That the affairs of the Central Consolidated Mines Corporation, operating on Raven Bull hill, have been managed to the best possible advantage, and the developments carried along lines that bring the best results, was recently demonstrated by the opening of a body of smelting grade ore, from which shipments have been started and will be continued in the future.

Map showing location of Central Consolidated Mines Corporation Properties in the Cripple Creek District

Map of Central Consolidated Mines Corporation Properties in the Cripple Creek District

The Central Consolidated Mines Corporation is practically a close corporation and little news concerning its operations are given out. The officers of the corporation some months ago withdrew the stock of the corporation from the Colorado Springs Mining Stock Exchange, and although no quotations go out the price of the shares has been higher than the public quotation.

After drawing the stock from the public market, the officers formulated a policy of development that met with the hearty approval of the stockholders.

Ore had been found in the tunnel level. A raise was being made in the tunnel level and the officers decided to sink a shaft from surface. When the raise and shaft was connected sinking was started below the tunnel and continued for 215 feet, making the shaft 400 feet below the collar.

At the depth of 235 feet below the tunnel level Manager William Whelan encountered a small streak of ore. It was followed, and with development he has exposed an ore body that would be a credit to any producer. The ore shoot was a new one, the existence of which was never before known.

The work of developing the ore body has been carried forward as rapidly as possible, and at the present time the breast of the level is six feet wide, with only one wall showing, so the extent of the ore body has not been determined in width.

The ore body has now been demonstrated for close to one hundred feet in length, showing an average value of ore that will ship $50 to the ton in gold.

In the next level below, at the depth of 300 feet, the ore has been opened again, proving continuity, and the work of developing the ore shoot is being pushed forward as rapidly as possible. Each round of shots in the breast reveals a better condition.

The trend of this new ore shoot is west of north, and the Central Consolidated will have, at least, 1,200 feet north of the shaft before leaving the territory. South of the shaft the vein has not been developed, but it is reasonable to suppose that future work will demonstrate good ore in that section.

In the Unexpected claim, up the hill from the main shaft, the extension of the now famous War Eagle ore shoot has been opened. Lessee D. O. Darnell, who is operating the War Eagle, on demonstrating the trend of the ore shoot, purchased the lease on the Unexpected claim, and with little work encountered the ore and commenced shipping.

The course of the ore shoot is east and west, which gives the Central Consolidated 1,200 feet of that vein through their own group and the vein rights they own through the Kittie Hollis and the Amanda properties.

The Central company owns 16.42 acres of surface rights, which, with additional vein rights in outside territory, gives them a total of 22 acres of vein rights in which to operate and mine ore.

The Unexpected claim is segregated from the main Central group by the Kittie Hollis and the Amanda, but owns veins rights through those properties to the main group.

Besides the bodies of ore already opened there is an immense body of low-grade ore. It was cut by the tunnel that has been driven 1,000 feet in from the portal. On the east side of the tunnel this enormous body of oxidized ore has been exposed and its width proven to be fifty feet. It has been proven in each succeeding level driven from the shaft, and its continuity proven for 215 feet.

An era of cyaniding has dawned, and it has been proven that the extremely low-grade oxidized ore can be treated at a profit, and it is not unlikely that this body will yield a handsome revenue to the company.

As a matter of fact, a proposition has already been made to the officers of the company whereby a mill will be erected and the ore handled. The proposition was to lease it, but the officers were far-seeing enough to appreciate the fact that if a lessee could make money, after paying a royalty, the company could make more, and they now have the matter of erecting their own mill under consideration.

The officers of the Central Consolidated Mines Corporation are:

William Whelan, president and manager

J. W. Nicholas, vice-president, and

Thomas Killen [or Thomas Lilleen, as source used that name further down in text], secretary and treasurer.

William Whelan, president and manager, has charge of the active operations. Too much credit can not be given him for the manner in which he has developed the property into a good producer. The expense of mining operations have been reduced to the smallest cost in which good work can be obtained, which is a big item to the stockholders.

Thomas Lilleen [or Thomas Killen, as source used that name further up in text], the secretary and treasurer, looks after the financial end of the company, and that he has done well is best evidenced by the statements issued to the stockholders.

The office of the Corporation is room 33 Postoffice block, Colorado Springs.

Dumping an Ore Car, at Bogart Mine
→ Uphill from the Josephine Tunnel.

The officers, together with;

W. J. Harmon, of Cedar Bluffs

Henry Archer, of Fremont, Neb., and

Dr. R. K. Hutchings, of Colorado Springs,

form the board of directors. All of the gentlemen have visited the Cripple Creek district and are impressed with the possibilities of the future greatness of the camp.

To date there has been produced from the property a total of $35,593.38 worth of gold-bearing ore. With the new ore in sight it is a safe prediction to make that that sum will be insignificant compared with the figures a year hence.