Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1917-01-04
ELECTRIC POWER AS
APPLIED TO MINING

You will always be able to find two
sets of men in this world. If you
show them both big fat doughnut
you will be sure to discover that one
set will invariably see the rim of de-
licious pastry while the other set is
capable only of seeing the hole. The
first class of men we call optimists,
the second we call pessimists.
Pessimism has killed more cats
than all the bootjacks in the world,
and the people of Gilpin county
should draw their own conclusions as
to whether or not the human brand
should be allowed in the camp.
II you want to talk to an optimist
that doesn't know there is a hole in
the doughnut, just look up E. L. Sick
mann, of the Colorado Power COM
pany He was in Central City last
week looking up the identification of
a number of properties formerly op-
very soon by that modern civilizer-
electricity.
Mr.. Siekmann is justly within rea-
son in being optimistic for the i'm
mense increase in the usage of cleo
trio power for mine and mill opera
tion in the past year shows that Col
orado is getting into old time form
again in her developments of mining
resources.
A positive proof that the mining
interests Of Colorado are developing
in wonderful strides is furnished by
the report of the Colorado Power
company.
The Colorado Power company op-
crates a 100, ,00O-volt transmission line
between Shoshone, near Glenwood
Springs, and Denver, this line being
connected in through the Denver sub
station to the Boulder plant. 1t is
thus enabled to supply custom elec-
trio power to the mining industry sur
rounding the Leadville, Kokomo,
Breckenridge. Dillon, Silver Plume,
Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Central
City and Nederland sections.
The aggressiveness Of the sales an
operating departments Of this COM
pany together with the increased ac-
tivity in mining circles, has produced
wonderful results along lines of an
increase in the usage of custom elec-
tric power.
In substantiation Of the claims that
Colorado is rapidly coming into its
own along mining channels, the Pow
er company quotes some very op-
timistic figures regarding the increase
in power usage, during the past year.
The approximate increases in the
various districts are as follows: Boul-
der district one hundred per cent;
Leadville district, thirty-five per cent
Clear Creek-Gilpin county district.
thirty per cent; Summit county dis
trict. twenty per cent.
II We assume that twenty-five per
cent Of the above increases are the
direct result of the activity of the
Sales Department, nevertheless the
high percentages shown above are
ample proof that mining operations
in Colorado are being carried on with
an ever increasing aggressiveness.
The tendencies during the past year
have been toward the syndication or
group control of a large number of
small properties by large operating
companies, with a resultant benefit
which cannot of course, be obtained
from the independent operation of
each property, because Of the usual
lack Of financial stability. This ten.
dency existing in the principal mark
cts Of the Power company, has re-
suited in the opening up and develop
ing of numerous small properties,
which could not have otherwise been
operated.
This custom electric power covers
an astonishingly wide range of de-
mand, varying in quantity from five
horse power to twenty-five hundred
horse power.
Some notable examples Of the sat
fsfactory use Of custom electric pow