Gilpin observer., 1920-01-01
OUR MINES

1t is a time honored custom, on
New Years day, to review the
past and consider the outlook for
the future. AS mining is the chief
industry of Gilpin county, if we
followed that custom, we would
consider our mining operations
of the past and present the reas-
ons upon which we base our hope
for the future. During the past
ten or fifteen years only few of
our best mines have been operat-
ed and in those that have been
worked, with few exceptions, there
has been but little, if any, real
mining.
In the most of them the work
that has been done during that
time has been a search in the up
per workings for something that
might have been overlooked by
previous operators. And while
many good bodies of ore have
been found in this manner, it is
plain to be seen that no perman-
ent prosperity could result from
this kind of work. Each year the
bodies of ore that have been miss
ed would become less until final
ly we would have none left. We
can expect no permanent prosper
ity in Gilpin county until our
great mines are developed, by
sinking deeper shafts, and run
ming levels, to open up the main
bodies of ore that were worked
out in the upper workings.
Nevada district has several
mines that have been great pro-
ducers but none of them are be-
ing worked and but very little
genuine mining has been done in
that district for years. In the
Central City and Black Hawk dis
tricts such we'll known mines as
the Running Lode, Fisk, Gregory
and many others that might be
mentioned, have had but very lit
tie development in some years and
all are lying idle at the present
time. The only one of the we'll
known mines of the past, in this
district that is being worked at
the present time, is the Eureka
which has within the last two or
three months opened up a large
body of rich ore and is fast forg-
ing to the front as a producer.
There is a we'll founded rumor
that the Fifty Gold Mines corpor-
alton is to be taken over by new
company and will commence work
by spring. The Bryan tunnel,
below Black Hawk, is steady
producer of ore. The Little Fan
ME, on Dory hill, is getting in
shape and will probably be a
steady producer the coming year.
Several mines that have been pro-
ducers in the Hughesville district
are doing development work to
open the ore bodies at greater
depth and without doubt will add
materially to the production of
the county in 1920.
The Evergreen mine at Apex
has large bodies of ore exposed
and will soon be treating heavy
tonnage in the up-to-date mill on
the ground. The Saco De Orc will
be a steady shipper shortly, while
the Elk Park Mining company
contemplates extensive work next
year, as does also the Cornucopia
up Silver Creek.
At Russell Gulch the Becky
Sharp, Fairfield and Crown Point
have been steady producers dur
ing the past year, and also the
Hampton mine. The Incidental
is said to be in good ore and a
company has been organized and
is getting ready to start the Old
Town.
Several other mines in the
county are doing some work and
others are getting ready to start
in the spring. If we could get all
our good mines started the coun-
ty would soon resume it's old time
production. We have no desire to
exaggerate but fair survey of
the field indicates that 1920 will
be a prosperous year for Gilpin
county.