Gilpin observer., 1910-09-29
RAILS COUNTY
NOW WORKING
One Of the Best Properties on
Quartz Hill Has Resum-
ed Operations.

Word that the we'll known Rails
County mine, located near the cele-
brated California on the richest por-
tion of Quartz hill in the, Nevada sec
ton, was to start operations caused
a feeling Of encouragement to spread
over the camp this week C. L. Gage
and L. B. Newby, of Chicago, have
been in the county the past week,
looking over the property and max
ing the preliminary arrangements for
the resumption of operations. Two or
three men were put to work Monday
cleaning the engine and making con-
nections with the boiler. The only
improvements necessary were a new
smoke stack and a pump. The equip
ment generally is in fine condition.
The Rails County was started in
September, 1905, after cessation of
work extending over period of 25
or 80 years. Five years ago, Mr.. Char
les Gage, owner of the mine, came out
from the east and spent considerable
money in the erection of a shaft
house and the installation of boil
er and plant of machinery. What
top improvements he made were most
substantial. He put up a good shaft
house, 2Sx5O feet, 80 b. p. boiler
and a 40 h. p. hoist.
The shaft, which was in a very bad
condition after the property had been
idle for SO long a time, was repaired
and retimbered to the 500-foot level.
! The shaft is 700 feet deep but
nothing was done by Mr.. Gage be-
low the 500-foot point. A crosscut was
started in the 500 to intersect a
shoot encountered in the 3OO-foot
level. This ore body in the 300 was
far above the average in point of
richness. From a winze sunk in the
from the ore taken out. The vein
which this winze was sunk on is good
and strong. The milling ore is about
two feet in width and with this is
solid crevice of smelling ore four
inches in width. The mill ore runs
from IS to S12 to the ton and the
smelling ore averages close to 500
to the ton.
Work in the crosscut in the 500
was abandoned before this shoot was
encountered at that depth, but there
is no doubt that if this crosscut is
extended to cut this vein showing in
the 300 winze, all past records of this
old producer will be eclipsed. 1t is
characteristic of the section in which
the Rails County is located that the
values improve with depth and the
veins widen. 1t is the intention of
Messrs. Gage and Newly to clean out
the shaft from the 500 down to the
700. reopen the levels and then put
the shaft down to depth of 1000
feet. Development to this extent will
give them unlimited ground and make
it possible for the Rails County to
outclass all contiguous properties.
The experience of Mr.. Gage, who
came out here five years ago to work
the Rails County, was anything but
pleasant and profitable. After spend
ing quite sum Of money and devot.
ing several months time to getting
the property in shape for work, and
just as he had opened into ore that
was to reimburse him for the money
he spent in development, he contract.
ailment forced him to abandon oper.
ations at the mine. nail up the shaft
building and return to the east. Be.
ing. nearly so years Of age and on the
decline, he did not deem it advisable
: to return to Gilpin county and has
been living in the east since his de-
parture. 1t is indeed regrettable that
the old gentleman, who had every
faith in his property, could not rear
his reward after uncovering the ore
which showed the rich values.
What money the elder Gage spent
in the property. though it may be 6
loss to him. will be so much of {
l gain to those who are now to op
crate the Rails County. 1t is no
often in mining camp that one car
take hold of property and find tn,
workings in readiness fer the extrac
tion Of good pay ore.
= Both Mr.. Gage and Mr.. Newly ar,
y enthusiastic over the showing in tn
i Rails County. Mr.. Newly has minet
= in California, Mexico and in othe
sections. He is amply qualified t
pass judgment on mining propos
It tion. Both gentlemen understand whs
t Is needed in the way Of developmer
to make the Rails County one OF tn
really big mines Of the Quartz hi
}. section, and are In a position to su