite
n liberal extent already. Mr.. Jacob
son stated that the matter of sending
drain tunnel into the depths of the Alta
camp had been mooted for three years
or more, and as far back as three years
ago survey was made for this tunnel,
While admitting that the tunnel
would practically follow the line of this
old survey, Mr. jacobson was not pre-
pared to release any information as 10
the starting point nor. place OF INITIAL
destination He stated, however, that
the tunnel would 6c from ono to two
miles in length, and that it would tap
and drain the Columbus Consolidated:
the South Columbus Consolidated; the
holdings of the Alta Development Com
pany: the City Rocks; the old Emma;
the Emma Copper; Flagstaff. and so
many other properties OF that district
that all should he included within the
list of mines favorably affected by the
plans.
Mr. jacobson admitted that he was
interested in this proposition, and that
several other Salt Lakers are associated
with him. their names, however, be
was not ready To divulge, These inter
csts VIII organize a company within
short time for the purpose of gong
ahead with the plans, although actual
work will he started by the ones inter
csted as individuals as early as next
week The amount of capital already
pledged TO this enterprise has not been
made known, but those who know are
agreed that il represents falr pro-
portion of the whole capitalization 10
be required for sending the tunnel to
the objective point. All agree that III
is more than enough, TO say nothing
OF the splendid character Of capital IN
volved. to send the tunnel as far as
demanded.
It is the plan Of those responsible for
this enterprise TO cross-cut and drain
all the numerous contacts i'll the noun
tains of the camp. The working VIII,
therefore, open up some magnlhcent
new territory, and al greater Nertlcal
depths than ever before gained any"
where in that section of Utah. The Co
lumbus Consolidated ground. for IN
stance, will be tapped fully 400 feet
lower than the present deepest level,
the four hundred and the South Column
bus ground will be probed at cores
ponding liberal depth In addition to
serving as 4 drain tunnel for the camp.
the working will also provide one great
avenue through which all the ores of
the camp can be brought 20 point
down the canyon whore connection with
the new tramway can easily be made.
Tho cost of this tunnel naturally Will
be considerable, the ultimate results,
however, will more than offset any cx-
pensc that can be incurred The ore
bodies of the camp Of Alta are being
demonstrated so generously that no
praise is necessary 10 attach apprccla-
ton TO the camp and its possibilities,
hut the beginning Of the drain tunnel
will be accepted as most eloquent ar
gument as 10 the permancncN OF the
district, being backed as it IS by those
best able to appreciate Alta through
MANY long years of personal contact
with Alta conditions. Mr.. jacobson
thinks that when the work Is all com
pleted the average cost per foot for
the entire distance viii be in the vicln-
ity OF SIS,
Driving this drain and working tun-
mel is one more great step In advance
by alta TO its legitimate sphere of use
fitness. The last step was the rebuild,
ing Of the tramway for distance OF
four or FIVE miles below the camp so as
10 cover the most distressing portion
of the wagon haul. 1t is stated that
those at the head of the tramway are
TO begin a survey within the present
month looking towards sending the line
to as far as Wasatch, whore railroad
connections will he matter of estab-
lished fact before the present season
eI,as The tunnel. to be started as above
stated within few days, will not only
place the camp several years ahead
from an ore development standpoint,
but it will furnish the outlet for the
waters that otherwise would hinder
progress to depths as we'll as compel
expensive pumping facilities to be
maintained permanently. The new prop
osition, therefore, has tremendous
bearing for good upon the advancement
of the Alta section, and the enterprise
will. IN every way, be the success that
~ ricbl,r 70 hn