Re: The Gilpin Tram in Black Hawk

Posted by Keith Pashina on Jul 21, 2023; 2:53pm
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/The-Gilpin-Tram-in-Black-Hawk-tp18436p18978.html

THE HIDDEN TREASURE MILL AND VICINITY



A map showing the Hidden Treasure Mill trackage. The Gilpin Tram mainline up Chase Gulch is the left-most track. The line down to Black Hawk and more mills is the line on the right bank of Clear Creek.


Shay #2 passing the Hidden Treasure Mill. Photo courtesy of Mark Baldwin collection.

The previous posts began at the Gilpin Tram’s warming house, moved across the creek, examined the “roundhouse” and small yard facilities, and then looked at the three stamp mills along the short Fullerton Mill Branch.

Now, we’re going to go back to the starting point, and head south from the Gilpin Tram engine house area.  The Hidden Treasure mill was served by both the Gilpin Tram and Colorado Central/C & S, and this area is well worth taking a closer look.


Overall view of the Hidden Treasure mill. Photo from Denver Public Library, image L-50.

The main line split into two directions, the line on the east side of the Clear Creek heading south, towards the Hidden Treasure Mill and other mills in Black Hawk.  On the opposite side of Clear Creek, the main line headed  in the other direction up Chase Gulch, towards the numerous mine branches.  

The line heading along Clear Creek and to Black Hawk went past the previously mentioned warming house, wound around a bend in the creek and soon reached the Hidden Treasure Mill.

The Hidden Treasure Mill marked the end of the 3’ C&S dual gage trackage, and the beginning of the 2’ gauge-only Gilpin Tram. This point was mile marker “36.77 – End of C&S Track,” as designated referring to the C&S Official Mileage Table dated July 1, 1914.


The Hidden Treasure Mill (blue) and Midas Mill (yellow). From Sanborn Fire Insurance map, 1895.

This mill was also known as the New California Mill – At various times, this mill had been either owned by or associated with the mining interests that operated the California and Hidden Treasure Mines on Quartz Hill, along with others.
 
This mill was also the furthest upstream that the 3' gauge Colorado Central/Colorado & Southern reached.  The C&S actually had two spurs here. One spur branched off to the east (right), and may have been used for loading ore concentrates, supplies, and possibly unloading coal. The wood-framed shed on the east side of this spur is identified as a “Tailings House” on the 1895 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map.

The other track was dual gauge, and 2' and 3' gauge and passed by the west (creek) side of the mill. The C&S track ended here. See those big doors in about the middle of the left wall of the Hidden Treasure Mill?  Those were used to unload coal from C&S coal cars into the mill.  

At the mill, the large box-like structure at the upper right houses a water wheel to power the mill.  Many mills along Clear Creek used water wheels to power the mills during periods of high water.  When water flow was low, they reverted to steam power. This was common to the mills near Black Hawk. The mills along the Fullerton Mill Branch also used this system.


The mill’s west side. From Glimpses of Golden Colorado, 1908 promotional  brochure.


Sketch showing some of the more salient features of the mill.


Closer view of the large enclosed water wheel, used to power the mill when the creek was running high. The boilers would be fired up and steam-power used to operate the mill when water levels were low.


The south wall of the mill has manuy details – stone and tarpaper construction, stored junk, and a parked wagon.


There were two interesting outbuildings by the mill and C&S spur.