USA > Colorado > History of Colorado; Volume I > Part 33
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In the Rabbit Ear district the ores are mainly lead-silver, and, although but little developed, appear to occur in quite large deposits.
299
HISTORY OF COLORADO
One of the most valuable resources of Routt County is its large coal reserves, of which mention is made elsewhere.
MINING HISTORY OF CHAFFEE COUNTY
Chaffee County's beginnings are those of Lake County for until 1879 it was part of the region that had put Leadville on the world map. The first actual work in the way of mining was done at Kelly's Bar near Granite, for there were the gravel deposits which made small fortunes for the adventurous spirits who had come into this section. The old Cache Creek placers were exploited as early as 1860 and among the men who a little later struggled with fate in this section was H. A. W. Tabor. Five placers were opened in those early days below Buena Vista and below the mouth of Cottonwood Creek.
Great activity prevailed until 1862, when there was an exodus of many to other, supposed better, sections. Those remaining pursued mining in a lethargic manner; lode claims were located, mills installed and the success attained from the supposed exhausted placers and milling of the oxidized ores again attracted attention. These mining districts were therefore active during 1874-76. Soon after this the discoveries at Leadville became the center of attraction and the great revival of the mining industry, which reached its zenith in 1880, again popu- lated this section. The various mineral districts were thoroughly overhauled by the prospectors, and their favorable reports were productive of a short era of smelter and mill building. During the next few years the various prospects were gradually deserted for the supposed better fields in the San Juan and Creede districts, and finally for Cripple Creek.
Notwithstanding the apparent willingness of the prospectors to leave this county and follow any new excitement, the successful operation and production of a few properties has always retained this section among the lists of producers. From 1897 to the present time interest in the mines of this county has been grad- ually increasing. The close of 1917 marks not only more active operation, but a great increase in the list of new operators, many of whom follow mining as a business and appreciate the advantages this section affords. In almost every mining district in the county there has been substantial improvement.
The metal production from 1897 to 1901 inclusive amounted in value to over two million dollars. Fully half of this was gold. Its lead, silver and copper output has also been quite heavy. The iron beds at Calumet have been operated systematically and the product was consumed by the iron and steel works at Pueblo.
The La Plata, Hope, and Red Mountain districts in the northwest portion of the county have been thoroughly prospected with fair results. Lode mining in the Dewey and Granite districts has attracted much attention in recent years.
The Chalk Creek district has been successfully mined. The Mary Murphy was for years one of the best producers in the state. It first attracted attention in 1880. The erection of the lead smelter near Salida gave an impetus to mining in this section. It is interesting to note that from 1860 to 1901 the records of the county clerk at Buena Vista show the filings on placer claims, lode claims, mill sites and tunnel sites to aggregate nearly fourteen thousand. The county
300
HISTORY OF COLORADO
abounds in mineral waters, both hot and cold. The most important are the Chalk Creek Hot Springs near Haywood, Poncho Springs and the waters at Collinwood.
IN THE MINES OF SAGUACHE
As early as 1867 Saguache had gained considerable prominence as a distribut- ing point, but the history of precious metal mining practically begins with 1879-80. During the years of 1880-81 it attained its greatest prominence. This result is largely attributable to the Gunnison excitement of these years. To reach this latter section the most favored route at that time was via Poncha Pass to Saguache, thence over Cochetopa Pass. Many who started to and returned from the Gunnison district remained in Saguache County. In the summer and fall of 1880 Cochetopa Creek, Bonanza, Ford Creek and Crestone were active mining centers, especially that of Bonanza on Kerber Creek. During 1881-82 "locations" were recorded to the number of four thousand or more. Of these less than two hundred have been patented. This season of great activity was followed by the usual period of mill and smelter construction, and afterwards, decline. Sev- eral years ago there was quite a revival of interest in the Crestone section. This however, was quieted by litigation brought about by reason of locations having been made on one of the old Spanish land grants, known as Baca Land Grant No. 4. The litigation was finally adjudicated in favor of the Land Grant Com- pany, which company later declared the territory open to prospectors under cer- tain "rules and regulations." Within the past few years mining operations have again been revived, not only in the Crestone and Baca sections, but in all parts of the county, and indications favor a largely increased production for the future.
The ore deposits of this county occur under variable conditions, that of fis- sure veins predominating. Locally blanket veins occur as replacement of the carboniferous limestone, but these deposits are not far distant from igneous dikes, intrusive or overlying sheets. The ores are variable and may only be gen- eralized. On the western slope the main value is in gold, often in free form or associated with iron pyrites in a hard milk-white quartz occurring in fissures in granite. On the eastern slope of the hills the veins are generally larger and fill fissures in the volcanic rocks. The ores below limit of oxidation are mainly sulphides of iron, copper, lead and zinc, carrying both silver and gold values.
SAN MIGUEL AND ITS FAMOUS MINES
It was not until 1875 that the first prospector entered the country now form- ing San Miguel County, and it was during that year that the first location was made upon the great Smuggler vein. John Fallon was the locator of the Sheri- dan, locating in one day the Sheridan, the Emerald, the Ausboro, and what is now known as the Ajax lode. Mr. White, who was an associate of Mr. Fallon, located the extension of these claims, but did not have the same faith in their value that Mr. Fallon had. Mr. White allowed the year to go by without doing his $100 assessment, as was then required during the first year, and in 1876 all his locations were jumped. It was not until the Smuggler was located that the vein began to have a reputation. This location was made by J. B. Ingram, and was situated between the Sheridan and the Union whose boundary stakes had
301
HISTORY OF COLORADO
been set out to cover more than fifteen hundred feet of ground each. Very high grade ore was struck on the surface of the Smuggler and shipping began. The difficulties of transportation were great, it being necessary to first pack by burro train to Ouray, and then ship by wagon, 260 miles, to the end of the railroad. Moreover, for fully six months in the year the mine was inaccessible to pack trains. Transportation charges alone amounted to $60 a ton, and it took time to obtain returns. But the Smuggler had ore that could stand the expense. One shipment of four tons gave 800 ounces in silver and eighteen ounces in gold to the ton.
The Mendota, just above the Sheridan, was located in 1878, the slide rock having made it difficult to find the vein. John Donnellan and William Everett were the locators and they, with a third man, worked a lease on the Sheridan during the winter of 1878, and ran 100 feet of tunnel on what is now the inain level of the Sheridan. They took out considerable ore which by careful sorting could pay the high charges of freighting and yet leave a good margin.
Such were the beginnings of this prosperous camp, which has shown a great advance in lode mining since that beginning in 1875.
The important mines in this district are the Smuggler-Union, Liberty Bell, and Tom Boy. There were added two more producing mines in 1914-the Weller mine and the La Junta. The La Junta has a fifty-stamp mill in operation. It is treating ores by amalgamation, concentration, and cyanidation.
The only large vanadium mill in the state is located in this county. During the past year this mill has doubled its production. The mill is situated at the Town of Vanadium, about eight miles west of Telluride. For the past three years there has been a great deal of prospecting done in the western part of San Miguel County for uranium ores. There are a few mines in this section which have produced some high-grade uranium. There are also enormous bodies of low-grade ores in this part of the county.
HISTORY OF MINING IN PITKIN COUNTY
The mining history of this section practically begins with 1879. Prior to this the district had been passed over casually a number of times by prospectors, without any discoveries of importance being made. In the Leadville district the scramble for territory was followed by an exodus of the numerous prospectors who had gathered there to look for new fields. In common with Eagle and Sum- mit counties, the Continental Divide was crossed and the territory now embraced by Pitkin County was carefully prospected. That the experience and knowledge gained by the prospectors during their sojourn in the Leadville district was well utilized is demonstrated by the fact that during 1879 nearly all of the mining claims were located that have since made Aspen and surroundings prominent in the mining world. The general conditions connected with ore deposits in Lead- ville and Aspen are similar, and although the most active centers in Pitkin County were first in the vicinity of Ashcroft, Aspen Mountain and later Aspen were made prominent as early as 1883-84. Owing to inaccessibility to market, production was restricted until the fall of 1887, at which time the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad reached Aspen. The stimulus given mining by the advent of rail transportation was added to by the completion of the Colorado Midland
302
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Railroad to Aspen early the following spring. Production, which prior to this had been subjected to a freight charge of $50 to $100 per ton, could then be moved for $10 to $15 per ton. The result was a largely increased tonnage and a realized profit from ores that were valueless prior to the advent of railroads. Operations were in a short time conducted on a large scale, and the developed conditions of ore deposition were productive of litigation of like large propor- tions. The value of the ore product was almost wholly in silver, and the decline in market price of that metal in 1893 aided in restricting production. By this time the mines had attained greater depths, encountered heavy flows of water, and operating expenses had so increased that the raw ore could not, as a whole, be marketed at a profit. Mills were therefore erected and the values concentrated into smaller tonnage.
The silver ores of the Aspen district are as a whole very low grade. High grade silver ores, which at first attracted general attention to this section, are still encountered, but are not of frequent enough occurrence to make operation for these alone profitable. The success attained in the milling of the low grade ores is second to that of no other section in the state and could be advantageously followed by various districts where existing conditions are even more favorable than at Aspen.
This, like other mining counties, is somewhat indefinitely divided into local mining districts, viz., the Roaring Forks, including the territory adjacent to Aspen; Highland, south of Aspen; Columbia, south and east of Highland; In- dependence, southeast of Aspen and adjacent to Independence; Lincoln, south and east of Independence ; Woody, north of Aspen; Dry Pine, north of Woody ; Frying Pan, north and east of Woody.
The first important apex case came out of this district. This was the case of the Durant vs. the Emma, and was tried before Judge Moses Hallett. Sena- tor Henry M. Teller and Charles J. Hughes, Jr., appeared for the "apex" claim- ant, and Charles S. Thomas and Thomas M. Patterson for the "sideliners." The verdict went to the Durant.
METAL OUTPUT OF COLORADO
Year
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Previous to 1870
$27,213,081
$ 330,000
$ 40,000
.....
1870
3,015,000
660,000
20,000
.....
1871
3.633,95I
1,029,058
30,000
. ...
1872
2,646,463
2,015,00I
45,000
$ 5,000
1873
1,835,248
2,185,014
65,000
7,078
1874
2,065,595
3,086,926
90,197
37,502
1875
2,321,055
2,873,59I
90,000
95,706
1876
2,726,3II
2,950,256
70,000
81,774
1877
3,000,000
4,180,138
93.797
98,491
1878
3.366,404
4,807,00I
89,000
481,502
1879
3,225,000
10,162,503
131,000
1,960,207
1880
3,200,000
15,055,302
184,000
3,595,939
1881
3,300,000
15,104,092
161,000
3.900,621
1882
3,360,000
14,436,136
276.390
5.401,000
303
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Year
Gold
Silver $14,912,756
Copper
Lead $6,096,125
1884
4,250,000
13,984,066
$182,751 278,801
4,724,742
1885
4,200,000
13,014,927
127,435
4,345,000
1886
4,450,000
12,313,404
44,990
5,463,400
1887
4,000,000
11,345,608
226,350
5,670,000
1888
3,758,000
13,813,906
270,059
5,790,200
1889
3,833,859
17,199,486
426,250
5,423,400
1890
4,150,000
19,665,245
945,000
4,883,200
1891
4,600,000
20,906,554
883,400
5,568,000
1892
5,300,000
23,082,600
837,375
5,030,700
1893
7,527,000
20,205,785
765,535
3,147,971
1894
9,549,731
14,638,696
624,097
3,200,000
1895
13,559,954
11,683,232
659,050
2,954,714
1896
15,267,234
14,458,536
820,270
2,321,109
1897
19,579,637
12,692,448
960,917
2,731,032
1898
23,534,531
13,690,265
1,304,504
4,117,043
1899
26,508,676
13.771,731
1,295,61I
6,170,766
1900
28,762,036
12,488,775
1,293,012
7,770,196
1901
27,679,445
10,901,366
1,303,297
6,419,132
1902
28,517,117
8,315,192
1,006,108
4,325,484
1903
21,605,359
7,079,71I
1,033,643
4,301,123
1904
24,223,008
7,416,157
1,205,607
4,624,515
1905
25,577,947
7,743,719
1,536,266
5,438,507
1906
22,588,734
8,499,735
1,844,002
5,666,993
1907
20,471,527
7,886,736
2,251,258
4,965,517
1908
22,695,576
4,975,428
1,383,733
2,429,67I
1909
21,946,684
4,587,643
1,220,642
2,765,512
1910
20,297,536
4,392.736
1,048,835
3,158,381
19II
19,042,732
3.921,415
1,146,135
2,925,397
1912
18,691,577
5,023,96I
1,445,416
3,280,703
1913
18,148,71I
5,515,107
1,240,90I
3.716,251
1914
19,883,105
4,864,224
883,010
2,894,264
1915
22,414,944
3,563,182
1,244,694
3,234.098
1916
19,153,821
5,038,006
2,121,524
4,893,072
$604.776,589 $452,467,356
$35,245,862 $166,111,038
Vanadium, Uranium, Radium, etc.
Year
Zinc
Tungsten
1902
$2,544,993
1903
4,353,264
...
1904
3,313,788
$130,000
1905
4,774,498
255,000
1906
5,298,602
295,000
$185,000
1907
5,275,377
560,000
196,000
1908
1,798,603
115,000
157,000
1883
$4,100,000
304
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Year
Zinc
Tungsten
Vanadium, Uranium, Radium, etc.
1909
$2,295,046
$390,000
$310,000
1910
3,366,437
725,000
625,000
19II
5,696,188
370,200
945,000
1912
8,591,624
455,000
1,028,000
1913
6,218,607
625,000
1,750,000
1914
4,935,623
295,000
2,750,000
1915
12,969,779
1,684,250
1,000,000
1916
17,994,252
5,325,000
1,650,000
$89,426,681
$11,224,450
$10,596,000
DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALS IN COLORADO
Adams County-Coal, brick clay, sand, gravel, some stone of little economic value.
Alamosa County-Brick clay, sand, some gravel, little stone of commercial value.
Arapahoe County-Coal, brick clay, sarid, some gravel, some stone of little commercial value.
Archuleta County-Undeveloped and largely unproved metal deposits, carry- ing uncertain values in gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc, a considerable part of the county lies in what is known as the gold belt, but lack of transportation facilities has hindered development ; abundance of building stone, chiefly granite and sandstone; clay deposits of uncertain value.
Baca County-Has produced small quantities of silver and copper, in the southwestern part, the deposits having been but little developed because of lack of transportation facilities; extensive undeveloped deposits of clay, sand, gravel and stone.
Bent County-Clay of many varieties, suitable for brick, earthenware and drain tile ; glass sand, building sand, gravel and stone.
Boulder County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, barium (barite), cerium (allan- ite), tungsten, molybdenum, bismuth sulphide, asbestos, antimony (stibnite), cement materials, coal, clay of many varieties, including kaolin and fire clay, fluor spar, granite of many varieties, limestone, marble, amber, mercury (small deposits), petroleum, natural gas, pyrite, antimony sulphide, sandstone of many varieties, sand gravel, wide variety of road metal, several varieties of shale.
Chaffee County-Gold, silver, lead, zinc, aquamarine, beauxite, (aluminum) beryl, bismuth, bismuthinite, bismutite and tetradymite, brochantite, corundum, cuprite, epodite, fluor spar, fuller's earth, asbestos, garnet, granite, building and monumental, graphite, iron, clay of many varieties, limestone and other cement materials, magnetic iron ore, marble, mimetite, arsenate and chloride of lead, molybdenite (silicate of beryllium), phenacite, platinum, magnetic iron pyrites, sapphire, building sand, zinc blende, a wide variety of building stone.
Cheyenne County-Clays of uncertain value, building sand, stone of doubt- ful economic value.
Champa St
VIEW IN DENVER ABOUT THE YEAR 1865
DENVER CITY, COLORADO TERRITORY This picture is without date, but it bears evidence that it was made about the year 1863.
Vol. 1-20
306
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Clear Creek County-Gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, antimony (polybasite and stibnite), beryl, bluestone, corundum, fluor spar, granite, mica, pitchblende, platinum, pyrite, tungsten, clays of unproved value, and extensive undeveloped deposits of building stone.
Conejos County-Gold, silver, copper, zinc and lead deposits, chiefly un- developed ; granite, sandstone and other building stone; clay, sand, gravel and alunite.
Costilla County-Gold, silver and perhaps other metals, little developed ; granite, sandstone and other building materials, undeveloped; magnetic iron ore, clays, building sand and potash.
Crowley County-Clays of uncertain valuc, building sand, road surfacing material, some stone.
Custer County-Gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, alunite, fluor spar, nickel (anna- bergite and niccolite), gypsum, granite, sandstone, and a variety of building stone, undeveloped.
Delta County- Coal, gypsum, oil shale, granite, sandstone and other building stone, little developed; sand, gravel, clays of wide variety, mostly undeveloped.
Dolores County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, carnotite, fluor spar, gypsum, antimony (polybasite), rhodochrisite, zinc blende, stephanite, granite, sandstone and other stone suitable for building purposes, undeveloped; clays of a wide variety, wholly undeveloped.
Douglas County-Gold, silver, coal, sandstone, granite, limestone, allanite, amazon stone, clay of good quality, but little developed, suitable for pressed brick, earthenware, drain tile, terra cotta and similar purposes; fluor spar, lava stone and a wide variety of building stone, partially developed.
Eagle County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, carnotite, gypsuni, manganese, sandstone, granite and other building stone, little developed; manganosiderite (carbonate of manganese and iron), turquoise.
Elbert County-Coal, clay, several varieties, undeveloped; sandstone and other building stone of uncertain value; sand and gravel, suitable for road build- ing and similar purposes.
El Paso County-Coal, clays of wide variety and considerable value for brick, earthenware and similar purposes; also good fire clay; fluor spar, aluminum (cryolite), granite, gypsum, phenacite, smoky quartz and similar gem stones, sand- stone and other building stone, partially developed.
Fremont County-Coal, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, nickel (niccolite), tourmaline, agate, rose quartz, garnet, amethyst, beryl and similar gein stones; lithium (amblygonite), clay of good quality, asbestos, limestone and other cement materials in large quantities, petroleum, natural gas, granite of good quality, some development ; gypsum, lava, mica, lithium and aluminum (amblygonite), building sand, sandstone of good quality, partially developed.
Garfield County-Gold, silver, copper, carnotite, clay of many varieties, un- developed, cassiterite, (ore carrying tin), coal, granite, asphaltic rock, sandstone and other building stone in abundance, but undeveloped and of uncertain value.
Gilpin County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, arcenopyrite, pitchblende, pyrite, fluor spar, stone of wide variety, little developed ; a wide variety of clays.
Grand County-Gold, silver, asphaltic rock, antimony (stibnite), bituminous rock, clay of wide variety ; molybdenite, asphaltic sandstone, antimony sulphide.
307
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Gunnison County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, arcenopyrite, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, coal, clays of many varieties, including good fire clay, graphite, granite, in abundance, of good quality ; iron, (magnetic iron ore and hematite), limestone, cobalt (erythrite and smaltite), manganese, marble, molybdenum, nickel, oil shale, onyx, mineral paint, platinum, sandstone, slate, tungsten, grindstone and other abrasive stones.
Hinsdale County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, alunite, amethyst, iron, pyrite, oxide of manganese, wide varieties of stone, undeveloped; clay, sand and similar materials, undeveloped.
Huerfano County-Coal, clay, building stone, including much basalt, a wide variety of good sands and other similar materials, little developed ; gold.
Jackson County-Coal, stone and clay, undeveloped.
Jefferson County-Coal, valuable clays, including plastic clay, kaolin, fire clay and good clay for the manufacture of earthenware and china; wide varieties of building stone, limestone, granite, sandstone, aquamarine, beryl, columbite, copper, fluor spar, gold, (in small quantities) pitchblende, magnetic iron pyrites, rose quartz, zeolites.
Kiowa County-Clay and sand of uncertain value; some building stone of little economic value.
Kit Carson County-Clay of uncertain value; sand and stone of several varieties, but of doubtful economic value.
Lake County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, alunite, bismuth, iron ore, mostly manganiferous, manganese, geslarite or hydrous zinc sulphate, cadmium sulphate, (greenockite), topaz, wide varieties of stone of little proved economic value ; clay.
La Plata County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, aikinite (compound containing lead, copper, bismuth and sulphur), amalgam, bismuth sulphide, bismutite, cin- nabar (mercury ore), coal, clay, cosalite (compound of lead, bismuth and sulphur ), limestone and wide variety of other stone, including sandstone, granite and other good building stone ; quicksilver, building sand, of wide variety and considerable value.
Larimer County-Marble, granite, wide variety of clay and sand; copper, gypsum, limestone, bismuth, (bismuthinite), sandstone of good quality, marble, granite, mica, pyrite, rose quartz, tourmaline.
Las Animas County-Coal, clay, graphite, sand, building stone of several varieties, including granite, sandstone and limestone.
Lincoln County-Clay of uncertain and unproved value, sand and gravel and some stone of uncertain value.
Logan County-Clay of no high value, sand and gravel and stone of appar- ently little commercial value.
Mesa County-Copper, coal, carnotite, clay, mica, petroleum, oil shale, lime- stone, sandstone and a variety of other building stone, sand.
Mineral County-Gold, silver, copper, sulphur, barium (barite), lead, zinc, fluor spar, alunite, granite, sandstone, limestone and other stone not developed, sand and gravel in abundance, undeveloped.
Moffat County-Gold, silver, coal, clay, carnotite, oil shale, wide variety of stone. Nearly all mineral deposits, including coal, largely undeveloped ; amethyst.
Montezuma County-Gold, silver, lead, aikinite, coal, clay, stone, sand, gravel
308
HISTORY OF COLORADO
and other similar materials not extensively developed because of lack of trans- portation facilities.
Montrose County-Gold, silver, copper, carnotite and other radium bearing ores, coal, oil shale, petroleum, clay, sand stone and other similar materials but little developed.
Morgan County-Clays, stone and sand, of comparatively little proved com- mercial value.
Otero County-Clays of good quality, stone, sand and gravel of little proved commercial value.
Ouray County-Gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, tungsten, bismuth, iron (pyrite), antimony (polybasite), alunite, clay of wide variety, granite, sandstone, limestone and many other varieties of stone, undeveloped.
Park County-Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, vanadium (volborthite), fluor spar, manganese (alabandite), coal, beryl, bismuth (beegerite), clay, sandstone, limestone, granite and other building stone, little developed.
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