Gilpin observer., 1907-08-15
CONNECTION MADE.

Thursday night, at about II 80 o'clock
connection was made between the lat
eral from the Newhouse tunnel and the
Saratoga mine workings. At this time
the last blast was fired in the roof of
the raise, which connected the lateral
with the mine workings at the tenth
level west from the main shaft of the
Saratoga No. 2.
Two seven-foot holes were drilled
Thursday by the day shift. Mud and
water was encountered, which indicat-
ed that the bottom of the level was
near. At eight o'clock in the evening
three men went into the raise to com
plete the drilling. The round of holes
they put in were loaded with double
fuses, so that they would have plenty of
time to escape after the shots were
fired. As soon as these holes were fired
a heavy flow of water came down the
tunnel, carrying muck and loose timb-
ers with it and making loud noise.
For short time the water was twenty
inches above the track in the Newhouse
tunnel. The men made their escape
with safety and the air compressor at
the portal of the tunnel and the blower
in about l,600 feet from the portal, op-
Grated by electricity, were placed in
motion to free the tunnel of the bad air
which followed the water into the tun-
mel from the Saratoga workings. The
air was so bad in the tunnel for several
hours after the connection was made
between the lateral and the Saratoga
candle would not burn at the portal of
the big bore.
That no lives were lost by the men
being exposed to bad air and large
volume of water is remarkable, as the
undertaking, particularly the work of
the men who fired the last round of
holes, was most dangerous one. At
the time the connection was made there
was not man in any of the six miles
and half of the workings in the tun-
mel. Manager Geo. Collins, realizing
the possible danger, had given instruc-
tions that all men be laid off. Saturday
at noon miners were able to go into the
tunnel with safety and have since been
working at the various points
The Saratoga vein was encountered in
the breast of the Newhouse tunnel on
the 5thday of April. 1905. about Is, 165
feet in from the portal and at a depth
of 1850 feet. Since the middle of May,
1905. the lateral to connect the New
house with the Saratoga had been driv-
en- in an easterly direction and numer-
GUS ore shoots were struck, all contain
ing good ore. The ore in one alone car
ried values of over S40O.0 to the ton.
AT first it was intended to drive the
lateral 525 feet east and make an up-
raise of 365 to connect with the ninth
level of the Saratoga, but afterwards it
was deemed advisable to continue the
lateral directly under the No. shaft,
which is little more than |, 030 feet in
depth. East of the tunnel, about l $50
feet, stope was started and carried
upward about 100 feet and several
months ago the raise for connection
with the tenth level was started. The
raise is 2S7 feet up to the bottom of
the tenth level. The latter has been
continued east of the raise 100 feet and
later it is intended to connect with the
bottom of the shaft to handle the out
put of the mine.
According to the Idaho Springs Sift-
ihgs, under an agreement entered into
between the original lessees of the Sar-
atoga property and the Newhouse tun-
mel people, the former were to deliver
tonnage of ore or waste to the tunnel
company for transportation to the
amount of $4,000 within three years
time, or pay the difference between the
amount of material handled in cash.
An extension of the option on the Sara
toga property was granted some months
ago. The option calls for the payment
of $500, 900 for the property which con-
sists of 10 patented claims. Several
weeks ago company was formed to
take up the option, the work which is
under way having been done by the Sar-
atoga Development Company.
Manager John Owen of the Saratoga
mine. says that work commenced Mon
day in the shaft. All the levels below
the sixth have been cleared of foul air
since the raise was completed between
the Newhouse tunnel and the mine.
The timbering of the shaft from the
sixth to the tenth level will now be
pushed and the raise into the tenthlevel
will also be completely retimbered.
When the laterel from the Newhouse
connected with the tenth level of the
Saratoga, the water which rushed