| Show FIVEMILE FIVE MILE NEWHOUSE DRAIN TUNNEL TO CREATE COLORADO MINING REVIVAL for several months extensive operations have been carried on at the argo tunnel by the burroughs holding company of which frank sparks is general manager of operations at this point says an idaho springs spring colo dispatch of recent date A great deal of work was required in timbering and cleaning up the main tunnel commonly known as the newhouse or argo tunnel chichis which ds the longest metal mining tunnel in the world being nearly five miles long work was then directed with the idea of un watering the quartz hill mining district of nevadaville Nev adaville in gilpin county and for the last ten days the people of idaho springs have been awaiting the good news of the breaking through at a point about feet in the tunnel the ing operations have been carried on in a adrift drift about feet from the main tunnel and up a raise about feet the raise has been run on the ophir burroughs vein and when the connection is made it will connect with the ophir shaft or some of its workings nearby A large drill is being used which cuts a hole approximately three inches in diameter five holes have been drilled in different directions ranging in length from forty to fifty two feet the last one drilled the early part of the week was thought to have holed through at the time as a vast quantity of water came through the hole and the men left the workings closing the bulk head as they went out which is at a point where the drift joins the main tunnel although increased water came to the raise it is evident that they did not hole through after waiting a day the men went back in and are now drilling another 50 foot hole which will be loaded and shot as well as the one that is now making the most water it atia is quite evident that when these two holes are shot th the ophir ahir workings will then be broken into and the draining of the ophir mine will commence the unwavering of the ophir kansas burroughs california and other great mines of the nevadaville Nev adaville district will open the largest mining operations that have possibly ever been experienced in this country the un watering of this district will mean the employment of hundreds of men the opening up and shipping of vast quantities of ore and further development of probably the richest section of either clear creek or gilpin counties it has been a vast undertaking and to mr sparks goes much of the credit it has been his ambition for many years to extend the newhouse tunnel into the nevadaville Nev adaville district and the un watering of properties that were forced to cease operations on account of water this is not a case of worked out mines but a case of too much water and mr sparks seems about to realize his ambition mr sparks company will do a great deal of mining in the tunnel and it is expected that dozens of mines will be opened that are on the route of the tunnel especially in the nevadaville Nev adaville district |
