07.04.2024 (13:39:34)
Battle Mountain Mines From Southeast
Unknown
To me this view here is informative and nice. Sadly, the original image is quite faded, but I been able to work around most of that and got some details better visible. Dating this image is helped by lack of the Short Line grade into Victor from east; making this photographed from before latter half of 1901 as by November that year, some of what is seen in this image would have had to give way make room for the Short Line and new High Line grade. And being the original High Line trestle is seen near upper right on Battle Mountain, this view has been taken after December 1, 1897, as that is the date the rails and catenary was in place on the route to Victor. This gives a near 4-year span on when this image was photographed by someone unknown.
Against the sky at about 1/3 in from right-hand side is an earlier edition of the later more famous large Portland No.2 Shafthouse, only dumps are seen up there so the large orehouse often seen in images are yet to come, as those seems linked to the still to come Short Line branchline, also a late 1901 happening.
Further downhill the quite familiar shafthouse of the Portland No.1 Burns Shaft is seen, with 5-smokestacks, long orehouse, and various larger structures linked to that mine. Looking at high-resolution scans I see three large round watertanks linked to the Portland mines, and I see the Scranton shafthouse on the hillside above and to the right of the Portland No.1 shafthouse.
I also see the lower tunnel opening of the famous Golden Circle Steel Tunnel that was built to be covered by the Portland dump, an article in a journal named 'Engineering' was published September 17, 1898 talking about that tunnel and showing images that would suggest this image to be from after that time, taking us down to a 3-year span in the dating department.
To the left of the Portland No.1 dumps on the high-resolution scans I can pick out the upper Granite Mine structures, but at my 2400dpi scan I still can't say for sure if I see structures along a long dump on the hillside above the Granite, structures that if I read my maps, like the 1903ish topographic USGS one, is mostly on the Lowell lode claim, there seems to be some structures but to far away to tell for sure.
The Ajax mine is seen against the sky near upper left side of the image, with the north, or upper, shafthouse structures of the Dead Pine mine operations to the right of the Ajax, with what appears to be a string of boxcars parked on the 3-foot Golden Circle railroad just to the right of those structures.
Further downhill and to the left of the easy to spot old shafhouse of the Strong Mine a smaller headframe with hoisthouse to the right of it is seen, I often wonder about it, and this might be the location of the W. C. Dillon lode claim discovery shaft, but I have no good maps to tell me for certain as the only possible marking on the 1903ish topo-map is also close to the Strong lode sideline, but most likely it is just a shaft operation on the W. C. Dillon.
Strong Mine has been mentioned, it is the older tower-like easy to spot shafthouse, with its still standing today ore-house seen in front of and somewhat to the left of the shafthouse.
Going to the right from the Strong one passes the Stratton's Independence dump and what might still be some left-over structures of the original Discovery Shaft of the Independence lode claim, not easy to tell for certain.
Also not easy to tell for sure, but just to the lower left of the easy to spot orehouse of the Independence mine there is a small dump and some structures on that dump that fits with the location of the Discovery Shaft of the Washington lode claim, but the structure fail to fit the only known image of the Washington mine, so I can't compare views and verify through that.
Talking about the Stratton's Independence, that mine has three larger ore-houses spread out along the M.T. grade, and the large Shafthouse of the Independence No.2 is seen in the background left of the large Independence Orehouse and the huge belching smoke smokestack of the Independence.
The old Taylor-Brunton Sampler that was along the M.T. mainline below the Portland Mine is also seen near right-hand side of the image about halfway up from bottom right.
In addition to those mining-based structures, the roadbed of the Florence & Cripple Creek is seen here and there, with some boxcars parked alongside a longer structure just where the Golden Circle trackage has melted into the F. & C. C. tracks, possible a coal shed and storage area for many products, but to be gone later as it is not seen on the 1903ish topo-map.
There is a dump on the hillside below that before mention shed and boxcars string, about 1/3 up from bottom and 2/5 in from right-hand side, this I believe was around the Discovery Shaft, most likely on a secondary shaft south of it, on the Corrigan Chief lode claim, with what feels like some sort of mining structures type small mill below that again, being two structures at two levels being connected and having some smokestacks. This structure also does not seem to appear on the 1903ish topo-map so could have been gone by the time that map was prepared. For now, this would be one of many unknowns, unless it is the Robert McCools Foundry, that is shown on Sheet11 of the Victor 1900 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, as that fits the image somewhat well!
I did procure the colored version of this image, if that is what you see, as I think it is nicer. Source is gray-toned, or in common speech black & white. Used an online service and tweaked and worked with image to get what looks best to my eyes for the moment.
My Collection; Photographs.

• My Website: ⊞ Battle Mountain Mines From Southeast
• My Website; Cropped Photolink: ⊞ Battle Mountain Mines From Southeast [Enhanced; Colored]

P-04750
Photograph/Image [#544]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#54402.03.2023 (08:18:07)
The Independence Mine
Unknown
This image here is part of a series of images which I only have this one. The Series seems to be called ''Wonders of America'' and this was Number 32. It was manufactured by Chicago Projecting Co. I think it might be an Andrew James Harlan photo but not confirmed it yet by 02.06.2019 when this note is written.
Scene is in eastern part of Victor, looking up passed some townlike structures and the eastern end of the F. & C. C. railroad yard. The sort of focus is the building of the larger Ore-house of the Independence, with its Experimental mill already in place to the right of the new Ore-house, as seen as whitish structures which roofs meet in a form of V.
In background left, about center top/down there is a whitish Shaft House of quite large size, this is the Independence No. 2 Shaft, not sure when that got out of use, but it is marked on my USGS 1903 topographic map, so I guess it lasted into the earlier 1900's at least.
In front of the dump out from the Independence shaft house, to the left of the orehouse they are building, along the rails coming from the M. T. railyard outside the view at left, about 1/3 in from left-hand side and 1/3 up from bottom of the view, there is what appears to be a loading platform standing, and for a time I was thinking that is a left-over from the Old Independence mine, also known as the Discovery Shaft on the claim known as Independence, but, that is not true!
The shaft structure and ore house of that Discovery Shaft is gone already, it was located closer to the yellowish orehouse under constructing in this image, zooming in on my local high resolution scan I might see some cribbing that might be left-over from cribbing at the Discovery Shaft, but hard to tell for sure.
My Collection; Magic Lanterns. Cropped 600dpi view without the frame.
G-00101
Photograph/Image [#349]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#34921.11.2021 (16:02:49)
The Blue Stocking Mine
Andrew James Harlan
As this photo appears in a February/March 1896 publication, this dates the photo to no later than early 1896, but more likely to 1895, I doubt 1894 but can't see anything in the view to rule it out either...
Why Mr. Harlan indicates Independence Mine No. 2 as Portland No. 2 I do not know, but this is at least the second image I've seen him do it on. Both are from around 1895/1896, so either that mine used to locally be known as that, or he just has his info crossed... Me think the latter. Other publications from this timeframe say that the structure is the Independence No. 2 Mine, including a Sanborn fire Insurance Map. The Portland No. 2 is further uphill from No. 1, in this view that would be outside the view at top right.
The small mine in the foreground is operations on the Blue Stocking Mine, not sure which part of the claim as per info in Hills 1900 Manual this claim is partly owned by two companies, whereas the Portland Gold Mining Company is one of those. Same is the Black Diamond, the Scranton and the Anna Lee mines, all marked out in this view, all of them also became part of the great Portland Gold Mining company.
About middle of image, top/down, the Midland Terminal roadbed of the mainline along Battle Mountain is seen, and in just a couple of years this scene will change very much as the dumps grows to immense dimensions.
I did procure the colored version of this image, if that is what you see. Source was grayish, or in common speech black & white. Used an online service and tweaked and worked with image to get what looks best to my eyes at the moment.
My Collection; From page 28 in the Quarterly Sentinel [Vol. 1 - 1896]. I did procure the colored version of this image. Source was grayish, or in common speech black & white. Used an online service and tweaked and worked with image to get what looks best to my eyes at the moment.

• Page 28; The Quarterly Sentinel [Vol. 1 - 1896; History of Cripple Creek] - Published in 1896.

I-00536
Photograph/Image [#411]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#41121.11.2021 (16:00:30)
Independence and Portland Mines, Battle Mountain, Cripple Creek Mining District
William Edward Hook
This view shows several of the earlier mines on Battle Mountain, looking in a westerly direction.
We see near left-hand side and about 1/3 from top-left the East and partly south side of the Old Independence Mine, with the ore-house in front of the shaft house, and partly hiding the west most part of it.
Further up the hill to right is seen the well-known Independence Mine (No. 1) with its large Shaft House.
If we go left about 1/3 from right-hand side, and about 1/4 down from top we see the large Shaft House of the Independence No. 2 shaft, with the M.T. railroad in front of it and not the greatest dump there yet. This makes this view earlier than a H.S. Poley view (My ID I-01172) which is dated around 1895, early 1896.
Further up the hill is seen several shaft houses that shall disappear as the Portland Mine expand and engulf several of them, and in this view the larger ore-house seen in the before mention Poley view, which I have thought of as part of the Portland mine, that is no-where here to be seen below the shaft house of the Bob-Tail mine which is the structure at left of the Independence No. 2 where a single smokestack is poking up near end of the long sloping roof on the right side.
A little left and downhill a tiny bit and more west is the smaller Shaft House of the Lowell Mine.
Just above the Independence No. 2 is the original Portland Mine, just behind the smokestack of the Independence.
The Black Diamond is located just left of the Portland mine, hard to see even in the 100% view of this photo. Hiding mostly also behind the Independence No. 2.
Above the Portland and to the right, near the top is the Anna Lee mine, with a small ore-house in front and a smokestack seems to be located outside the shaft house itself, or at least at the lowest end of the long roof.
Below the Anna Lee is seen the Scranton shaft, with its shaft house extended to make a different slope on the short roof side.

Copyright restrictions applying to use or reproduction of this image available from the Western History and Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library, at photosales@denverlibrary.org.

• Denver Public Library: ⊞ Call Number: X-62585

I-01171
Photograph/Image [#84]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#8425.02.2017 (11:37:31)
The Independence Mine
Horace Swartley Poley [1895]
This view is a little bit complicated to decode as there are many mines seen, but I do my best, and to help me out a little I have taken the view from DPL and started to mark out mines and blurred the rest as I am not able to show the view as it cost money to do it correct way as per info on their site. I just think what I've done here should be allowed as I am really helping them out so to speak.
Lowest marked on the hill is the Old Independence Mine, below the easy recognized Independence No. 1 Shaft House about middle of image.
Near the right-hand side there is six mine, not all that easy to see but use the DPL view and go for 100% or 200%view and it gets easier. I have marked out the Bob-Tail (aka Bobtail No. 2) Mine where it is hiding behind the newly built/under construction ore-house of the Portland No 1 mine (aka Burns Shaft). This shaft was set as near as possible to the center of the most productive portion of the Portland Gold Mining Co.'s ground. The Burns Shaft was commenced on the first of April 1895 as per the Feb. 3, 1896 Annual Report.
Just below the Portland mine is the large shaft house, and dump in front of it, of the Independence No. 2 mine. I've not been able to locate for certain the location of the Independence No. 4 shaft house. The mainline of the M.T. passes between the shaft house and the dump of the Independence No. 2 mine, and if memory serve me right, the ore-house is on the dump side of the tracks.
Above the Independence No. 2 and to the right of the Burns Shaft, the location of the original Portland shaft is also marked out, but I have a hard time seeing details there, as in that same area should be the shaft house and ore-house of the Black Diamond mine. In a few years, all this is changed drastic as there will be railroad grades, structures and dumps in that area fully erasing all traces of the start of the great Portland mine.
Further up the hill, near top and right-hand side of the image is the Anna Lee mine which suffered a dramatic cave-in in early January 1896 killing 8 men and possible ruined the shaft house as I think the whole shaft collapsed – but as of 26.01.2017 I've not been able to confirm that thought.
Below the Anna Lee is the Scranton Shaft/Mine, a large shaft house that stands for many years and can be seen in many images showing the Portland Mine operations.
Squaw Mountain is the hill at left-hand side and the mines seen/marked here is all on Battle Mountain.
Copy of DPL image Z-6852 - marked the known mines, blurred the rest.
Copyright restrictions applying to use or reproduction of this image available from the Western History and Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library, at photosales@denverlibrary.org.

• Denver Public Library: ⊞ Call Number: Z-6852

I-01172
Photograph/Image [#80]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#8025.02.2017 (11:14:23)
Granite Mine & Battle Mountan Mines
Unknown [1895]
View of the Granite Mine front left, with the Golden Circle side spur passed its orehouse seen partly in lower right and the tramway to the dump where a miner is about to dump a mine ore car seen middle right-hand side. Where the crib-wall is seen on the left-hand side the mainline of the Golden Circle is climbing up towards other mines on Battle Mountain, but where it also is a side spur back to the Coal Shed seen just above the crib-wall. The Shaft house of the Granite is seen behind the coal shed.
Just behind the shaft house of the Granite mine, is the Shaft house of the Lowell mine – with a small smokestack near the peak of the roof. All this is on the left-hand side of the view. Behind those mines, more right and up on the hill a little, one can see the cut made by the M.T. railroad, and further up in the background, is seen three other shaft houses.
First, highest up, is the Shaft house of the Anna Lee Mine, with the Portland No. 2 Shaft House just right of it, with a Water-tank just below that mine to the right in this view.
Below the water-tank is a shed like structure that appears to match perfectly to a known structure on the Bob Tail mine, located just below the M.T. roadbed. What happen to the shaft house seen on other views of the Bob Tail I can't tell you about now [as per 08.01.2017].
The Shaft house furthest down the hill in this view I am not 100% certain about, but I think it is the shaft house known as the Independence No.2 mine. But it fits the look of that mine and location when compared to for instance DPL image X-62454.
DPL image X-62544.
Copyright restrictions applying to use or reproduction of this image available from the Western History and Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library, at photosales@denverlibrary.org.

• Denver Public Library: ⊞ Call Number: X-62544

I-00367
Photograph/Image [#36]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#36

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