North of the Tracks: The Chamberlain Sampling Works.

[Chris Walker]

North of the tracks and on the Western edge of Idaho Springs was one of the earliest and largest Mills at that time.  Shown on pg94 in "A History of Clear Creek County" as the Chambers-Dillingham Mill in Idaho Springs, the Chamberlain Company were also operating Sampling Works in Georgetown and Breckenridge.   This is one of several mills that were known by different names over a period of years.  

http://libcudl.colorado.edu:8180/luna/servlet/UCBOULDERCB1~21~21
Sanborn 1890


Lachlan McLean photo



http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/3381/rv/singleitem/rec/1


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/67645/rv/singleitem/rec/97



EDIT: Jim's ebay Contribution  https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/o1gAAOSwXyZa~ZCk/s-l1600.jpg



Hop over to the C&Sn3Blog and check out the Title photo in  http://coloradosouthern.blogspot.co.nz/2014/10/case-of-missing-truss-rods.html   The location of the scaletrack shown on the Sanborn Fire map doesn't quite match that in the Photo in relation to the Mill itself.   Note at this time period a revised Elevator tower added to the Mill building compared with the view above.
A similar era is shown on pg314 of Mineral Belt 3.
 
Sanborn1908


In this 1920's wide angle view of I.S. the old mill has been demolished to make way for the new Ruth Mill.   In the 1929 C&S Trackage Map, this siding is still known as the Wiley Sampler.


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/3367/rv/singleitem/rec/1


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/38790/rv/singleitem/rec/1

[Chris Walker]

#70 switching at the Scaletrack, formerly the Chamberlain aka Wiley Sampler in I.S. (EDIT: able to id this due another picture to crossmatch)


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/42728/rv/singleitem/rec/4

[Chris Walker]

From A History Of Clear Creek County. 2004.  Historical Soc. of I.S.


Update to this, the C&S Rly Trackage Map of 1923/29 lists this Mill as the Wiley.  This was a bother to me as every other reference was to the Chamberlain-Dillingham Co that operated Sampling Works in Blackhawk, Georgetown and Breckenridge as well.

Subsequent digging in the 1911 Business directory of I.S. has brought to light that the Manager was an F.D. Wiley.  

This mis-leading practice of naming a mill by the Rly after the manager was also extended to the Newton Concentrator later known as the Gem Consolidated Mines Mill located opposite the Dewey Sampler (more on the Newton in another installment).    The C&S listed that mill as the Renshaw, the manager was W.E. Renshaw, manager of the Gem Consolidated Mines Co.  

This leads me to wonder if the C&S listing of "Smith Mill" for the Bertha/Alpine Concentrator opposite Moscript & Hassell Lumber Co's yard was in fact managed by a Mr. Smith.  

EDIT: The Chamberlain-Dillingham Co closed and dismantled their operations at Georgetown, I.S. and Blackhawk in 1918. (USGS PP#138:Mining in Colorado)

[Keith Hayes]

Well, Chris, at least if there was only one railroad in town, they knew who paid the bills!

(Love that Fairbanks scale above!!)

[Chris Walker]

Harry Brunk wrote in his series Up Clear Creek on The Narrow Gauge in Nov/Dec 1985 NG&SL Gazette about some changes at Idaho Springs, among them was this titbit...

"I have seen documents dated August 2, 1904 from the Colorado Railroad Museum for an Authority For Ependiture (AFE) for moving Track Scales from Georgetown to Idaho Springs.  The total expenditure was $460.00, but the reason for moving the scales was not given - neither was the location of the installation of the scales in Idaho Springs.  I would have like (sic) to have included the scales on my model of Idaho Springs but their location never came to light."

Those of you who have this issue of the Gazette and/or the Book version of the series may wish to add a notation about said Scales located at the Chamberlain.

For clarity, I'm not writing about the Scales shown above beside the New Ruth Mill but those shown here in this  article by Doug Heitkamp  http://coloradosouthern.blogspot.co.nz/2014/10/case-of-missing-truss-rods.html

[Chris Walker]

Fraction Mine Docket:1897. note FD Wiley's signature at lower right.

[South Park]

  I am noting the single digit phone number !  👍