According to Col. H. W. Comstock, the surface ore covers a larger area, exists in larger bodies and carries a higher average value in gold than in any lode mining district yet explored in the Rocky Mountains. It has been demonstrated in the Gold King, Buena Vista, Great View, Superior and Rose-Maud, all of which are producing high grade shipping ore from solid masses measuring from four up to twenty-five feet across.
The next greatest depth, vertically, is in the Gold King, and the ore there is not only greater in quantity, but is of better quality, than it was in the superficial workings. There is no free milling ore, strictly speaking, in the district; but there is a vast tonnage, already uncovered and tested, that can be treated in the ordinary gold mills with little if any preliminary treatment.
This is, of course, surface ore, and as we approach water level we may, and shall, undoubtedly, find it necessary to roast most of the product in order to save a reasonable percentage of its value, as much of it is exceedingly complex in character. In the Gold King tellurium is found in all of the ore.
The grade of these telluride ores is so high, exceeding $100 to the ton, that it will be a profitable shipping ore, notwithstanding its complex character and excess of silica.

Mr. James Porter, who spent many years in the Lake Superior district, had been in the camp for some time, representing eastern parties, and whereas he was not prepared to express positive convictions regarding the continuity of the veins now exposed, he remarked that the outlook was exceedingly encouraging, and the formation apparently worthy of the most thorough examination.
He showed several analyses of ore taken from different sections of the district, made at his instance. Three samples from the Gold King, each from a four-inch streak, and assayed by Dana, showed the following results:
No. 1, $322;
No. 2, $222.50;
No. 3, $231.
Parts of the same samples, assayed by Henry, ran as follows:
No. 1, $321;
No. 2, $357.20;
No. 3, $222.10.

Dr. A. J. Lanterman, having resided in Leadville and at Buena Vista for the past fourteen years, and being everywhere, is recognized as a person of the highest integrity. Since November last, he has spent more than half of his time in the Cripple Creek district and is doubtless second to none in possession of information concerning its resources. He has watched the progress of events with painstaking interest from the beginning, and his simple relation of them constitutes a pretty succinct history of the camp.

"When I first came here, the only mine with any development whatever was the Great View, for it was not until December that work was begun upon the Buena Vista and Gold King, in the latter indications of mineral were observable almost at once, and within two weeks the first shipment was made.
Probably eight or ten tons have been shipped from the Gold King, but I have no means of ascertaining its value. Its vein has walls of porphyry, and I know of but two true fissure veins which have granite walls. Upon these are located the Washington and the Blue Bell.
The generally accepted idea, however, is that the porphyry has been thrown out through the fissures in the granite, and the mineralized quartz has formed true fissures in the porphyry. I am not a geologist or a mineralogist, although engaged in mining for many years. I am not, therefore, bold enough to entertain a theory."

The first property I visited, the Gold King, was more characteristic than any other of this Kindergarten system of mining. It lies on the eastern slope of Womack hill, about a mile from town, and is a sight to behold. The early work upon this property does not seem to have been done by human hands.
The opening has more the appearance of the mouth of a natural cave, and to make the resemblance more striking a large chimney of mineral, resembling a Tuscan column, stands upright in the center, extending from floor to ceiling, or from hanging to foot wall.
The original opening was started as an incline, but since the incline was too abrupt at the inception of the opening to ever become serviceable, it was soon abandoned, and a more rational tunnel, parallel with it, started about twenty feet to the westward.
To get into the original opening one has to jump vertically downward four to six feet. It can scarcely be said to be more than an open cut on the side of the hill, the vein being exposed only a few feet below where the surface was scraped off.
A circuitous tunnel, about fifty feet in length, leads off to the left from this narrow opening, made for the purpose of exploiting the vein, and I should judge the straight tunnel now being run in upon the property will about corner upon the end of this opening.
Entrance to this property has been steadily refused to all comers, and I was therefore agreeably surprised at the courtesy shown me by the superintendent, Mr. S. C. McDonald, an old Leadville miner, who, it need hardly be said, is not responsible for the early and grotesque work done upon the property before he took charge. He offered no objection to my entering, and aided me in every way in satisfying my curiosity.

Being so near the surface, solid walls inclosing the vein were not looked for. Indeed, everything in sight is claimed to be mineralized. The gold-bearing material is described by some as quartz porphyry; by others it is denominated rhyolite-porphyry and by still others bird's-eye porphyry.
At all events, it contains well-defined streaks of tellurium, and abounds in free gold. Some of this is not discernable to the naked eye, concealed as it is by rust, but by rubbing it the glistening metal is disclosed. I tested a great many samples from different parts of the vein, as well as from the dump, in the forge, and in no instance did the gold fail to "fry" out all over the surface.
In front of the opening was piled four or five tons of ore, and the superintendent offered me a wager, somewhat larger that my current holding in coin of the realm, that from the mass he could select a ton, the value of which would exceed the value of a ton of solid silver—nearly thirty thousand dollars! I am not sorry I declined the banter, for "Mc" fronted me with so much urbanity it would have grieved me to have gone away with his hard-earned quarter's salary.
The Gold King company, composed mainly of Colorado Springs people, contemplate a cross-cut drift farther down the hill, intended to secure additional stoping ground. Desultory shipments have been made from this property to Denver and Pueblo; but it is evident that the conditions are not favorable for shipping more than what is encountered in opening up the mine and exposing the vein.
The old dump is being sorted, however, and the better grade of stuff shipped.

In terms of value of the ore, I had to take other people's statements for as I had no means of positively verifying. From statements made to me by different parties I have that the Gold King had $10 to $460 In Superficial Workings; with $248 in Average Assays; whereas Picked Specimens gave $30,000.

The Gold King still continue their regular shipments.

Principal Producing Cripple Creek Mines - 1898:

Name:
Owner: Gold King Mining Co.
Capital: $1,000,000
President: E. A. Colburn
Vice-President:
Secretary: C. H. Dudley
Treasurer:
Superintendent:
Manager: Wm. Lennox
Lessees:
Description: one 80- and two 100-horse power horizontal boilers; air compressor; 60-horse power flat friction 10x12 cylinder Fairbanks-Morse hoist
Employes: sixty employes
Contact:
Notes: own El Paso, Lookout, Rosetta, Stop Short and E. C. L. and T. mines, in Poverty gulch.

The 1897 production was approximately for the El Paso-Gold King 5,000 tons.

Although it has been reported from time to time that the El Paso of the Gold King company was sending out a big tonnage of high grade ore, the annual report of that company shows a general average for all ore of but little over an ounce to the ton. This set people to guessing and it now develops that the rich ore comes from the Rosita and Midnight claims.
These are owned by Giddings and Lennox privately, but are worked through the El Paso shaft, hence the big shipments thought to have gone out from that claim.

Colorado Springs, Col.—According to the "Gazette" the Colorado Electric Power Company has as a large user the Gold King, with a 10 horse power hoist.

During 1899 it was paid in Dividends by the Gold King—
February……………..………01…$10,000
July……………………………03……30,000
October........................03……30,000
December…...........................23,685
Total………...........................$93,685

Besides the Stratton's Independence having shut down, the Gold King Mining Company has quit breaking ore, and is only doing development.
What ore is mined is stored and not shipped, owing to the labor troubles. There are about 718 men now idle in the district.

The situation is somewhat improved, but not yet settled. A number of concessions have been made by both sides. At present it seems as though the strike at the Standard mill would be settled, as all the demands of the union men at the mill have been met with, except as to the reinstatement of some of the striking mill men. If the trouble is not settled very soon a number of mines will have to close from having no marked for their ore.

At present the Gold King mine is shut down due to the strike.

Gold King is expecting to soon resume work after the millmen's strike settlement, which makes everything look brighter in the Cripple Creek District. The settlement is a matter of congratulation, as a general strike would probably have resulted in a complete tie-up for a long time.

El Paso Gold King, one of the old time favorites, is again outputting a good grade of ore. This mine has been flooded for sometime, but the upper levels have been drained and steady shipments will be maintained.

The beneficial effects of the drainage tunnel are being felt in every mine in the Cripple Creek district previously hampered by water. Like in the Elkton, Mary McKinney and as far away as the El Paso Gold King in Poverty Gulch, the water has fallen at the rate of from four to five feet per month.

The El Paso Gold King, the oldest mine in the camp, from which enormous quantities of ore has been shipped, is among the companies about to resume operations.
When the mine closed down, there was over 80 feet of water in the shaft. About half this amount has been drained off since the completion of the tunnel, and the remainder is being lowered rapidly.

El Paso Gold King.—An ore washing apparatus is being constructed for this property on Poverty gulch, to be used mainly in working over the dump, which has been acquired by lessees. It is claimed that much of the dump material contains good values, especially that which was mined several years ago.

The El Paso Gold King mine has resumed operations after a shut down of six months caused by the tremendous flow of water which submerged the lower levels. However, since the drainage tunnel was completed, the workings have been drained and work can now be resumed in the lower levels.
The Gold King was the first producing mine in the Cripple Creek district, having been discovered by Bob Womack, and it has been a steady producer ever since it was found over fourteen years ago, and the grade of ore shipped from this property has always given good returns, ranging around $30 per ton.

Gold King.—This property has resumed operations with a small force of men, which will be added to as fast as possible. The Gold King is the last of the mines which were closed down when the strike was ordered last August, to resume.
When working full handed more than 100 men were employed.

A good illustration of the permanency of the ore shoot has been in the Gold King and C. O. D. mines, up Poverty Gulch. In the former property a barren, lean zone was encountered, but the management, with pluck and will, went ahead, knowing that the riches had to come from below. They sunk through that portion, which at times was loose, porous and hungry, and after a time the formation became tight and hard, and with it came values, until now the ore they are breaking in the bottom beats anything found above.
That same condition was encountered in the C. O. D. mine, adjoining. Now in the bottom level of that mine is showing a rich ore streak averaging between two and three inches wide that has so thoroughly enriched the ground that the rock is being broken over four feet wide, making screenings which average around two ounces in gold to the ton.

Colorado Springs, Aug. 25. Manager Frank May, operating on the El Paso Gold King mine, located in Poverty Gulch, has encountered a large body of smelting ore at a depth of 900 feet in the bottom level. Work has only been resumed a short time in this mine, but driving was pushed ahead at fast as possible with the result that this large body of ore has been encountered, the extent of which has not yet been determined.

El Paso Gold King.—This company is now producing a car of ore a day. About forty men are at work, many of whom are engaged in development work. Frank May is superintendent.

Colorado Springs, Oct. 26.—The Gold King Company is at the present time making a good tonnage of ore from the bottom level, where an ore body was recently opened. The lessees are able to obtain assays of any value wanted from their recent find.

Colorado Springs, Nov. 9.—The El Paso Gold King, in Poverty Gulch, which is claimed to have been the first producing mine of the district, is maintaining an output of 30 tons of ore a day of an average value of $40 to a ton. This production is being made with a force of only 20 men.

Colorado Springs, Dec. 26.—Conditions on the Gold King Mine, located at Poverty Gulch, and the first producing property in the district, are improving greatly as depth is attained.
The company has now sunk a winze between 50 and 60 feet deep below the level, which is showing the entire width in smelting grade ore.

Colorado Springs, Col., Jan. 22.—The Gold King Company, operating its property which is located in Poverty Gulch, has resumed the payment of dividends after a suspension of dividends for over three years, the company having paid its last dividend in July, 1901, at which time it amounted to $28,105.58, while up to that time the sum of $262,318 had been paid.

The Gold King mine was the first property to be opened in the district and with the exception of the time that the operators were passing through this barren zone the mine has been producing ore continually. Up to the latter part of 1901 a gross ore production had been made that came within a few dollars of the one million mark.

The company has a good-sized acreage, which is considered to be among the best in the district, and in all probability dividends will be paid regularly from this on.

Womack Hill - Gold King
Some work is being done on this hill at present. The Gold King is working steadily, and a number of other small leases are doing some work.

Cripple Creek.—Work on the shaft of the C. O. D. mine, under lease to L. A. Hayden, has been completed to the 1,000 foot level. Arrangements have been made with the Gold King people to have them drift south on their tenth level to the C. O. D. line, and if the ore continues thus far then Mr. Hayden will crosscut from the bottom level of the C. O. D.

Cripple Creek.—The El Paso Gold King in Poverty gulch in the Cripple Creek district is producing steadily at the rate of a car a day. Recently a crosscut from the 1,000 foot level, the deepest of the mine, opened the main vein and ore shoot about 350 feet north of the shaft.
The vein is 4 to 6 feet wide and the ore, with little sorting, runs close to 2 ounces gold to the ton.

Denver.—The Gold King in Poverty gulch, the first discovery in the district, is outputting at the rate of 13 cars per month, the average grade of which is 1½ ounces.

Cripple Creek.—Thirty tons of good grade have been shipped from the Gold King in Poverty gulch.

Cripple Creek—The El Paso Gold King in Poverty gulch have shipped ore.

The Gold King mine has been leased to the Waldron Bros., who have started developing the bodies lying above water level.

Roberts and Walden of Cripple Creek, who recently secured a lease on the El Paso Gold King, have made their first two-car shipment and are cleaning up ore left in the old workings.

Denver Nov. 15—The El Paso-Gold King, in Poverty gulch, is producing about 30 tons of ounce gold ore daily. It is under lease to Owen Roberts, and employs 45 miners.

George Dinkins sub-leasing on the lowest level of the El Paso Gold King ground opened a shoot of ore that assays over $40 per ton.

Cripple Creek shareholders of the Gold King M. Co., a close corporation controlled by Colorado Springs capitalists, have checks for the June dividend for 2 cents a share. The company has 1,000.000 shares, par value $1, and the dividend totals $20,000.
The Gold King mine, at the head of Poverty gulch, is locally known as the El Paso Gold King, and was one of the first locations and shipping mines of the district.

Denver, July 2—The El Paso Gold King, in Poverty gulch, in the Cripple Creek district, has paid the June dividend of 2c. per share on its 1,000,000-share capitalization, or $20,000.

Gold King—This company, owning the El Paso mine at the head of Poverty gulch, has paid three dividends this year.
The mine was leased to Owen Roberts 18 months ago, and is subleased to various sets.

El Paso-Gold King—This mine, in Poverty gulch, leased by Owen Roberts, is producing about 800 tons per month of $15 to $20 ore.

Gold King—The El Paso Gold King still continues to produce regularly, and three cars of mill ore were shipped this week by Owen Roberts, lessee.

El Paso Gold King—The output from this mine in Poverty gulch, just east of Cripple Creek, is being maintained by Owen Roberts, lessee. In developing, no attempt was made to open new ground, but some of the known veins were opened at different places and extensions of veins were found.
There is much ore in sight, enough to maintain the present output for some time.

Denver Dec. 22—As an interesting piece of history it may be recorded that in 1890, Bob Womack, known as the "Father of Cripple Creek," discovered the first mine of the district in Poverty Gulch, and named it the "Gold King," since when it is credited with a production of over 57,000,000, and has paid 53,000,000 in dividends.
A few years ago it was supposed to be a worked-out mine and was leased by the Gold King company to Owen Roberts, who is now producing about 30 cars of ore per month; the company has just paid a dividend of 3c. per share on its 1,000,000 shares.

Lessees George Roerig, James Marshall and Willis Irving, who have been working leases in the Gold King mine on Womack hill several years, have made what appears to be a big strike.
Sylvanite ore was opened in a winzes sunk from the sixth level about 60 ft. north of the "Million-dollar stope."

Ore which will ship at two ounces to the ton has been opened on the 500-foot level of the old Gold King mine—the first in the camp—by Sub-lessees Boarig and Marson, who have been working in this mine several years.

Three big strikes by sub-lessees is a record made in the last three days on the El Paso Gold King property, the oldest gold producer of the Cripple Creek district.
The most important of the three discoveries is by Roerig & Marsen in a stope from the fifth level, where the ore body opened up carries values as high as $225.60 in gold to the ton.
Snyder & Wilson, operating between the third and fourth levels of the same property, are developing a three-foot shoot which carries values of from two to three ounces in gold.
While on the fifth level, southwest, Treewick & MacDonald have encountered three and a half feet of two-ounce mineral.

Gold King M. Co., main shaft, Poverty Gulch, is now 1007 ft.

Phenacite. A glucinum orthosilicate of the composition 2GIO.SiO2 (54.45 per cent SiO2, 45.55 per cent GIO). One of the place it is found is in Colorado at Cripple Creek in the Gold King Mine.

Owen Roberts, former lessee of the El Paso Gold King, has taken a new lease on the Poverty Gulch mine, reputed the first producer of the Cripple Creek district. Twelve sets of sub-lessees started in with Roberts the first day.
The mine are controlled by the Giddings-Lennox interests of Colorado Springs.

Owen Roberts, lessee of the El Paso Gold King, the first regular producer at Cripple Creek, is again shipping. A car of mill-grade ore has been consigned to the Golden Cycle mill at Colorado Springs.
Property are controlled by the Lennox-Giddings interests of Colorado Springs.

Owen Roberts, lessee of the El Paso Gold King, in Poverty gulch, is again shipping.

Rich surface discoveries have recently been made at the El Paso Gold King, originally located by Robert Womack as the Chance.

Leasees on the Gold King in Poverty gulch are maintaining steady production.