LINDGREN AND"] 

 RANSOME. 



PRODUCTION. 9 



Production of the Cripple Creek district according to the reports of the Director of the Mint. 



The total dividends can not be ascertained on account of the many 

 individuals and small companies operating in the district. The divi- 

 dends of the larger companies, it is stated, amounted to $32,752,000 to 

 the end of 1903. In that year it is reported that $1,716,000 was paid 

 by fourteen mines, Portland, Strong, and Stratton's Independence 

 leading, with $360,000, $300,000, and $250,000, respectively. 



MIXING AKB METALLURGY. 



At the present time there are about 300 mines in the district, though 

 many of these are idle and others are consolidated into larger proper- 

 ties. The number of shafts 1,000 feet or more in depth is about 22; 

 of these the Lillie is the deepest, having attained 1,500 feet. Compar- 

 atively few of the mines are pumping, the district being drained by 

 tunnels, as will be described in a following paragraph. The motive 

 power for hoisting is ordinarily steam, electric power being used only 

 in smaller shafts. The mining methods employed present few features 

 of particular interest. The width stoped ranges from 3 to 50 feet or 

 more. The stopes are sometimes filled, but are often left open after 

 the broken rock between levels has been drawn off. Operations are 

 facilitated by the great hardness of the rock, stopes 200 feet or more 

 in height sometimes standing for years. To an annual production of 

 $18,000,000 (1900) corresponded a maximum output of about 600,000 

 tons. The ores are not adapted to concentrating by ordinary means. 



The figures given in the Mint reports are considerably lower than those usually quoted in mining 

 journals and popular descriptions of the district. 



