HISTORY OF THE NEW ALMADEN MINES 



189 



FIGURE 114. The Hacienda In 1875. On extreme right Is the new Scott furnace, which was the first of its type ever built. The other large 

 buildings enclose the older batch furnaces consisting of a series of chambers, similar to those shown in figure 106. Note in the central 

 part of the photograph the huge piles of wood used in firing the furnaces. From L. B. Bullmore collection. 



had spent their entire lives on the hill had been dis- 

 missed. 



When Randol departed in 1889 he retained for a 

 time his position as general manager, though until 

 near the end of 1891 the actual mining was directed 

 by the mine superintendent, Col. F. Von Leicht. Capt. 

 James Harry succeeded Von Leicht as mine superin- 

 tendent, and shortly after Randol resigned, in March 

 1892, Robert R. Bulmore, who had been cashier for 

 many years, was appointed as the general agent of 

 the company. The position of general manager was 

 abolished, and the mine superintendent directed the 

 mining while the general agent directed the furnac- 

 ing and all other company business. In January 1896 

 C. C. Derby was appointed mine superintendent; 

 and at the end of 1899, when the position of general 



agent was abolished, he assumed all the duties for- 

 merly handled by the general manager. He was suc- 

 ceeded in 1901 by his father, Thomas Derby, who 

 remained in charge to the end of 1909. As all these 

 men had worked for years under Randol, they were 

 thoroughly familiar with the mine : and they put forth 

 every effort to maintain the greatest possible produc- 

 tion with the limited capital at their disposal. 



The Almaden shaft, lying between the America 

 shaft and the San Francisco shaft, had been started 

 by Randol to explore the continuation of the ore shoot 

 mined in the near-surface San Ramon stope, and 

 James Harry continued sinking it to below the 600 

 level. Exploratory drifts on the 500 and 600 levels 

 Cut "favorable vein" containing some cinnabar, but 

 as no real ore was found the project was abandoned. 



