Idaho Springs Mid-Town Ore Processing: Part 2

[Chris Walker]

This time we are looking closely at the Sunshine Mining Co, if not the first Mill in Idaho Springs, at least one of the very earliest stamping operations that seemed to have closed its doors fairly early, as well as another later small custom mill, the Mixsell.  Both were located on the aptly named Water Street and supplied(not at the same time though) by the same Dam across Clear Creek that has featured prominately in a lot of photos of the town; these Mills were in time to be rebuilt, enlarged and expanded on a very grand scale compared with the humble beginnings of both.

As with all the other Milling operations in Idaho, both changed names and neither were big enough to have had the Colorado Central lay sidings to the door, not until the turn of the Century did sidings get put in.


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll21/id/9818/rv/singleitem

http://libcudl.colorado.edu:8180/luna/servlet/UCBOULDERCB1~21~21
Sanborn 1886


On the right is the fledgling Clear Creek Foundry & Machine Co, expanding to fill the needs of the burgeoning mining and milling industry.

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll21/id/10189/rv/singleitem

The large multi-dormered I.S.Reduction Co Concentrating Mill, but with only one siding visible at this stage.

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/67655/rv/singleitem

Sanborn 1908.



A little detail digression: Note the crossties under this "shoehorned in" turnout, complete with obsolete Harp switchstand.  Harps were used on relaid or new sidings elsewhere in Idaho after the Elliot F&S rotary stands were introduced here.

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll21/id/10332/rv/singleitem

Sanborn 1890



http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/67650/rv/singleitem


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll21/id/11921/rv/singleitem

By now the Mixsell Mill has been reincarnated as the Bonieta Concentrator & Almagamator.  This building obviously was rebuilt and expanded to include another structure closer to Miner St. and connected with a hand powered Tramway on a short trestle.

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/36556/rv/singleitem


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll21/id/11920/rv/singleitem

Sanborn 1908.


By this time the complex Idaho Springs switching puzzle has nearly expanded to its fullest extent.

[Jeff Young]

Great stuff, Chris.

I love the covered flume running down the middle of the street.

About the interleaved ties… do you think that was to keep from having to disturb the existing ones, or just because they had standard-length ties on hand, but no turnout-length ties?

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Chris Walker]

Jeff,  I remembered your Stub questions over at the NGDGF so I included that here for you {:))

I can't answer as to the exact reason but .....I'd say since the Uintah Rly (at Deer Run) did do turnouts that way, expediency may have been the order of the day and it may be just a "once-off" sort of thing on the C&S and there in Idaho Springs, I haven't found another example yet so clearly illustrated.  As the siding track was already in place and I'd say in use for deliveries then inserting normal length ties would be a easy way of putting in a switch into existing track without tying up the line.  I like it!

ps can you edit your post to Cut the article body out from your reply please.  Would make for easier scrolling.

[Jeff Young]

> ps can you edit your post to Cut the article body out from your reply please.  Would make for easier scrolling.

Oops.  My bad.  (Now fixed.)

[Chris Walker]

Thanks Jeff,
it's not so bad on a reply to a few lines of text but that article was getting out of hand for one post and my hands are not as dexterous as they once were making rolling the scroll wheel tiresome.

[Chris Walker]

Another later view, dated 1922 by the DPL(?) looking West that incidently does not show the Chamberlain-Dillingham Mill (demolished 1918) but does show the Bonieta Mill with its newer inclined tramway visible more clearly than the other view.  Just to the creekside of the Depot( upper centre right) is the angled Bonieta Mill orehouse that was served by a private siding.  This siding does not show on the later C&S Trackage map of Idaho dated 1922/rev.1929.



and just below the photographer, the clearly defined coalcars, one with blocklettering shows that the I.S.Reduction Co Concentrating Mill has been demolished, this siding would have not been visible at this angle.  Further to the right the Bertha #1 millsite is also vacant, yet the siding trackage still remains.  (see http://c-sn3-discussion-forum.41377.n7.nabble.com/There-But-Not-Noticed-At-The-Edge-Of-Idaho-Springs-The-Anderson-Mill-td1480.html )


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/

[Mark Henning]

Great information... I have a lot more space dedicated for Idaho Springs than I have structures to place in the area on my Golden & Silver Plume Excursion Line... which will help fill in the voids.

[Chris Walker]

Glad you found inspiration in these images, as I also did.  Idaho must have been a wonderful place to wander through during the years of Lachlan McLean.

Bonus image of the Mixsell of old.

[Todd A Ferguson]

Jeff, I have seen photos of turnouts built with only crossties on the West Side Lumber Co.

My guess was the ties were on hand and it was sufficient for the need.  Bringing in switch ties would be more costly and time consuming.  And we all know how railroads hated to spend money...

Todd

[Jeff Young]

Funny thing; subsequent to that post I spent a few weekends laying a stub switch in Como.  We used cross ties because that was all we had. ;)

[drgwcs]

Interesting thread to pop back up. Has anyone ever modeled this area? Another interesting mine in this area was the Gem consolidated with two sidings and as far as I have ever found the only crossing on the C&S narrow gauge.
looking West


From the other side the mill is even more interesting to model.


https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p15330coll21/id/11920/rec/1

There were at least two mills on the other side of Clear Creek but they are pretty illusive with pics. The siding that runs over to them is visible in the lower photo. In Sanborn maps they are shown on an inset.

[Dave Eggleston]

This isn't the only narrow-gauge-only crossing on the C&S. There were at least three crossings of the D&RG in Gunnison--of the D&RG three tracks at the base of the Crested Butte branch where the interchange track was and at the west end of the balloon track past the La Veta.

Was there another at Nathrup where the South Park crossed the D&RG, after the joint operations agreement ceased? Or perhaps later when the alignment was changed?

Leadville in the narrow gauge only days might've had one?

And, lastly, might there have been one in Georgetown in 1883/1884 when the new line to the Loop passed through the location of the original wye (if the wye wasn't removed initially)? This last one seems a stretch but worth tossing out there.

[Keith Hayes]

There were at least two crossings in Leadville. One where the Ibex branch crossed the main just above the roundhouse,  and the LMB must have crossed the Ibex branch further east. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other crossings further along the LMB.

[Chris Walker]

drgwcs wrote

Interesting thread to pop back up. Has anyone ever modeled this area?
There were at least two mills on the other side of Clear Creek but they are pretty illusive with pics. The siding that runs over to them is visible in the lower photo. In Sanborn maps they are shown on an inset.

Jim,
I'm glad to see continuing interest in my most favourite corner of Colorado.
Other than the briefest mention in the last Klinger book on Clear Creek, authors Poor, Hauck, Ferrell, Digerness and Brunk, all failed to bring any of this coverage to light.

More on the Gem Consolidated and adjacent Jackson, Hudson and Waltham Mills at the Chicago Creek confluence was brought to light here in Part 3.
http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Idaho-Springs-Mid-Town-Ore-Processing-Part-3-tp2512.html

drgwcs wrote

as far as I have ever found the only crossing on the C&S narrow gauge.

I guess it was the only diamond "in-house" on a siding.  We have covered the diamonds previously on here. See:http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Diamonds-in-the-Rough-tp5899.html

C&S crossing of D&RG(W) at Leadville.

Mac Poor Photo

[drgwcs]

Maybe we should have raised all the zombie threads at once.......then I would have caught that you hit on the Gem. Love the pics of the Jackson on the other thread. I had heard of the dual gauge crossings- the one only works by a foot or so though.  Maybe I should have clarified narrow.....   Idaho Springs has a lot more interesting things than has been modeled. (This is one of the areas I touched on in a clinic I did on modeling the C&S in a compact space)  This is "in the aisle" from the way that Idaho Springs in generally modeled and I think that the fact plus that this area was obliterated by the Interstate didn't help while the narrow gauge alley was spared. To model these mills certainly requires a wider area than typically used. Interesting tidbit the part three thread also kind of brought up. one of the pics shows the State Ore Sampler- there was another sampler by this same name that was in Black Hawk. (Photo from DPL but I would have to dig for the Call number) Doubtless they were related.
 

I actually built a selectively compressed model of this (Didn't have a whole lot of room to work with)

[Chris Walker]

drgwcs wrote

Maybe we should have raised all the zombie threads at once.......then I would have caught that you hit on the Gem. Love the pics of the Jackson on the other thread.

Best I get in a shameless plug for all the coverage of Idaho Springs then.

Covering Idaho Springs from East to West
Gem:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/This-One-s-A-Gem-I-S-Yard-Limits-Begin-td1521.html
Argo(Newhouse):  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Newhouse-Tunnel-Boilerhouse-Growth-And-Demise-td1534.html
Anderson:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/There-But-Not-Noticed-At-The-Edge-Of-Idaho-Springs-The-Anderson-Mill-td1480.html
Sunshine:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Idaho-Springs-Mid-Town-Ore-Processing-Part-2-td2167.html
Renshaw:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Idaho-Springs-Mid-Town-Ore-Processing-Part-3-td2512.html
Kilton:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Idaho-Springs-Mid-Town-Ore-Processing-Part-1-td2053.html
Wiley:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/North-of-the-Tracks-The-Chamberlain-Sampling-Works-td1581.html
Lumber Yard:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Idaho-Springs-Section-Car-Shed-tp3116p3118.html
Alpine:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Another-Where-Is-This-Picture-tp1216p1223.html
Big Five Tunnel:  not yet written.
Lincoln: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Stanley-Mills-Part-One-The-Lincoln-and-Alma-Lincoln-Mills-tp3389.html
Salisbury:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Stanley-Mills-Part-Two-Salisbury-Mill-and-Donna-Juanita-Mine-td3483.html
Gehrman Shaft:  http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Stanley-Mills-Part-Three-Two-Smelters-and-the-Consolidated-Stanley-Mines-tp5619.html

C&S Railway Idaho Springs Trackage Map of 1923-1929


Nice modelling there Jim.   I think Harry Brunk mentioned that I.S. was a challenge in model format due to its length overall.

[drgwcs]

Wow neat stuff to pour through. Just a note on links for anyone else- add www. in front to work. Fascinating area with so much potential to model- especially with a larger space. My Idaho Springs was a compromise that I built nearly 30 years ago. At the time I recycled stuff from an older layout and kitbashed stuff too to go with my scratchbuilt Argo Tunnel chutes. (Hey we were poor newlyweds at the time in college) It has been a part of 6 layouts through the years.



By the way have you ever seen any photos or information on what Cambell/ Timberline called the Idaho Springs Mine. I have had at least two people over on the C&S Facebook group comment they remember it as a kid and it was obliterated by highway construction. However I have as yet never seen anything resembling it. https://www.campbellscalemodels.com/product_p/0433.htm

[Chris Walker]

Links all fixed, one too many https// must have happened when I did a cut&paste insert of the new nabble header into another thread's list of links http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Track-Plan-tp5176p5181.html

and then added them over here.  


As for the Campbell mine kit, I always had an inkling that was a generic/combination mine building, with a catchy name to get more sales.  I'd be happy to be shown a prototype photo if anyone has one.

[drgwcs]

Chris- I think several folks have had trouble with cut and paste posting links- glitch more than anything. As for the Campbell I always wondered about it. Timberline originally issued this kit in board and batten and Campbell in corrugated iron. When we discussed this in the C&S group over in Facebook John Dowling had remembered driving under it and noted "I built the Timberline kit waaay back, and recognized it as the one I’d driven under several times on Routes 6 and 40 near Idaho Springs." There was another that remembered it circa 1963. As far as I have ever heard no photo has surfaced- although there are some with a similar trestle appearance. Timberline tended to make buildings that were based on prototypes but didn't really label them as such. (as well as freelanced ones)  When Campbell got the kits at one point they redesigned it with corrugated iron- John noted that he thought the original version was correct. I still wonder if it might be a little composite but until we find a photo.........if one exists??? Sometimes photos don't and there is no real explanation (I have seen that with a couple of landmarks in my hometown in Oklahoma- it was years before a photo surfaced)

[Chris Walker]

Jim,

after giving it some thought last night, I wonder (given the "driving past it" recollections) then if was it taken from part of the Lincoln Mill, and modified as a "stand-alone" model? US 6&40 went past the Lincoln.

Looking back over http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Stanley-Mills-Part-One-The-Lincoln-and-Alma-Lincoln-Mills-tp3389.html
DPL X-61670
https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p15330coll22/id/38887