The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-07-22


after year develop properties, working wages
in winter to have to buy supplies in but
in order to develop the country make this busy and
hourishng section have got have capital unspar
ingly but wisely expended The mineral is here The
crop shows it, The biologists and old practical miners
tell that it is here, and the where they
worked at all they should be- produce mineral in pay
ing quantities
Ths Augusta well the Excelsior will yet prove
to be bonanzas many have claimed they would No
considerable of the Augusta Excelsior ground
has been worked developed any way enough has
been done to practically establish the fact that the
bodies continuous through the entire properties
An interesting letter from John E. Phillips, who
editor of the Pilot in the days mining
and around Crested Butte written September 49, 1919
for the Pilot, gives interesting facts about the
early history of the Augusta and Excelsior We print
extracts from the letter below:
"At the head of Poverty Guch the Augusta produced
high grade silver and looked upon a promising
mine at time. No wagon road could be built it
and only reached by burros The trail steep
that saddle horse would have difficulty getting there
and bird would become dizzy flying the rugged
peaks Miners who worked in the winter had be pro-
vsoned and stay there, for at times worth mans
life there and the slides
the outside world.
"Witha quantity of ore produced of high grade
silver for several and brought down burros
1t sight to behold to hundred two jacks
all loaded with zigzaggfng down the mountain Such
scenes visible the present generation
reason call attention this time for should
become to ship from these places in
IAN aerial tramway built to the Augusta mine but
it only operated two The mine
by M B. " Gnett and Frank Ross of Greeley, Colorado
and O. A. eager, A. M. Maddox and MrO'Rouke, all china
importers and manufacturers of Barclay street. New
York. They the manufacturers of the celebrated
Haviland china, and for number of
Crested Butte inspect their mining operations. Mr.
Glllett the manager.
"The Richmond mine adjoining the Augusta, also gave
promise of being valuable at time 1t was managed
by Harry Lee who afterwards State Mine Inspector
for eight and superintendent of the Silver
King mine of Park City, Utah
1.-The Excelsior mine also has a record of producing
high grade silver 1t owned by Yank Baxter,
all the country. native of New York state 49er
the coast and had been of the Pony Express
across the plains in the sixties He character
belonged to the early pioneers of the who
not know him would think he bad from Bitter
creek, yet he harmless gentle to those
who knew him
"On one occasion Mr. Holt thought he wanted to
buy mines; he started by trying buy Yank
Baxter's Excelsior mine. Yank sitting on pile of
talk he offered Baxter S35OOO Yank says, Mr. Holt
you got $35,0O0? have says Mr. Holt. We'll then,'
Yank you stick that $4,000 your blanly
hollow tooth and get down off from the learn that
Yank died few years ago in Salida buried by
the county Had he taken the his prospect he
could have lived in comfort the balance days and
saved the county the expense of his burial Mr. Holt
added to his $4,000 and bought the Manhattan office
building Dearborn street. Chicago for 100000 and
! is enjoying life'"