After Hours in Central City, Redux

[Tim Schreiner]

I took this pic back in August of 2013. I did my part to uncover the depot by filling a few coffee cans full of dirt from the mine tailing to use on my future layout. This rail was exposed where the road crosses the RR grade going to the depot.

[Rick Steele]

Gosh Tim,

I wondered what happened to that....

Actually, I have seen rail that has "dropped out" and down the side of the tailings pile. I think that it was Railroad Rail, but I can't be sure. The angle was right, parallel to the pile. It disappeared within a couple of days. Probably "salvaged" for scrap.

There were three lengths of old C&S Rail (about 6 30' sticks of 40 lb rail) that the 71 and company were put on display with. This was later changed to 60 lb when the CCNG abandoned in the 1980's and I don't know what happened to the rest of this when Court Hammond pulled up stakes. I wasn't there.

Rick

[John Schapekahm]

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[Chris Walker]

I am wondering what sort of mill process was used at the Chain-O-Mines mill, looks to be flotation given the shape and tailings pond.  Cyanide process perhaps, first used here in New Zealand by the way :), or mercury amalgamation?

Here's one that shows the Depot and the Mill from a better angle.



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[Chris Walker]

[John Schapekahm]

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[Rick Steele]

Chris,

I believe that Bill Russell said that it was the Mercury Process. He always claimed that there was a "Big Ball of Mercury under those tailings somewhere"

Of course Angelo DiBenedetto claimed that there was a lot of good clay under there that he could make pottery with.

So there are the opinions of two Mayoral candidates, but only one was elected... At the time that I lived up there, the longest serving Mayor in Central, Bill Russell.

John,

Thanks for the reminder on Harold Caldwell's last name. He always had a nice looking "Secretary" with him when he was inspecting the Central City Properties.

Just a note for the sharp eyed. Notice that the rear corner of the Depot was changed from a roll up door to a window and standard door using a rock wall. I believe this occurred after the Railroad was abandoned to service in 1927.

Rick

[John Schapekahm]

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[John Schapekahm]

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[Chris Walker]

I tried to follow the Insert Image instruction but it didn't take for some reason.  Odd too that it posted the picture.
What did I do wrong Darrel !!

[Chris Walker]

As that got messed up again, BLAH !, here is the DPL link to the picture
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/39643/rv/singleitem
DPL call # X-61794

[Darel Leedy]

I don't know Chris. Mike and John are the expert image posters. I have yet to even try.

[Darel Leedy]

John,
Where was all this concentrate loaded onto the C&S that the Chain O' Mines was shipping out? It's been a while since I've looked at Rick's CC yard maps, but I don't recall a place for them to load it there. ?

[John Schapekahm]

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[Rick Steele]

In a word to both of you, no. The concentrate, if there was any would have been shipped out of Black Hawk, probably using a spur or team track to load the Box Cars.

Remember that the Chain O' Mines would not have had any place to operate if the Railroad was still running into Central. No place for the tailings. Remember, the track was up in 1931. Just two years after the Depression hit.

Rick

[Darel Leedy]

So what you are saying is that the concentrates were trucked down to Black Hawk for loading? There was a very large transfer dock right up until the end. Always wondered what/who it was for.


                                                                                                                           Heitkamp Collection

[John Schapekahm]

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[Rick Steele]

That's a Maxwell or Kindig slide.

When 119 was being built into Black Hawk and the end of the railroad was imminent, the railroad was abandoned through town and those docks were effectively end of track. The stone depot in Black Hawk was demolished and the Black Hawk Section House was used as the depot.

Rick

[Darel Leedy]

Rick, where was this dock and section house located in relation to your 1898 map? Any pictures of said section house?

[John Schapekahm]

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