The Down Town Mines of Leadville: Bon Air Shaft.

[Chris Walker]

Sometimes this research can be mis-leading: the Bohn became the Bon Air, and the Bison became the Caribou.



Jimmy Blouch posted the D&RG 1883 R-o-W Map that shows the St. Louis Smelting and Refining Co/Harrison Smelter (centre; 3rd map segment down)
http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/D-amp-RG-Map-Leadville-1883-td16762.html
The Saint Louis Smelting and Refining Co. smelter

The Harrison Smelter, with the Carbonate Hill Schoolhouse(right centre).



Under the Star of Hope company, Major Bohn started this Shaft(on left) with the Harrison Smelter at right(served by the D&RG). W.H.Jackson image cropped for the detail.
Note the Scalehouse(upper centre) outlived all of this.





Denver Public Library X-6314 & X-6315 side by side for a Panorama.

Foreground Shafts will be covered in following instalments as we work our way up the Penrose Switchback. The Starr Shafthouse is seen at the extreme right edge.

Denver Public Library X-6314

The long "shed" to the right of the Shafthouse is the ore-loading Apron. Headframe in foreground is the Midland.







Probably the most significant image I have found yet.
This unique image does show Colorado Midland cars at the apron, but would have been taken once the CM/RGW routing of ore to SLC had been established.

Lake County Public Library Photo

Note the overhead lighting; not electric traction of the surface trackage.


USGS JD Irving photo 1908*

Lightening up the image reveals the Carbonate Hill Schoolhouse and Starr Shafthouse in the rear. The school has been a great place-setter for views taken over time.






The Nov. 1902 D.& R.G. E.T.T. No.71 mentions a 12 car siding Bohn Shaft on the Iron-Silver Branch.  
I have not found anything on this so far: I'm certain the mention is referring to the Old Bohn, later Bon Air, and utilised redundant trackage at the defunct Harrison Smelter grounds. I also think that was disused by the time of the C&S laying track towards the Penrose, as I doubt the D&RG would have given up the traffic.  Somewhere I read of a Sheriffs sale regarding the Star of Hope Co(Bohn; Bon Air) property that indicated there was little to ship around the late 1890's.

* denotes stated Date that has variations by other sources. YMMV.