The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-05-11

is both expensive and unsatisfactory
After long months Of investigation j
was determined to drive a deep drain
age tunnel which would drain tn,
camp at great depth. The COS o
such an undertaking is enormous, ap
proximating one million dollars.
But such a tunnel was an fmpera
tive necessity. The mineowners, the
citizens of Colorado and the railroads
and smelters, Joined forces and con
tributed to the raising OF a fund sui
ficient to drive the tunnel. The worl
was started a few weeks ago and is
progressing as fas as men and mo-1
ey can carry it forward.
The portal of the tunnel is located
on the stream known as Cripple Greek
and is situated at an elevation OF
1920 fee above the sea level. 1t will
drain the entire Cripple Creek district
at a depth of about 1880 feet from the
surface, or $50 feet below the present
water level. The district is drained
at the present time by what is known
as the Ell Paso tunnel, which tunnel
cuts the Ell Paso mine on the west
side of the district Con Beacon HID AT
a depth of about 600 feet from the
surface; and the Vi-1dicator mine, on
the, s side of the camp, at a depth
of 1875 feet from the surface. 1T will
therefore be cen that the new tun
mol ui11 droin fho Deacon It'll c0afi0n
at a depth of about 1880 fee from the
surface and it will drain the vindica-
tor district (the east side) at a depth
of about 1000 feet from the surface.
The deepest shaft in the camp is
now 1900 feet. The new tunnel will
therefore make available all the way
from 100 to 1900 feet of additional ore
bodies below the present water level
and this will add millions in produc-
ton.
The length of this tunnel from its
portal to the main contact near the
Ell Paso shaft, at which point it begins
to drain the district is about $4,000
feet, which figuring at the rate of $50
per foot, would cost 100000 to this
point. To continue it to Il Vindi-
alto as proposed, is a further dis
timated would cost an additional
$3.50, 900, which would make the total
length of this tunnel from it's portal
ITO the indicator shaft, about $4,000
foot and &c oStiuatod would cost
about 81, OOO, 900.
1t is figured nat it will take about
two years to build 1T to the contact
and between one and one-half to two
years longer to build it to the Vindi-
Gator shaft, or a total of from three
and one+half to Dur years to con
struct the tunnel. But all this time
ore will be extracted from the upper
and reclaimed levels.
The magnitude and Importance of
this project can be best conceived
by means of figures showing what it
will add in dollars and cents, to the
worlds gold production.
The Cripple Greek district has thus
far produced something more than
two hundred million dollars. During
1906, the production was nearly sew
Of production has been steadily main
tanned for years.
1t is estimated thai the driving of
the deep drainage tunnel will enable
the Cripple Creek district to double
it's present record.
An interesting and important devel-
opment Of recen years in the district
is the construction and successful op-
GRAFTON of syanide mills for the treat
of low-grade ores of the camp.
trict contain millions of ton and mil
OF dollars worth Of low-grade
ore averaging from SIS to SIS per ton.
dumps, and also the low-grade
have not been heretofore touch
ed are now being treated by cyanide
mills and these mills are springing up
all over the district.
The extraction of the values from
these low-grade ores together with
the mining of the virgin ore bodies
below the present water level and
will be made available by the
tunnel, will, it is estimated, en-
able the Cripple Greek district to add
at least 5000, 900, 900 to the gold pro
duction of the world in the mex de
cade.