Re: The Gilpin Tram in Black Hawk
Posted by Keith Pashina on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/The-Gilpin-Tram-in-Black-Hawk-tp18436p19536.html
THE GOLDEN GILPIN MILL
When you drive into Black Hawk, you see the Golden Gilpin mill building just north of the Polar Star Mill. This mill post-dates the Gilpin Tram period, and is a relatively modern addition. I think it was built in the 1930s -1950s era. An interesting structure, but too modern if you model the Gilpin Tram. The mill is currently active, too, and recently rehabilitated to process ores from a mine in nearby Mountain City.
EAGLE MILL
The Eagle Mill was located across the tracks and just a little bit south of the Polar Star Mill.
There is not too much information I have been able to find out about this mill. This mill had 35 fast-drop stamps, and a capacity of 75 tons of ore per day. Compare this to the Polar Star Mill, which although the buildings were of similar size, had a capacity of only 40 tons per day with its 40 slow drop stamps.
I do not know when it was built or when it ceased operations. In 1917, Bastin reported in his USGS report that the mill had been owned by the same company that operated the Next President Mine in Gregory Gulch, and their ore was treated by this mill. I do not know if this mill processed other mills' ores, or was used only by the one mine.
The Next President Mine was located alongside the Colorado and Southern Railway branch to Central City. It was not directly served by the C&S, and I believe all the ore was teamed by wagon down to Black Hawk.
I'll post this map again, so you can reorient yourself to where we are in Black Hawk.
This is a Ronzio view from Gilpin Railroad Era. We are looking north at the Polar Star Mill at center, and the Eagle Mill is on the right hand edge of the photo, just above the white-painted railroad crossing sign
The Eagle Mill had a C&S 3' gauge spur on its east side. A C&S gondola can be seen on the left side of the mill, and probably had unloaded a load of coal. On the right side of the mill, there are 8 small hatches that are open - these doors are in the open position, and where wagons would be unloaded by hand-shoveling the ore into the receiving bins
This is a view of the Eagle Mill from the 1907 Mining Investor Magazine, and shows the south (downstream) side of the mill. This photo was taken later than the previous photo, and the ore unloading bin doors are now covers by a building addition. The dual gauge C&S-Gilpin Tram trackage wound its way between the mill and the barn-like building at the left
Here is the Sanborn Fire Insurance map showing the Eagle Mill at about the turn of the last century. The steam pipe crossed the tracks and served a City water pumping station. The track shown was actually dual gauge 2' and 3' trackage
This view is from the Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, and shows the north (upstream) side of the Eagle Mill. Two C&S gondolas are parked on the coal unloading spur - one car has been unloaded and the other one appears partially unloaded. The dual gauge Gilpin Tram and C&S track appears on the right side of the mill. In the background can be seen part of the 50 Gold Mines Mill
This drawing is from an accident report where a worker was struck and killed when switching by the Eagle Mill - they struck the steam pipe support for the steam line going to the City water pump house. There is a lot of information about this incident in Darel Leedy's C&Sng Discussion Forum, posted February 15, 2015, by Doug Heitkamp. If you go to the link,
A Bad Day In Black Hawk Or How I Lost My Head!
you can read all about this incident. This image was taken from that blog post
Last, I wanted to post this image, originally posted by Todd Hackett in the C&Sng blog in a previous post. This is a similar image to one I posted previously, but shows a nice, slightly different view of the C&S-to-Gilpin Tram transfer. Three Gilpin Tram coal cars are on the siding. The left-most one has the end panel lowered prior to loading. There are three C&S gondolas parked on the transfer track. You can see the barn or similar structure that was located between the transfer area and the dual gauge "mainline" track
So, this little tour has looked at the Gilpin Tram engine house, yards, Fullerton Mill Branch, and the mills and transfer along Clear Creek down to just above the 50 Gold Mines complex and "downtown" Black Hawk.
There is so much more to look at - there is the Black Hawk main town area, depot, and four more stamp mills and a sampling works that were all served by the Gilpin Tram. Plus, more C&S stuff!
I have this material all filed away in my "round tuit" file, so watch for future posts.
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/The-Gilpin-Tram-in-Black-Hawk-tp18436p19536.html
THE GOLDEN GILPIN MILL
When you drive into Black Hawk, you see the Golden Gilpin mill building just north of the Polar Star Mill. This mill post-dates the Gilpin Tram period, and is a relatively modern addition. I think it was built in the 1930s -1950s era. An interesting structure, but too modern if you model the Gilpin Tram. The mill is currently active, too, and recently rehabilitated to process ores from a mine in nearby Mountain City.
EAGLE MILL
The Eagle Mill was located across the tracks and just a little bit south of the Polar Star Mill.
There is not too much information I have been able to find out about this mill. This mill had 35 fast-drop stamps, and a capacity of 75 tons of ore per day. Compare this to the Polar Star Mill, which although the buildings were of similar size, had a capacity of only 40 tons per day with its 40 slow drop stamps.
I do not know when it was built or when it ceased operations. In 1917, Bastin reported in his USGS report that the mill had been owned by the same company that operated the Next President Mine in Gregory Gulch, and their ore was treated by this mill. I do not know if this mill processed other mills' ores, or was used only by the one mine.
The Next President Mine was located alongside the Colorado and Southern Railway branch to Central City. It was not directly served by the C&S, and I believe all the ore was teamed by wagon down to Black Hawk.
I'll post this map again, so you can reorient yourself to where we are in Black Hawk.
This is a Ronzio view from Gilpin Railroad Era. We are looking north at the Polar Star Mill at center, and the Eagle Mill is on the right hand edge of the photo, just above the white-painted railroad crossing sign
The Eagle Mill had a C&S 3' gauge spur on its east side. A C&S gondola can be seen on the left side of the mill, and probably had unloaded a load of coal. On the right side of the mill, there are 8 small hatches that are open - these doors are in the open position, and where wagons would be unloaded by hand-shoveling the ore into the receiving bins
This is a view of the Eagle Mill from the 1907 Mining Investor Magazine, and shows the south (downstream) side of the mill. This photo was taken later than the previous photo, and the ore unloading bin doors are now covers by a building addition. The dual gauge C&S-Gilpin Tram trackage wound its way between the mill and the barn-like building at the left
Here is the Sanborn Fire Insurance map showing the Eagle Mill at about the turn of the last century. The steam pipe crossed the tracks and served a City water pumping station. The track shown was actually dual gauge 2' and 3' trackage
This view is from the Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, and shows the north (upstream) side of the Eagle Mill. Two C&S gondolas are parked on the coal unloading spur - one car has been unloaded and the other one appears partially unloaded. The dual gauge Gilpin Tram and C&S track appears on the right side of the mill. In the background can be seen part of the 50 Gold Mines Mill
This drawing is from an accident report where a worker was struck and killed when switching by the Eagle Mill - they struck the steam pipe support for the steam line going to the City water pump house. There is a lot of information about this incident in Darel Leedy's C&Sng Discussion Forum, posted February 15, 2015, by Doug Heitkamp. If you go to the link,
A Bad Day In Black Hawk Or How I Lost My Head!
you can read all about this incident. This image was taken from that blog post
Last, I wanted to post this image, originally posted by Todd Hackett in the C&Sng blog in a previous post. This is a similar image to one I posted previously, but shows a nice, slightly different view of the C&S-to-Gilpin Tram transfer. Three Gilpin Tram coal cars are on the siding. The left-most one has the end panel lowered prior to loading. There are three C&S gondolas parked on the transfer track. You can see the barn or similar structure that was located between the transfer area and the dual gauge "mainline" track
So, this little tour has looked at the Gilpin Tram engine house, yards, Fullerton Mill Branch, and the mills and transfer along Clear Creek down to just above the 50 Gold Mines complex and "downtown" Black Hawk.
There is so much more to look at - there is the Black Hawk main town area, depot, and four more stamp mills and a sampling works that were all served by the Gilpin Tram. Plus, more C&S stuff!
I have this material all filed away in my "round tuit" file, so watch for future posts.
Keith Pashina
Narrow-minded in Arizona
Narrow-minded in Arizona
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