Gold Hill, Colorado - History

History

This is the oldest mining camp in the County and one of the oldest in the State, the first gold discoveries being made at this point in 1860, in the Horsefall mine from which property two hundred thousand dollars was mined from purely surface workings in 1860-61 and 62.

Here is also situated the famous Slide Mine, with the splendid record of Two and one-half million dollars to> date. It lias the deepest workings of any mine in the county, the shaft now being down 1,500 feet The mine has been worked continuously since its discovery in 1872, and has paid to its various owners large fortunes. The Slide is cut by the famous Corning tunnel at a depth of one thousand feet which drains and develops this as well as the principal Gold Hill mines. The Corning tunnel was the first large tunnel project attempted in this section of Colorado, hav¬ ing been started in 1872.

The Cash was discovered about 1875 and has been worked in a small way continuously for thirty-five years. It is one of the best dividend payers of the district today. In common with all the mines of the tellu¬ rium belt its deposits of low grade ore are its greatest assets.

The Cold Spring is a mine wbrthy of mention because of its pro¬ duction of high grade ore. Forman Whitcomb, former owner of this property, shipped a few tons of high grade ore from the Cold Spring to the Centennial exposition and sold it for $52,000. A similar shipment of sixteen tons of the smelters at Omaha, Nebraska, returned $96,000.

Just east of Gold Hill on the Left Hand is situated the Mining Camp of the best paying properties in the County and a record of over a million and a half to the credit of its owners.

The two properties most active in this district are the American Star, with a record of $300,000 and the Gold Nuggett with a production of $250,000. Both properties are heavy shippers and paying dividends at regular periods.

As to the correct production of the mines of Gold Hill and Rowena the following among many other references are given: FossetFs Book on Colorado, chapter 37; W. B. Teters, George W. Teal, Lou R. Johnston, W. B. LeVequa, John Pugh and M. F. Leech, all of Boulder, Colorado.

Central Mining District

The Central Mining District lies north and west of the Gold Hill district and embraces the northern end of the tellurium belt as well as the northern end of the gold fields of the county. Its mines have been pro¬ ducing steadily since the year seventy-five until they have reached over five and one quarter millions, divided between the camps of Jamestown, Springdale and Ballarat. The typical feature of the various mines is the fabulous value of the high grade ores.